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Aussies Elect First Indigenous MP

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Posted on Aug 29, 2010
Flickr / LiberalsWA

Newly elected MP Ken Wyatt with Australian Sen. Judith Adams.

In a historic moment for Australia, an Aboriginal man has won a seat in the country’s House of Representatives, the first indigenous person to be elected as an MP in Australia’s century-long history as a democracy.

The BBC:

An Aboriginal man has been elected to Australia’s House of Representatives, becoming the first indigenous MP in the country’s history.

Ken Wyatt, 57, took the seat of Hasluck in Western Australia for the centre-right Liberal Party.

Neither the Liberals nor the governing Labor Party gained enough seats at last week’s election for a majority.

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By rollzone, August 30, 2010 at 4:23 pm Link to this comment

hello. seems to be the dawning of a new age, when a member of the oldest culture is elected as a consensually favorable representative member of parliament. the circle is complete.

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Peetawonkus's avatar

By Peetawonkus, August 30, 2010 at 11:00 am Link to this comment

“Ken Wyatt, 57, took the seat of Hasluck in Western Australia for the centre-right Liberal Party.”

So…he’s a white looking black dude and a member of the “centre-right Liberal Party.” Great, he’s just like Obama.

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By crikey, August 29, 2010 at 6:19 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)

yea, i was quite happy to hear after the election that an indiginous person, and a muslim, had been elected.

given the persecution of late of these groups, quite a feat, and raised my hopes in the human species.

it seems though, some people are now saying they wouldnt have voted for him if they had known he was aboriginal. the coalition are making a big song and dance over the fact that they are they party that can get people they demonise elected, and rejoicing in the fact that they have the first muslim, and first aboriginal elected.

if i was to run for parliament, would they announce how proud they are, because my gret great great grandfather emmigrated from silesia, of the first prussian MP to be elected to australian parliament?

stupid.  as for the muslim, well, god knows the christians have used religion as a wedge and a stepping stone to promote themselves, so its not all that surprising, what would be surprising would be if any of them acted according to their proffessed faith. after all, its an easy enough thing to say, yes, im very religious.

anyway, after my initial positive reaction, after a closer look, and the aftermath, i can rest assured that not much has changed, we are still the racist bigots we were before the election

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By PatrickHenry, August 29, 2010 at 1:37 pm Link to this comment

Is he 10% aborigine or something?  Just like in the states if a candidate can identify with a minority in some way they will use it for all its worth.

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By Joe, August 29, 2010 at 1:00 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)

So he is less than 50% indigenous?

And the white part of his family was already in politics before him?

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