Aboriginal Problem Has Urgency’

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30542, 10 September 1964, Page 17

Aboriginal Problem Has Urgency’

(N.Z. Press Association —Copyright)

NAIROBI, September 9. Kenya’s Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, Tom Mboya, said yesterday greater urgency and understanding was needed in dealing with the problem of Australia’s aboriginal population. Mr Mboya, who has just returned from a twoweek visit to Australia, told a news conference that Australia’s image was bound to be affected in African eyes by this problem.

“Frankly, I believe this is a big moral challenge to Australia and I took the opportunity of my visit to say so in talks with the Australian Government,” he asserted. He said there was still a great deal of discrimination against the aborigines, in spite of some recent attempts to remove it. The Minister said he was struck by the absence of any contribution by other nations, apart from Australia, in the development of New Guinea. He said: “I believe that pressure for independence for New Guinea is going to mount and the United Nations is going to become more interested. The whole situation demands urgent action by the Australian Government. “Australia cannot hope to be left .alone by the rest of the world with regard to New Guinea and the aborigines.” Mr Mboya announced that Kenya would invite two top representatives of the Australian Council for Aboriginal

Rights together with three or four members of the PapuaNew Guinea House of Assembly to Kenya’s Republican Day celebrations on December 12. On the question of South Africa, Mr Mboya said it was obvious there was a division of opinion in Austtalia on the appeal by African nations for sanctions against the country. He said he believed discussions with African countries will lead to greater understanding of their attitude on

this matter. Speaking of the “white Australia” policy, Mr Mboya said it sprang from the fear that the labour market would be flooded by Asians, Chinese and Indonesians. He said, however, he found it now not as rigid as it once was. "I believe it would be in Australia's interests to scrap it altogether. You cannot blame any country for trying to control immigration but I think it can be done without reference to race.”