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Is Warren Mundine misunderstood or a mistake?
by Stephen Hagan 9 June 2014
G
eorge Eliot once said: It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt. Could these prophetic words aptly apply to Australia’s most influential Indigenous figure, Warren Mundine? If his latest performance on ABC News 24 recently is anything to go on, even his most ardent supporters would have to concur. Mundine’s inability to answer simple questions about the research to support his claims of cuts not impacting on frontline services and of his conflict with members of his council on his recommendation to slash a further $600m from the Indigenous budget next year, from TV hosts, only demonstrates that he isn’t the sharpest tool in the shed. It’s great to see an Indigenous figure on prime time television but in Mundine’s case his lack of coherence on basic topics and his lack of attention to detail, or demonstration of having done rudimentary homework, makes him look awkward at best and incompetent at worst. Comments to the 9.30 min interview that Mundine did with ABC News 24 when posted on First Nations Telegraph: “He’s like a magpie, trinkets and cash have bedazzled him” to “He actually sound drunk” and “What an absolute fool. Surely he can’t believe the conservative, out of touch rhetoric he spews out” is but a small glimpse into the tone
of black Australia as expressed on social media. Mundine’s monumental slide into the realm of total rejection by most of our mob will ensure the challenge ahead for him to restore any semblance of relevance in black affairs - after the Liberals lose an election or render him redundant - very problematic. Another comment, “If this is your representative to help … you do not need an enemy” is probably more of an appeal for Mundine to stop sinking the slipper into the most marginalized people in the country and start showing a little more empathy to their needs and aspirations. A further comment: “Mr Mundine, I would like to invite you to visit my home town of Roebourne and in particular our AMS, Mawarnkarra. We will be affected by this stupid governments budget cuts, and potentially more than expected due to your search for savings.” Our mob would prefer to see Mundine lead from the front and make politicians accountable to their promises to fund and implement policies to Close the Gap than to see him metaphorical sharpen Joe Hockey’s razor to make more incisive cuts to Indigenous
programs already under immense financial stress. If Mundine chose not to alter his current right-leaning political trajectory by out-rednecking the Andrew Bolts and Allan Jones’ of the social commentary world, than I’m afraid we’ll see more social media angst directed against him in the form of “Mmmmm Closing the gap? Wish he would close his!” Since his arrival on the scene as the PM’s right hand man, Noel Pearson and Marcia Langton – once the Indigenous media darlings of the small screen – have been conspicuous in their absence. Although I don’t support all that Pearson (a lawyer) and Professor Langton advocates, at least when they are interviewed on prime time TV they’re commentary is polished and articulate. Perhaps Mundine, who sensationally converted from the lofty heights of ALP President with all its partisan trappings to a full convert to all things Liberal, ought to have embarked on his latest foray into politics by adopting a pseudonym like Mary Ann Evans did. He should’ve assumed a less public profile – and all its associated public angst - but still exert political influence behind the scene. For it was Mary Ann Evans who used the cloak of the pen name George Eliot to rise as a literary giant of the Victorian era and pen the saying: It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt.
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