RESOURCES REVIEW

Mabo: Life of an Island Man (Video)
Film Australia 1997
87 minutes
Available from ABC Shop
Price : $25.00

This documentary film is concerned with the life and times of Eddie Koiki Mabo 1936-1992.

He is now famous for the landmark High Court decision in which it was found that Murray Islanders had a system of land ownership pre-dating white settlement. (Mabo himself maintained that he could trace his ancestry back through 20 generations in the Murray Island area.) The effect of this was to explode the myth of terra nullius.

The history of the lengthy court case is documented in the video, including footage of the visit to Murray Island by Justice Moynihan to gather information.

However there are other aspects to this story. The coverage of Murray Island dancing, traditional crafts and way of life are fascinating in themselves. Historical footage of life under the protection of the Queensland Government, the 1967 Referendum to give Aboriginal & Islander people the vote, and treatment of indigenous people in relatively recent times showed the social circumstances in which Mabo increasingly took on the role of activist. His intelligence, determination, ambition, and fearless questioning of authority are revealed over the decades.

Insights into the man are provided by his wife and children and members of the Murray island community. Little known aspects of his life, such as the setting up of the first black community school in Australia in 1973 are shown.

The vandalising of Mabo’s headstone in Townsville cemetery defies description. The effect on his family was devastating, and yet it was this event which led to his return to Murray Island - the place he has always thought of, and fought for, as his island home.

 

Right of access: a guide to developing action plans and improving access for people with disabilities.
Villamanta Publishing Service, Geelong, 1997
Available from: Villamanta Publishing Service
2 Downes Place
Geelong VIC 3220
Ph (03) 5229 2029 Fax (03) 5222 5399
Price : $65.00 + $9.50 postage & handling

This publication comes from Villamanta Publishing Service which has consistently produced timely material of a high standard in the area of disability and the rights of people with disabilities.

It sells accessibility as a positive rather than a negative concept. Accessibility results in a better quality of service, a better use of the service, a better public profile, improved staff morale, and the bottom line is ... it is the law.

A particularly useful part of the publication is the access checklists. These checklists have been compiled by KLCK Architects which is a national firm specialising in the field of aged care, health care and design for accessibility. The checklists pose questions to be answered in an inventory fashion, which will give guidance as to the actual accessibility of a particular building. Checklists are provided for access to buildings, access to buildings with special requirements and access to programs and services. These checklists are also provided on disk in Word Version 2.0.

This publication is recommended for a wide audience.

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