Cassy O’Connor MP | Greens Leader
The Premier has no choice but to remove Roger Jaensch from the Aboriginal Affairs portfolio, after key community Truth Telling and Treaty group, tuylupa tunapri, today expressed no confidence in Minister Jaensch.
This follows Mr Jaensch’s insulting and damaging failure to acknowledge Tasmanian Aboriginal people under Greens’ questioning in Parliament during the last sitting.
He could not bring himself to say the words ‘Tasmanian Aboriginal people’ for fear of upsetting his Braddon constituency, the Circular Head Aboriginal Corporation (CHAC), which made the racist claim there is no “such a thing as a ‘Tasmanian’ Aboriginal person”*.
This offensive conduct on the Minister’s part was witnessed by two palawa women who were in the Chamber that day. To hear the Minister fail to acknowledge their existence, struggle and strength of Tasmanian Aboriginal identity and culture broke their hearts.
Roger Jaensch must go as Aboriginal Affair minister. He cannot lead on Truth and Treaty as he does not have the trust of Tasmanian Aboriginal people.
*https://www.aboriginalheritage.tas.gov.au/Documents/11%20-%20Circular%20...