...it was his own people...

'For instance the great question about whether or not the Queensland Government stopped Eddie from coming to Murray Island in the 1970s. From all the examinations that I had of every Government record I can find and there was certainly a large number of them, I never found one shred of paper that gave any evidence whatsoever that Eddie was ever refused by the Queensland Government from going to Murray Island. It wasn't the Government that was stopping Eddie going to the island it was his own people.'

Keywords: exile, Mabo v Queensland No.1, Murray Island Council, plaintiffs, Queensland Government

Queensland Government Solicitor, Paul Smith interviewed by Trevor Graham, 1996.
Author: Graham, Trevor
© Film Australia
Source: Smith, Paul