...you say it yourself...

'The Trades and Labour meetings was where I made the breakthrough in becoming outspoken. Because when I used to attend they used to say to me, "Any issues that you think need to be raised, you say them. Don't give it to us to say it. You say it yourself." And Bill Timms would give me an urge, give me a nudge with an elbow to say things, and I was a little bit reluctant, and maybe ashamed, or a little bit reserved. But then he would give me a nudge and I would gain courage and just start asking about Aboriginal issues. And from that time I seemed to sort of gain more confidence as I went along. And we developed a kind of link between the Blacks and the Labour movement as a whole. It was a big step from that little island in the Strait.'

Keywords: Australian Labor Party, Stranger In A Strange Land, 1956, Townsville, trade unions, 1960s

Loos, Noel and Mabo, Edward Koiki 1996, 'Edward Mabo, His Life and Struggle for Land Rights', University of Queensland Press.
Source: Mabo, Edward Koiki