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An explosive new book is out for Reconciliation Week. It is called Secrets and Lies: The Shocking Truth of Recent Australian Aboriginal History, A Memoir. It covers the period from 1975 to 2021.

While First Nations people are asking for a Voice and Truth Telling, this book gives voice to the Aurukun and Mornington Island people as, in their own words, they tell the Bjelke-Petersen government why they don’t want to be taken over and why they don’t want mining.

The book tells the shocking truth and lays bare secrets and lies. It also exposes the debates in Queensland and federal parliaments of the time over issues like “Who is an Aboriginal?”, a Black State, perceived discrimination against white people etc. and the Commonwealth-State conflict over Indigenous affairs.

Flashpoints in the history of First Nations people such as Noonkanbah where the Western Australian government wanted to force mining on the Aboriginal people, black deaths in custody including the Mulrunji case, court cases over award wages, the Koowarta, Mabo and Wik cases and much more are covered.

The emergence of the North Queensland Land Council and taking the fight for First Nations people to an international level is a fascinating story, as is the development of the Federation of Land Councils as a national voice.

The history of Reconciliation Week, Sorry Day, the fight for constitutional recognition, the Uluru Statement from the Heart, the current co-design process for the Voice, the work of state governments on treaties are all covered with no holds barred.

Author of ten books, mostly on Australian history affecting First Nations people, Barbara Miller’s memoir shows how she became part of the story. Written in a near-novel like manner and action-packed style, this book is part of a series called First Nations True Stories and is available for pre-order on Amazon now.

[Photo: Wikimedia Commons]