Nine years later, the then prime minister Gough Whitlam poured a handful of soil into Vincent Lingiari’s hand symbolising the legal transfer of Wave Hill Station back to the Gurindji people, and marking the beginning of the Aboriginal land rights movement in Australia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Vincent Lingiari , I solemnly hand to you these deeds as proof, in Australian law, that these lands belong to the Gurindji people and I put into your hands part of the earth itself as a sign that this land will be the possession of you and your children forever.<\/em><\/p>Gough Whitlam – August 16, 1975 <\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
Paul Kelly and Kev Carmody honoured the memory of Vincent Lingiari in the song ‘From Little Things Big Things Grow<\/a>‘ and the Northern Territory federal electorate of Lingiari is named after him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Finding voice<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
As with gardening, to grow an idea many seeds need to be planted, carefully tended and the conditions need to be favourable for those seeds to germinate and over time grow. Sometimes the kernel of an idea has its roots firmly embedded in a tipping-point moment, such as when you find yourself shouting at the television in frustration at a particular news item.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n‘So, I realised that I was shouting at the television with a story about the non-apology and the no-show at parliament house Canberra, by our then federal member for the Stolen Generations. I was so angry about this \u2026 then I realised my daughter was watching me, and I thought how pathetically tragic must this outburst look. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n
In my calmer moments afterwards, I realised that I had been a central part of what lead to the outburst. I had not ever been involved in politics as a citizen. I had been asleep at my own wheel<\/strong>. I had been a poor role model to my three (now adult) children. I had not taken responsibility for my own part in our democracy, I had dishonoured those who fought so strongly to protect it. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Right. That\u2019s it. I\u2019m not going to take this anymore. I\u2019m resolved to getting involved in some way and step away from lame acceptance that others will be making the decisions about my future. So, I did. That same daughter some time later invited me to participate in discussions about community, civic engagement and personal responsibility. I jumped at the chance and have never looked back since. I joined the fledgling organisation and became seriously involved as a member, vice president and president. Separately, I\u2019ve been through two successful high energy community independent political campaigns, and am now in the middle of a third. I\u2019m looking forward to much more.’<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n
That organisation is Voices for Indi<\/a>\u2026 and I\u2019m not shouting at the television anymore!<\/em><\/p>Denis Ginnivan<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
Between the no show by Sophie Mirabella<\/a>, the then federal member for Indi, at the National Apology to the Stolen Generations in 2008<\/a>, to the election of Cathy McGowan as the Independent member in 2013 and everything in between, is a story of germination and growth. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
In her adaption of the original Kelly and Carmody song ‘From Little Things Big Things Grow’, done for Cathy McGowan’s 2013 election campaign launch, Sal Kimber<\/a> captures the story of the growing movement in Indi. <\/p>\n\n\n\n