FED: Welfare system "poisons" Aborigines: Noel Pearson

AAP General News (Australia)
04-30-1999
FED: Welfare system "poisons" Aborigines: Noel Pearson

Aboriginal leader NOEL PEARSON claims welfare is a poison that has turned many Aboriginal
people into what he calls drunken parasites.

Mr PEARSON, a consultant on legal matters affecting Aborigines and land rights issues, says
the welfare system has devalued money.

He says this is because indigenous people are not earning their benefit payments.

Mr PEARSON, in an interview with the Courier-Mail newspaper says that since the 1967
referendum, Aboriginal people believe their right earned in the referendum is the right to
drink.





In a 42-page discussion paper for Cape York Aboriginal leaders, Mr PEARSON calls on
governments to help break the dependency on welfare by indigenous people to help them lead
more healthy, dignified lives.

He says Aboriginal people should participate in the real economy where people have to
work.

AAP RTV rad/wz/jn

KEYWORD: PEARSON (BRISBANE)

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