Mark Johnson

Sydney Morning Herald

Not that long ago, the politics of Aboriginal policy was seen as important, if occasionally misguided. Remember the apology, closing the gap and the Northern Territory intervention. What happened?

Surely our poll-driven leaders haven't decided to go silent on Aboriginal issues because they are not vote-winners. But with days to go, Indigenous Affairs Minister Jenny Macklin has been in remote Australia talking about remote Aboriginal housing and there's been . . . well, that's about it.

As grim as this poll-driven theory is, I fear the truth is more disturbing. Having apologised, thrown millions at remote housing and sent the army into the Northern Territory, I fear both sides are simply bereft of ideas, good or bad. They are clueless and announcing more of the same will cause either a backlash or a yawn.

They have no stomach for either. I have three challenges for both sides to think about before they go to the polls.

First, stop playing to the prejudice of those who think the ''true Aborigine'' still lives in a desert or deep in the outback. The reality is a quarter of Aboriginal people live in remote areas. Most live like the rest of the population - in cities. Yet our remote ''cousins'' receive most attention and funding.

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