May contain names, images or voices of deceased Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people

Original classification rating: M. This clip chosen to be PG

This clip shows footage of three men being interviewed and expressing extreme racist views about Indigenous Australians. The interviewees are mining magnate ‘Lang’ Hancock, a town mayor and a spokesperson for the Queensland Graziers Association. Aboriginal activist Mick Miller, the writer and narrator of the film from which this clip has been taken, speaks towards the end of the clip over footage of the Comalco Bauxite mine at Weipa in Queensland. Miller reports that multinational companies have not paid royalties nor compensated Indigenous people for mining on their land.

The news and interview footage in this clip is from a relatively recent time in Australian history. The openness with which sterilisation is proposed as a solution to the Aboriginal problem – especially the half-castes who are not considered legitimate Aborigines – frames the way in which the Australian public felt justified in having such discussions publicly. Such opinions are very recent, and still surface in race discussions on the ongoing distinction between 'true Aborigines’ and 'hybrid’ Aborigines.

Talking head newscast discussing the 'Aboriginal problem’. In this instance, Lang Hancock offers sterilisation as a solution to 'the problem’.

Thanks to the generosity of the rights holders, we are able to offer 'The Aboriginal problem' from the documentary Couldn't Be Fairer as a high quality video download.

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