I have just read Chloe Hooper’s article (November 2006). As someone who worked in Townsville but visited Palm Island as part of my work, I can say the article was terrific. When I was there, years ago, I found the white people who worked there, mainly teachers, really cared and wanted it to be different. But the results of the random dumping of people together “because they were all black” seemed to be a legacy with no solution.

I remember the beautiful, articulate, intelligent young Indigenous boy who, after finishing school on the mainland, returned anxious to help “his people” but who was murdered soon afterwards for being a “coconut”. I remember the white people telling me how so many had tried to set up an industry for the island to be independent but all efforts had failed. I remember the best houses on the island were for those who were on the “council”. I remember the days off the employed Indigenous women had because they were in hospital after their men had bashed them. It was usually a Friday as pension cheques were on a Thursday. I also remember the beautiful children who took me down to the beach and educated me about their environment and how lunchtime at school had to be very late because most of the children did not return afterwards.

I always came away depressed and thinking the situation was hopeless. Hopefully excellent articles like this one will not just call for justice in this particular case but incite people to call for something more ...

Chloe didn’t mention Bedarra Island. I always thought it ironic that one of the most expensive resorts in Australia was situated near Palm Island. While “Fergie” was there with her little princesses being spoilt in luxury, a stone’s throw away people were living in Third World conditions, or worse. I also remember being shocked that the part of Townsville where the Indigenous people caught the boat to Palm Island was in stark contrast to where the whites left from. Maybe that has changed.

Of course there is one law for whites and one for blacks, just as there is one for the rich and one for the poor. If we believe differently we are kidding ourselves.

My congratulations to Chloe ... the power of articles like this is not to be underestimated.