Proud local indigenous man says, "It's a shame that we are all classed as the same. "

Responding to a letter to the editor published in Wednesday's Daily Examiner, a local indigenous man from Yamba says, "It sounds like everyone, as a community, is painting the indigenous community with one brush".

Wednesday's letter appeared above the title "Name and address supplied". In other words, it was the work of Anon Y Mouse.

Here's the young indigenous man's letter:

Regarding the passage in the article "Ngaru Village", "the local indigenous population either doesn't care or couldn't be bothered to fix this major problem"... it sounds like everyone, as a community, is painting the indigenous community with one brush.

I have completed my HSC and have several jobs around town.

I plan on joining the NSW Police Force later this year.

As an indigenous local Yamba man it sounds like it can't be done, throughout the eyes of wider Yamba.

It's a shame that we are all classed as the same.

Jordan Walker, Yamba 

12 January 2012

And here's the letter written by  "Name and address supplied":

In Friday's paper we read about a police car having a window smashed leaving Ngaru Village when they were in search of three offenders who were hiding there after committing crimes. We read about persons from the village attacking golfers on the golf course.

The place in general looks like a ghetto, slum, or whatever, and it is disgraceful.

Believe it or not, there are people responsible for managing this area (the local land council) and it is blatantly obvious this is self-determination and governing has gone very wrong.

We need Housing NSW to come in and take over this embarrassment.

The local indigenous population either doesn't care or couldn't be bothered to fix this major problem.

They can't keep getting handouts all the time to fix their problems.

The rent these properties should be earning should be the money to upkeep the properties to a respectable standard.

You can bet your life tenants in Ngaru have major rent arrears and property damage issues that are not being addressed by their local land council.

Surely there must be a government body supervising how these land councils are using taxpayers' money.

Are they being audited as they are using taxpayers' money?

The land itself is a gorgeous piece of property and for the local indigenous population to treat the land this way is somewhat surprising, as they are supposed to have special attachments to the land.

Name and address supplied

10 January 2012