In honour of Abdifatah, I stood in my neighbourhood amongst a group of women of all ages. Many of them wept. Our community rallied for justice, demanded answers: “He was young. He was Somali. He deserved to live”. “Community Care Not Cops”. “Abdifatah Needed Support, Not Bullets”. “Black Lives Matter”. Calls for accountability and an independent investigation continue.

As community mourns this loss, it got me thinking. In the 5 years since the Black Lives Matter movement hit our shores here in Australia, how far have we come?

*** This article was first published in 9 July 2020

The death of George Floyd has had a ripple effect across the globe. It shook me to the core.

As the Black Lives Matter movement gained momentum everywhere, here in Australia we took to the streets in solidarity whilst also highlighting issues of systemic racism and police brutality in our own country. In the midst of the pandemic, I marched at a rally in my city to protest against Aboriginal deaths in custody. It was moving and powerful being there with thousands of others.

Amy McQuire, a Darumbal/ South Sea Islander journalist wrote an article in the Saturday Paper entitled, "There Cannot be 432 Victims and No Perpetrators". “There has never been a conviction over an Aboriginal death in custody in this country. To bear witness, we must understand the reality of violence in this country, and how police have been the wielders of it - the weapons to “disperse”, to contain and to kill Aboriginal people." After the protest, there were more deaths of black lives in the US and in Australia. The words from the protest echoed in my head: "No Justice, No Peace, No Justice, No Peace".

As Black Lives Matter protests continued around the world, statues of historical figures linked to slavery began to fall. The Australian Prime Minister responded to this in an interview on national radio saying that “there was no slavery in Australia” - a comment that he later walked back on. Newspapers and journalists around the country repeated the same sentiment.

(Pictured: The Age and Sydney Morning Herald newspaper correction, June 2020.)

The Prime Minister's comments sparked public outcry. People were vocal about the continued blatant erasure of black histories in this country. Articles and commentary around slavery in Australia were being shared everywhere, reminding us of “decades of stolen wages, the Gurindji strike, black-birding of South Sea Islander people, domestication under government policies, the mission system and using Aboriginal people to prop up pastoral and mining industries.”

Almost immediately, the hashtag “#blackbirding" was trending on Twitter. People were sharing my short film BLACKBIRD on social media. For the first time in my adulthood, blackbirding entered the national conversation.

Our Prime Minister was ignoring not only First Nations' histories, but also the 60,000 plus Pacific Islanders who were blackbirded from the years 1863 to 1904, and who built the foundations of today’s $2 billion dollar sugar industry. Around 15,000 Islanders died as a result of blackbirding - a death rate of more than 25%, the highest of any immigrant group to come to Australia. Many of their wages, if any, were put back into a Commonwealth fund (accounting for an estimated $40 million dollars of stolen wages). Discoveries have revealed that many Islanders were buried in unmarked graves such as the 50 Islanders found in mass graves on "Sunnyside" plantation in Bundaberg, Queensland.

Meanwhile, statues as close to home as New Zealand were taken down. But in Australia, monuments of Robert Towns and John Mackay who are known ‘blackbirders’ with Queensland towns named after them, remained unchanged and unblemished. Australian South Sea Islander (ASSI) community groups have long been calling for the recognition of blackbirding history at these monument sites.

It is important to acknowledge the past because the effects of blackbirding still remain, the trauma is still there - disadvantage and marginalisation is still apparent in our communities. In addition, the exploitation of Pacific Islanders working in Australia still exists to this day through various government schemes where Islanders have been recruited to work here fruit picking and subsequently scammed, returning home with little to no money.

The conversation about slavery in Australia is one we needed to have, and it highlighted the ignorance that still exists from the people and institutions that govern this nation. Despite a history of discrimination, Australian South Sea Islanders and Pacific Islanders in Australia have shown great resilience and ASSI community groups continue to do the work and advocacy needed to create change.

Around this time, another discussion reignited concerning issues of race and representation in the Australian film and television industry. An article was published in the Guardian: "There are no more excuses’: six industry insiders on Australian TV's problem with race". Writer/director Corrie Chen spoke of the casual racism she has experienced on set. Screenwriter Benjamin Law pointed out that sometimes, as the only person of colour on a writing team, one can feel used by the "harvesting of minority stories and pain". The Head of Indigenous at Screen Australia, Penny Smallacombe, said that when non-Indigenous creatives tell Indigenous stories it can be harmful in stealing the marketplace from Indigenous filmmakers and she stressed the need for authentic storytelling. The stories from these creatives resonated with me deeply particularly when it is so difficult to turn a critical eye upon the industry in which we work.

There are clearly serious issues with a lack of diversity and adequate representation in our industry, as well as a need for greater support of marginalised voices. I believe that it is vital to provide diverse filmmakers with a platform to tell their own stories in a way that is safe, authentic and culturally appropriate.

In terms of representation of Pacific Islanders on Australian screens, the most well-known character is probably 'Jonah from Tonga'. There has long been criticism of this portrayal of a Pasifika teenager played by Chris Lilley dressed in brownface with a black wig and darker skin colour. Amidst the Black Lives Matter movement, Netflix removed the comedian's shows that include inappropriate representations of characters from other cultural backgrounds - Jonah from Tonga (2014), Summer Heights High (2007), Angry Boys (2011) and We Can be Heroes (2005). The ABC who first aired these shows on Australian television responded that: "We are reviewing our content to ensure it meets current community standards and reflects our editorial policies on harm and offence".

On June 28th 2020, former school boy Filipe Mahe was vocal about his experience of feeling exploited by Lilley who visited his high school as research for Summer Heights High. Now 33, Mahe believes that the 'Jonah from Tonga' character was based on himself as a teen, a time when he was dealing with personal struggles: "Young Tongan boys have been stereotyped as dumb, clowns, a nuisance, little shits, violent and foul-mouthed," he said. "I feel like I'm responsible for this stereotype and that hurts the most.” It is clear that the exploitation of minority stories, and misappropriation and misrepresentation on screen can be damaging especially in the perpetuation of harmful stereotypes.

Recently, the ABC announced major job and programming cuts to deal with the government's $84 million budget cut - this will have profound negative effects on the industry. However, before this in April during lockdown, the ABC created a COVID-19 response fund for the development of content across the arts called Fresh Start.

My application for development funding for my TV series, MIDDLE OF NOWHERE, was successful through this program. The funds will allow me to write a 30-minute pilot episode and create pitch documents to then find a producer who can help me to get the series fully funded and made. This is the first ever funding for my own work from a film and television body, so it’s really special, especially when the story is semi-autobiographical. Yes, that’s right. MIDDLE OF NOWHERE is a coming of age story about a 39-year-old Australian Pacific Islander woman living in Melbourne who is single, childless and trying to make it in the creative industries. You may not have guessed it from the subject matter covered in my newsletters, but this series is a comedy. "Whaaaaat?!", I hear you say? Stay tuned, I’ll keep you updated.

One thing I can tell you is that MIDDLE OF NOWHERE will centre around a contemporary Australian Pacific Islander woman in a show that will aim to subvert the socks off any portrayal of brownface. Also, given that the support is coming from the ABC, I hope that this means progress. MIDDLE OF NOWHERE was selected as one of 80 projects from 1600 applications. I’m truly grateful for this support because on a personal note, it was the 'fresh start' that I needed.

The times that we are living in are challenging and turbulent. The global Black Lives Matter movement has forced us to face uncomfortable truths and look at how systemic racism has affect within the systems that govern us, the industries we work in, and the relationships we navigate on a day to day basis.

I have been moved by those who have rallied to demand change. And even now, after some developments, protesting continues because we clearly have a long way to go. Personally, I’m always striving to know what I can do to support, to act, to be vocal, and to stand in solidarity.

I’m writing this just after the announcement that my city has recorded it's highest number of COVID-19 cases to date and we’re going back into lockdown for a second time. I want to acknowledge that you also might be in a place that is difficult right now but I hope that you are supported, safe and well. I’m grateful for your time and support.

Take care,

Amie (July 2020)

*** 22 April 2025: