Time is right for Long to walk again

The Australian

Rick Wallace

20 April 2007

AFL Champion and Indigenous leader Michael Long has backed moves to persuade leading companies to hire more Aboriginal people, saying jobs are a key source of self-esteem and health for Indigenous Australians.

Long praised ANZ's new target of 300 indigenous employees and said he detected a new optimism in Australia about improving living conditions and life expectancy for Aboriginal Australians.

The former Essendon star, who spoke to The Australian yesterday, also announced plans for the fourth running of The Long Walk, his campaign to raise money for indigenous leaders.

The first Long Walk, in 2004, ended in Canberra to engage John Howard on indigenous issues. The route for this year's march is still being mapped out, although it is expected to include several rural communities in Victoria.

Long said the fellowships provided by the walk had already given several Aboriginal leaders the confidence and skills to deal with governments and the business world on an equal footing.

"With our fellowship holders who are in place now, it's all about supporting them and giving them the resources to go away and advocate for their own communities and for the next generation of leaders to come," he said.

As ANZ announced its target, the Howard Government revealed it had asked all federal agencies to come up with reconciliation action plans by the end of next month and was pushing the top 100 companies to employ Aborigines.

"I would love to see a lot of companies becoming involved and opening up opportunities," Long said.

"Having a job makes a big improvement in the way you live your life. There are only so many jobs in (indigenous) communities ... how are you going to live on $200 a week? That contributes to health, the way you live. It has an impact on your life."

Long said that after the dumping of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission and some heated debate about Aboriginal issues, the climate was now right for negotiation about how to improve the lot of indigenous people, whose life expectancy is still 17 years shorter than that of other Australians'.

"People are ready to talk. People do want positive change. Both (political) parties are looking for positive change," he said. "'(But) it's got to come from Aboriginal people themselves to want to change and to make change."

The Long Walk program will begin with a walk between Melbourne's Federation Square and the MCG on May 26 to coincide with an Essendon-Richmond match during the AFL's indigenous round - tagged the "Dreamtime at the 'G" game.

Long, who joked yesterday that he might still pull on the boots for his former side, plans to take his program out to communities and schools.

"Hopefully, in time it becomes a national event," he said. "It's small steps, but we aren't going to cure things overnight."

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