Eddie Mabo Would Go

Tomorrow is Mabo Day, though chances are you won't see too much publicity as Eddie represents the main barrier to international mining interests' quest to dig up or drill into the land and sea around here.

"Eddie" Koiki Mabo was just an ordinary fella from Mer Island in the north of Australia who questioned the legal fiction that his island and the rest of Oz were "terra nullius" - belonging to no one and therfore ripe for occupation, exploitation  or desecration by the most powerful at the time. Eddie was a gardener at a university when his 10 year quest for justice commenced.

If Eddie was a surfer, I'm sure he would have gone hard. Sadly Eddie died of cancer five months before the High Court of Australia overturned the legal fiction of "terra nullius". This post is for all who altruistically seek justice against impossible odds. Long may you run.