Shane Mortimer

Last updated

Shane Mortimer
Born (1955-12-24) 24 December 1955 (age 68)
Belmore, New South Wales, Australia
Occupation(s) Ngambri elder, filmmaker and activist
Parent(s)Jim and Lesley Mortimer [1]

Shane Mortimer (born 24 December 1955) is a Ngambri man with a strong connection to the local Canberra region.

Contents

Mortimer was born in Belmore, Sydney in 1955 to parents Lesley and Jim Mortimer. [1] Mortimer lived unaware of his aboriginality until 1989, when he discovered a maternal line going back to Ngambri woman Ju Nin Mingo, daughter of James Ainslie. [2] [3] His grandmother Adelaide McClelland had been taken from her mother Florence Ellen Lowe at the Brungle Mission, prior to the First World War. [1] She was one of the thousands of stolen Aboriginal children to be forcibly removed from their parents under legislation that operated in Australia between 1910 and 1970.

Mortimer has been living in the Canberra area since the early 1990s. [3] In 2009–10 he co-produced his first feature film, Vulnerable, [4] and he is currently working on a 13-part documentary series on native Australian grasslands. [1] He is also Chairman of the Ag-Arts Residency Kenmore Limited. [5]

Campaigns

Campaigning against biomass and wind farms

Mortimer is an active campaigner against wind farms. [5] [6] [7] He claims that biomass and wind farms are destroying wildlife habitats, adversely impacting on Indigenous communities and do not produce any environmental benefit. [7] [8] He is also concerned the wind power industry has ignored Native Title rights. [9] Mortimer also believes wind farms in the vicinity of Lake George will diminish the fertility of sheep and cattle grazing in the area. [10]

He has supported protests against construction of Cullerin Range Wind Farm, Capital Wind Farm, Crookwell Wind Farm and Gullen Range Wind Farm. [11]

Lobbying the Australian War Memorial for greater recognition of Aboriginal Australians

Mortimer lobbied Brendan Nelson, Director of the Australian War Memorial, on the Memorial's refusal to depict Australian frontier wars. [12]

Lobbying to regenerate Australian indigenous perennial grasses

Mortimer argues that, for a sustainable future, native grasslands must be left to regenerate in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT). [13] In 2012 he told the National Indigenous Times that 10 per cent regeneration of the degraded indigenous grasslands in Australia would take more carbon out of the world's atmosphere than has been put there since the Industrial Revolution. [1]

For environmental reasons, Mortimer has unsuccessfully sought to block land developments in the ACT, including the greenfield suburb of Lawson in Belconnen. [14] He also supports urban infill in the territory, suggesting that for environmental reasons the ACT needs to develop housing on top of existing infrastructure instead of building on the fringes of Canberra. [15]

Civil disobedience

Illegal parking

Mortimer amasses parking tickets, often parking his van illegally in the Australian Capital Territory as an act of civil disobedience; he reasons that because the land is his people's land he should be allowed to park for free. [16]

Providing an illegal housing authorisation

In 2012, Mortimer issued an 'authorisation certificate' in defiance of ACT laws to a local University student living on a raft in Lake Ginninderra. [17] [18] The certificate stated that the student was 'authorised to occupy Lake Ginninderra or any other lake estuary or wetland he may so choose upon to reside as suits his needs in Ngambri country.' [18] [17]

Comments on racism

In 2012, Mortimer filed a claim for $6 million worth of damages for alleged racism after Professor Don Aitkin, former National Capital Authority chairman, wrote that Mortimer looked "about as Aboriginal as I do". [19] [20] Mortimer sought $500,000 in personal damages and a further $5.5 million to be paid to the not-for-profit of which he is chairman, Agriculture Arts Residency Kenmore Limited (AARK). [21] Mortimer said that Aitkin's blog belittled him, discredited his aboriginality intentionally and cast doubt on his community standing. [21] Aitkin refused to retract his statement, saying "there is nothing offensive in saying that Shane Mortimer doesn't look Aboriginal because looking Aboriginal isn't one of the criteria. The criteria are, do you claim to be, and are you accepted by others as one." [19] Aboriginal Northern Territory parliamentarian Bess Price said Mortimer was "silly" to be offended by Aitkin's comments. [22]

Mortimer refused to take part in an ACT Government Aboriginal genealogy project in 2011–12, saying the project was divisive and racist. [23] [24]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Australian Capital Territory</span> Federal territory of Australia

The Australian Capital Territory (ACT), known as the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) until 1938, is a federal territory of Australia. Canberra, the capital city of Australia, is situated within the territory, and serves as the territory's primate city. It is located in southeastern Australian mainland as an enclave completely within the state of New South Wales. Founded after Federation as the seat of government for the new nation, the territory hosts the headquarters of all important institutions of the Australian Government.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Canberra</span> Capital city of Australia

Canberra is the capital city of Australia. Founded following the federation of the colonies of Australia as the seat of government for the new nation, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest Australian city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory at the northern tip of the Australian Alps, the country's highest mountain range. As of June 2023, Canberra's estimated population was 466,566.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Goulburn</span> City in New South Wales, Australia

Goulburn is a regional city in the Southern Tablelands of New South Wales, Australia, approximately 195 kilometres (121 mi) south-west of Sydney and 90 kilometres (56 mi) north-east of Canberra. It was proclaimed as Australia's first inland city through letters patent by Queen Victoria in 1863. Goulburn had a population of 24,565 as of the 2021 census. Goulburn is the seat of Goulburn Mulwaree Council.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lake George (New South Wales)</span> Town in New South Wales, Australia

Lake George is an endorheic lake in south-eastern New South Wales, Australia. It is approximately 40 kilometres (25 mi) north-east of Canberra located adjacent to the Federal Highway en route to Goulburn and Sydney. Lake George is also the name of a locality on the western and southern edges of the lake, within the area of the Queanbeyan–Palerang Regional Council.

The history of Canberra details the development of the city of Canberra from the time before European settlement to the city's planning by the Chicago architect Walter Burley Griffin in collaboration with Marion Mahony Griffin, and its subsequent development to the present day.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Belconnen, Australian Capital Territory</span> Suburb of Canberra, Australian Capital Territory

Belconnen is the most inner suburb of the larger district of Belconnen in Canberra, Australia. Sharing its name with the larger district which encapsulates it, the suburb is surrounded with well developed infrastructure, and planning which allows it sunset views from the Brindabellas on its western side. The suburb contains important amenities for the District of Belconnen including the Belconnen Town Centre and Lake Ginninderra as well as its own well populated residential areas. It is bounded by Ginninderra Drive, Aikman Drive, Eastern Valley Way, Belconnen Way and Coulter Drive. It has a number of parks such as Margaret Timpson Park, Eastern Valley Oval and on the foreshores of Lake Ginninberra, Diddams Close Park and John Knight Memorial Park.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dunlop, Australian Capital Territory</span> Suburb of Canberra, Australian Capital Territory

Dunlop is a suburb of the Belconnen district of Canberra, located within the Australian Capital Territory, Australia. Dunlop is at the far north-west edge of Canberra, near the border with the state of New South Wales. Approximately 11.6 kilometres (7.2 mi) north-west of the city, Dunlop is next to the suburbs of Fraser, Charnwood and Macgregor. At the edge and within Dunlop lies the Canberra Nature Park called Dunlop Grasslands Nature Reserve, West Belconnen Ponds, Jarramlee Pond and Fassifern Pond which are part of the Ginninderra Catchment.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lawson, Australian Capital Territory</span> Suburb of Canberra, Australian Capital Territory

Lawson is a suburb in the Belconnen district of Canberra, located within the Australian Capital Territory, Australia. The suburb is surrounded by Baldwin Drive, Gundaroo Drive and Ginninderra Drive. It lies next to the suburbs of McKellar, Giralang, Kaleen, Bruce and Belconnen.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Weetangera, Australian Capital Territory</span> Suburb of Canberra, Australian Capital Territory

Weetangera is a suburb in the Belconnen district of Canberra, located within the Australian Capital Territory, Australia. The suburb covers an area of approximately 158 hectares. Located approximately 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) north-west of the city, Weetangera is bounded by Springvale Drive to the south and west, Coulter Drive to the east and Belconnen Way to the north. The Pinnacle Nature Reserve, a Canberra Nature Park is adjacent to the south of the suburb, across Springvale Drive.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ngunnawal</span> Aboriginal Australian group of southern NSW and the ACT

The Ngunnawal people, also spelt Ngunawal, are an Aboriginal people of southern New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory in Australia.

Ngunnawal/Ngunawal and Gundungurra are Australian Aboriginal languages, and the traditional languages of the Ngunnawal and Gandangarra. Ngunnawal and Gundungurra are very closely related and the two were most likely highly mutually intelligible. As such they can be considered dialects of a single unnamed language, but this is the technical linguistic usage of these terms and Ngunnawal and Gundungurra peoples prefer to describe their individual varieties as separate languages in their own right.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bungendore</span> Town in New South Wales, Australia founded 1837

Bungendore is a town in the Queanbeyan Region of New South Wales, Australia, in Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional Council. It is on the Kings Highway near Lake George, the Molonglo River Valley and the Australian Capital Territory border. It has become a major tourist centre in recent years, popular with visitors from Canberra and some of it has heritage protection. It has expanded rapidly in recent years as a dormitory town of Canberra.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ginninderra Creek</span> River in New South Wales, Australia

Ginninderra Creek, a partly perennial stream of the Murrumbidgee catchment within the Murray–Darling basin, is located in the Capital Country region spanning both the Australian Capital Territory and New South Wales, Australia.

Mary Edith Porter is a former Labor member of the ACT Assembly. She was first elected to the Assembly in October 2004. Immediately prior to that, she was CEO of Volunteering ACT from 1993 until October 2004

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ngambri</span> Australian Aboriginal group of the Canberra region

The Ngambri, also known as Kamberri, are an Aboriginal clan or group who claim traditional ownership of the Australian Capital Territory area, but their connection to the land is contested. One reason for this is that Canberra, where Ngambri claims are made, lay close to the tribal boundaries that separated the Ngarigo from the Ngunnawal people. Other reasons are the dislocation of Aboriginal populations and intertribal marriage and interracial relationships following European settlement, leading to a high proportion of people identifying themselves as Indigenous Australians, but not knowing their traditional origins. As of April 2023 the ACT Government does not recognise Ngambri people as traditional owners of the ACT, listing only the Ngunnawal people as traditional custodians of the land, but has promised a review of their Indigenous protocol following a Supreme Court challenge by Ngambri families in July 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shane Rattenbury</span> Australian politician

Shane Stephen Rattenbury, is the Attorney-General of the ACT and former Speaker of the ACT Legislative Assembly, and a member of the multi-member district unicameral Australian Capital Territory Legislative Assembly representing the electorate of Molonglo from 2008 to 2016 and the electorate of Kurrajong since 2016 for the ACT Greens. He was the first Speaker in any Parliament in the world representing a Green political party.

Matilda Williams House was born in 1945 on the Erambie Aboriginal Reserve at Cowra, New South Wales (NSW), and raised in her grandfather’s house at Hollywood Aboriginal Reserve in Yass, NSW. When she was 12, House spent a year in Parramatta Girls' Home. House was one of ten children.

University of Canberra Senior Secondary College Lake Ginninderra, formerly known as Lake Ginninderra College until 2011, is a public secondary college for students in Years 11 and 12. It is located in the Australian Capital Territory, Australia, situated on the lakefront of Lake Ginninderra.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ginninderra Blacksmith's Shop</span>

The Ginninderra blacksmith's shop is one of the most significant historical sites of the Australian Capital Territory. It was one of the first sites to be listed on the ACT Interim Heritage Places Register in 1993. The workshop is also of national importance as it is one of only a few known surviving stand-alone blacksmith shops in Australia; although, many farm-based smithies have survived. The building remains in stable condition, but there is no firm plan concerning its long-term management and it remains fenced-off and inaccessible to the public.

The First Nations Party is an Australian political party based in the Australian Capital Territory, led by Paul Girrawah House.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "Shane Mortimer, entrepreneur and traditional owner chats about: My Ngambri mob and looking after country". National Indigenous Times Newspaper. 9 August 2012. Archived from the original on 27 April 2014.
  2. ↑ Jones, Virginia; Schubert, Annie (7 July 2011). "Indigenous Canberra: Connecting the dots". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on 12 November 2013.
  3. 1 2 Bilton, Ross (9 March 2013). "Heart of the Nation: Mount Taylor 2606". The Australian. Archived from the original on 21 June 2013.
  4. ↑ "Cast & Filmmakers". Archived from the original on 27 April 2014.
  5. 1 2 "Wind farming is invalid, claims Ngambri leader". National Indigenous Times. 23 August 2012. Archived from the original on 27 April 2014.
  6. ↑ "Protestors send wind up them". Goulburn Post. 24 June 2013. Archived from the original on 8 October 2013.
  7. 1 2 Hagan, Stephen (24 September 2012). "Local elder vs. wind industry". Goulburn Post. Archived from the original on 1 March 2014.
  8. ↑ "Rally – Shane Mortimer". 28 June 2013. Archived from the original on 7 October 2013.
  9. ↑ "Elder halts wind farm project". National Indigenous Times. 13 September 2012. Archived from the original on 27 April 2014.
  10. ↑ Musa, Helen (27 November 2012). "Lake art confronts the turbines". Canberra CityNews. Archived from the original on 16 October 2013.
  11. ↑ "Local Politics of Wind Farms". 15 May 2013. Archived from the original on 8 October 2013.
  12. ↑ Daley, Paul (12 September 2013). "Why does the Australian War Memorial ignore the frontier war?". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 9 October 2013.
  13. ↑ Mortimer, Shane (20 May 2010). "Appendix 9: Quote from Mr Shane Mortimer, of the Ngambri People" (PDF). Report of the Grassland Forum. ACT Government. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 May 2013.
  14. ↑ Inman, Michael (19 June 2013). "Another court loss for elder on native title crusade". The Canberra Times. Archived from the original on 1 February 2014.
  15. ↑ Anderson, Stephanie (25 April 2012). "Fringe development fight an infill boost". The Canberra Times. Archived from the original on 4 May 2012.
  16. ↑ Daley, Paul (2013). "Territorial Disputes". Archived from the original on 20 August 2013.
  17. 1 2 Anderson, Stephanie (21 March 2012). "Elders say teepee man can stay". The Canberra Times. Archived from the original on 2 May 2012.
  18. 1 2 Anderson, Stephanie (13 April 2012). "Third time lucky as teepee man accepts housing deal". Archived from the original on 29 October 2013.
  19. 1 2 Hare, Julie (12 November 2012). "Not fair: indigenous identity back in court". The Australian.
  20. ↑ "Shane Mortimer is facing a particularly busy Thursday". National Indigenous Times. 27 March 2013.
  21. 1 2 Kretowicz, Ewa (11 November 2012). "Aitkin sued over alleged slur". The Canberra Times. Archived from the original on 1 February 2014.
  22. ↑ "Mortimer hits back at critics". National Indigenous Times. 20 November 2012. Archived from the original on 27 April 2014.
  23. ↑ "Indigenous genealogy report branded racist". The Canberra Times. 6 January 2012. Archived from the original on 8 October 2013.
  24. ↑ "Traditional owner challenges genealogy report". Central Australian Aboriginal Media Association. 10 January 2012. Archived from the original on 29 March 2012.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.