Where to dig (2004)
Coober Pedy opal miners George and Judy Aslamatzis decide where to start digging guided by Judy’s instinct. The drilling machine strikes rock so George sets explosives to break up the rock. [read more]
Reaping the harvests of history (1938)
Scenes of wheat harvesting are accompanied by commentary full of metaphors of nation-building based on ‘harvesting the benefits of a great past’. As the commentary builds to a patriotic climax, the music from Pomp and Circumstance is reprised and the ... [read more]
‘We want an apology’ (2000)
The organisation The Claims Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany seeks to compensate the victims of slave and forced labour by German industry during the Second World War. Karen Heilig works for victims and points out that her organisation ... [read more]
‘Why do you play footy for?’ (2006)
Luc (Anh Do) and his sister Anne (Lisa Saggers) discuss football as they wait for the team’s first practice to start. Anne holds her pet tortoise, Britney, a gift from her brother. Luc gives his players a pep talk, as ... [read more]
Best man on ground (2002)
Prospect Bay has won the grand final in spectacular fashion. At the awards presentation that night, star-player Dumby Red (Luke Carroll) fully expects to be named best player on ground, but the local publican, Big Mac (Max Fairchild), sponsor of ... [read more]
Born in Bendigo (1969)
The Simms are a young couple who’ve come to Melbourne from the bush to find a better life. They barely manage because Mrs Simms has a chronic illness that takes up nearly all her husband’s hard-earned wage. [read more]
Mobarak becomes Australian (2003)
Local TAFE teacher, Ann Bell, comments that assisting the refugees from Afghanistan is more than teaching English. She meets with the mayor of Young, John Walker, to seek his help in getting permanent status visas for the Hazaras. She ... [read more]
Growing up Aboriginal (1991)
Actor Stephen Albert and writer Jimmy Chi, the author of the musical play Bran Nue Dae, talk about childhood, education and identity, intercut with one of the musical numbers from the production, historical footage and archival photographs. [read more]
Discovery is just a word (1984)
Historical footage of Indigenous people in both cultural activity and in the process of being institutionalised in the mission church. [read more]
The Battlers (1986)
Kylie Tennant talks about researching and writing her third novel The Battlers. [read more]
Go away (1978)
Essie Coffey gives the children lessons on Aboriginal culture. She speaks of the importance of teaching these kids about their traditions. Aboriginal kids are forgetting about their Aboriginal heritage because they are being taught white culture instead. [read more]
For what purpose? (2005)
Frank Byrne, Stolen Generations senior case workers Heather Shearer and Justin Howard, director Mitch Torres and Julie Hayden from the Department of Indigenous Affairs sit around a table. They are looking at the yellow pages of an old file that ... [read more]
The first long march (2004)
In June 2002, Trish Kirby, her husband Rob and their four children travelled thousands of kilometres from their home in Melbourne to Port Hedland Detention Centre to meet fifteen-year-old Ali, an asylum seeker from Afghanistan. Trish reads extracts from an ... [read more]