BBC: An Aboriginal man has won a seat in Australia's House of Representatives, becoming the first indigenous person to do so in the country's history.
Ken Wyatt, 57, took the seat of Hasluck in Western Australia for the centre-right Liberal Party.
Neither the Liberals nor the governing Labor Party gained enough seats at last week's election for a majority.
Mr Wyatt has dismissed racist hate mail he has received, saying it was time for Australia to move forward. >>> | Sunday, August 29, 2010
THE SYDNEY MORNING HERALD: INDIGENOUS Australians must take matters into their own hands if they want to see more Aborigines in Parliament, according to the first Aborigine to win a seat in the House of Representatives.
Ken Wyatt claimed victory in the marginal West Australian seat of Hasluck yesterday, amid revelations he was subjected to racist taunts during the election campaign.
Mr Wyatt said the taunts had come in the form of phone calls to his campaign office, as verbal taunts on the streets and as messages on news websites.
He said they had come from both white and Aboriginal people, some accusing him of selling out his cultural heritage by joining the Liberal Party.
Mr Wyatt, who has Aboriginal, Indian and English blood, said he was disappointed by the taunts but not deterred. >>> Peter Ker | Monday, August 30, 2010
