ERROL PARKER | Editor-at-large | Contact
A man descendant from First Fleet convicts has told The Advocate today that he (and his like-minded friends) have been keeping an eye on a statue of Governor Lachlan Macquarie because it represents his heritage.
That’s despite Macquarie having a reputation for brutalising and torturing convicts – as well as Aboriginal Australians.
Craig O’Leary said statues of historical figures who helped shape modern Australia represent who he is and therefore deserve their place in society.
“It’s my heritage,” he said.
“And it’s also the heritage of thousands of people descendant from the very first convicts to arrive here. Yeah, sure. I understand that Macquarie did some disgusting, reprehensible things. But it was a long time ago when those types of things weren’t considered offensive or a crime against humanity,”
“There’s no good to come from vandalising or taking statues like that down. If there is, I’m all ears.”
After our reporter suggested that maybe there are people in society whose ancestors were murdered and tortured by people like Macquarie and find even the sight of that statue unpalatable, Craig shrugged.
“Yeah, but you’re a left-leaning newspaper so of course, you’re going to bring that up,”
“There’s no point in even talking to you.”
More to come.
