He warned that, in future elections, the Labour party could not continue to rely on the black vote in the region. Local Labour politicians were furious. Political friends of Mr Tilmouth suggest his frustration at the lack of headway Aborigines are making in Australia's white-dominated political institutions simply got the better of him. He was widely tipped to become a Labour senator three years ago, but was opposed by factions in the NT Labour party. One of those who was reported to have blocked his nomination was Mr Collins.
Aborigines make up a third of the Northern Territory's population.
Two of Labour's seven politicians in the 25-member legislative assembly are Aboriginal, but the party is stuck in permanent opposition and there are no other Aboriginal members in the assembly. But none of the current federal government or the Labour opposition are Aboriginal. Black judges are also practically unheard of. So the name game goes on. We use 'nigger' a lot.