Politician breaks down over Voice

A Labor politician and descendant of an early settler has revealed how his ancestor’s actions towards Aboriginal Australians has prompted him to support the Voice.

Assistant Foreign Affairs Minister Tim Watts was on the verge of tears when speaking on ABC TV’s Q+A program about how his ancestor John Watts allowed the killing of Aboriginal Australians to continue.

John Watts was one of the “first squatters” on the Darling Downs in Queensland and went on to be a member of the first Queensland parliament, where he was a part of the parliamentary inquiry into the operations of the Queensland Native Police.

Historians estimate that this paramilitary force killed 10,000-60,000 Indigenous Australians, something that was “known to polite society at the time”.

“When an attack of any form was made on settlers, the native police responded by tracking Aboriginal people to their camps. Once they had been located, the troopers surrounded the camp, firing their rifles into the sleeping people,” Mr Watts said in a speech to parliament last week.

John Watts decided to allow the Queensland Native Police to continue their work, giving a speech to parliament where he argued that “we had to teach the blacks the mastery of the whites through the power of the carbine”, according to Mr Watts.

Mr Watts said learning about his ancestors actions had been difficult, his voice breaking on the program.

“Even standing up to say those words out loud, was really hard, was really confronting like it’s the emotion catches up with you,” he said.

“And I really just wanted other participants in this debate to think it through in that prism, think about how to be a good ancestor.”

Mr Watts went onto describe the Uluru Statement from the Heart as a “gracious gift” from Indigenous Australians.

“What an act of generosity in the face of that history to provide this pathway forward for healing and for unity for our country,” he said to applause from the audience.

“Don’t respond to that with bush lawyering and internet conspiracy theories and dog whistling.

“Rise to the moment this is a moment that we can all grasp and do something that will impact down the generations.”

Monday night’s Q+A program was the first to air since regular host Stan Grant announced he was taking an indefinite break after being subjected to ongoing racial abuse.

The Wiradjuri journalist said the criticism aimed at him following his involvement in the ABC’s coverage of the coronation of King Charles III, and the lack of support from ABC management had taken its toll.

“I’m not walking away because of racism, we get that far too often … I’m walking away because I need a break from the media, I feel like I’m part of the problem,” Grant said at the end of the May 19 program.

ABC chair Ita Buttrose said the national broadcaster was providing Grant with support and was hoping he would return “as soon as he feels ready to return”.