Fifteen years ago, Michael Long walked from Melbourne to Canberra. His compass was set to meet then-Prime Minister John Howard.
His mission was to put the plight of Indigenous Australians on the national agenda. His question to John Howard, and the wider Australian population, was simply: where is the love?
General manager of The Long Walk, Leanne Brooke, attended a closed screening of Ian Darling’s The Final Quarter in Sydney on Friday evening.
Using archival footage and some interviews, the film tracks the final seasons of former Sydney star and proud Indigenous man Adam Goodes' footy career, which were marred by consistent booing and fan abuse, and inflamed by some media commentary.
“I’m angry, sad and exhausted because we live this daily," Brooke said.
"I couldn’t help but cry. It’s traumatic as it triggers all those memories of where I, my family and our community have been made to feel like we are less than others.
“It is shameful that Adam had to go through that, shameful that any of our people have to experience racism. On the bright side, hopefully it opens people’s hearts and minds. Every Australian needs to see it."
The Final Quarter will air nationally in cinemas from July this year, while a free-to-air television release could occur in August.
While The Long Walk last month marked its 15th anniversary in the lead-up to the Dreamtime at the 'G match between Essendon and Richmond, Brooke said more progress needed to be made in stamping out any form of racism in Australia.
"The Long Walk is immensely proud of the wider community’s attendance and support of Michael Long’s annual walk to the MCG preceding the Dreamtime at the 'G match, between the Essendon and Richmond football clubs," she said.
"On that night each year we stand together, Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. We walk side by side. We share the great spirit that carried Michael on his original walk.
"This alone is not enough, however, not in the face of what Adam Goodes was subjected to in the public realm, and not in the face of what so many Indigenous Australians are subjected to each day in their private lives."
Brooke said it was the silent majority of supportive Australians that must now step up to silence the powerful minority of the openly racist.
"When Michael Long walked to Canberra he said, ‘This is not about white Australians. And it’s not about black Australians. It’s about all Australians'.
“Racism has no place in our classrooms, nor our sporting fields, nor our workplaces, nor our homes. Please have the courage to be strong and stand with us, stand with all supportive Australians in calling out racism wherever we see it.”
The Long Walk will soon release details of a major investment in a national schools and sporting club program aimed at educating children and adults alike.
