Former MP releases challenging political thriller.
Aboriginal sovereignty has never been ceded and it’s time to act.
First Nations’ culture demands greater respect.
18 March 2021
Former Liberal federal member for Cowan, Richard Evans, has released his third political thriller suggesting Australian governments have been lacklustre in resolving the community’s collective goodwill for justice toward First Nation peoples. He states it’s time to rethink government policy for new and fairer outcomes to reach agreement.
Forgotten People canvases the idea of a government being forced to negotiate a sovereignty treaty with Australian First Nations, ending years of discrimination and disrespect – or will it defeat revolutionaries fighting for justice? When constitutional recognition fails to deliver social reform ignoring the First Nation peoples’ entreaties for cultural recognition, freedom and justice, dialogue stops and revolution begins.
Forgotten People challenges government thinking toward First Nations and, in a fictional world, suggests a resolution providing the reader much to think about.
‘It’s time for Australia’s dominate culture to stop, rethink priorities and approaches, and commence a new direction in addressing sovereignty by recognising what most other countries have been prepared to do, and that is, make peace with the First Nations,’ Evans said.
‘In my lifetime I have heard promises from all governments toward our First Nations, and yet, the unresolved problem of justice remains,’ Evans said. ‘Why can’t we talk about it? Are we so lacking in national and community leadership that we can’t begin a healing process by first recognising sovereignty was never ceded?’
‘In my view, new thinking is required. We don’t need to keep trying to fix something that cannot be fixed. Closing the Gap policies don’t seem to be working. Injustice still exists. Loud voices are getting louder,’ Evans said. ‘We don’t need increasing community polarisation and its historic inevitable outcomes. We need a new direction; new leadership voices and new ideas, and we need outcomes.’
‘The Australian community wants it, what’s holding us back?’ Evans asked. ‘I suspect polarised politics where any answer is wrong; and historical education.’
‘This fictional story of Forgotten People tosses up just one ‘out of the box’ idea but there are plenty of others. We just need to have the will to consider possibilities and have informed, purposeful discussion about it.’
Forgotten People is a gripping political thriller featuring surprising plot twists, compelling characters, and a fearless female heroine. If you like fast paced, page-turning thrillers then Richard Evans’ third book will not disappoint and provides the reader something to think about.
‘Indigenous culture is worth fighting for,’ Evans said.
Forgotten People is now available online, major retailers and local bookstores, and signed copies at the Parliament House Shop, Canberra.
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About the author
Richard Evans is an author with an eclectic career, which has never been far from controversy. As a political insider, he served as a federal member of parliament for the federal electorate of Cowan in Western Australia during the turbulent 1990s. In 2019, he featured in the ABC’s You Can’t Ask That episode on ex-politicians along with Cheryl Kernot, Sam Dastyari and Amanda Vanstone. He now specialises in writing political thrillers and occasionally appears as a commentator and columnist on the shenanigans of politics, the economy and business. He lives in the bayside village of Williamstown in Melbourne, Australia