Witness for the Prosecution: The Eatock v Bolt Court Case

Australia prides itself on its multiculturalism. So why can't we talk about race?

In 2011, controversial journalist Andrew Bolt faced court for contravening the Racial Discrimination Act. In a series of Herald-Sun articles, Bolt questioned the Aboriginality of activist Pat Eatock, accusing her of selectively choosing her claimed Aboriginal ancestry over her predominately European heritage to access benefits intended to support real Indigenous Australians. Bolt was found guilty-effectively silencing the debate about "fake" Aboriginals.

Justice? Or a terrifying attempt to stifle free speech in Australia?

Perhaps the most concerning aspect of Bolt's conviction is that he was right about Eatock all along. In Witness for the Prosecution, Dark Emu Exposed founder Roger Karge shines a light on the growing issue of "fake" Aboriginals in Australia-individuals who often take scholarships, jobs, or benefits from real Indigenous Australians in need. Through in-depth genealogical research, Karge and his team provide proof of the deception not only of Pat Eatock, but of other prominent Australians, and examine the effect of Bolt's conviction on Australian society at large.

Love him or loathe him, Bolt's conviction raises serious questions about the kind of country we want to live in.

A must-read for Australians on both sides of the political spectrum, Witness for the Prosecution examines where our need for racial sensitivity becomes censorship-and whether the loss of free speech is a price we are willing to pay.

Roger Karge is a research scientist by training and is based in Melbourne, Australia. He writes on issues regarding Australia's Aboriginal and colonial history and contemporary questions of race-relations and politics.