Jared Diamond argues that the Australian continent was incapable of progressing humanity to agrarianism or the iron age because it lacked three things; a domesticatable animal, domesticatable plants; and finally, because of its isolation as a landmass there was little to no osmosis of technology between societies and cultures. (more)
This caught my eye in Noel Pearson's discussion of the Indigenous Communities Policy from the federal government. He argued that Aboriginals need to develop laws to the new challenges of "grog, drugs, gambling, money and private property." Thomas Keneally's book, A Commonwealth of Thieves, relates a tale where the English returned the items that had been stolen from the Northern Eoran - at the Eora's insistence that their property be returned. Watkin Tench's journal recorded the meeting. (more)
