Directors Statement
Mr. Money is about the Australia that I understand it to be. I believe there is no fixed, solid history. History is fluid interpretation of the past, which should be robust enough to withstand scrutiny. This point is currently being debated in the "history wars", between various academics of Australian history, both from the left and right of politics. History is always written by the victors, although some historians believe it’s time to re-write some errors or make Australian history less Anglo-centric. On the other hand, many think Australian history must remain as it is, serving the national interest by strengthening an "Australian" identity.

I believe there are inescapable issues arising from the colonisation of this continent. Although I have my judgements about the events in Australian history, I don’t want to use this statement to soap box about any one issue. I made Mr. Money to be an illustration of how I see Australian history. I don’t claim that this is the right and true version. Apart from the fact that Mr. Money is a collection of metaphors for the settlement of Australia to the present, I don’t intend for this to be a visual essay of the horrors brought to this country by Europeans. I suppose I would prefer for people to identify the issues for themselves and make up their own mind.

If you agree with Darwinism, we all share a common African ancestor. Taking such a long-term view, can anyone really claim to be truly indigenous to Australia anyway? Perhaps it’s more valid that all humans are natives of the planet rather than one specific place. Therefore we are all natives or none of us are.

I was born and grew up in Tasmania. Apart from the fact that I’m not technically indigenous I strongly identify as a Tasmanian, though I don’t feel native. Tasmania has a particularly dark history, which has been swept under the carpet for the last 150 years. I believe Australia is a country that can be proud of it’s past; although like all nations there are also bleak chapters, of which we can’t be so proud. I believe we as a nation may have the right to call ourselves native if we were to address the issues of the past. Otherwise we’ll always be just tourists in our own land.