“The European discovery rather than Aboriginal occupation constitutes Australia's pre-history. Australia - its economy, society and polity - is a construction of European civilisation. Australia did not exist when traditional Aborigines occupied the continent. Aborigines have been participants in Australian history, but that story begins with all the others in 1788.”

—  John Hirst

Sense and Nonsense in Australian History (2005)

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John Hirst15
Australian historian 1942–2016

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