Shane Mortimer facts for kids

Shane Mortimer (born 24 December 1955) is a Ngambri man who has a strong connection to the land around Canberra, Australia. The Ngambri people are the traditional owners of this area.

Shane Mortimer was born in Belmore, Sydney in 1955. His parents were Lesley and Jim Mortimer. He did not know about his Aboriginal heritage until 1989. He then discovered that his family line went back to a Ngambri woman named Ju Nin Mingo. She was the daughter of James Ainslie.

His grandmother, Adelaide McClelland, was taken from her mother before the First World War. This happened at the Brungle Mission. She was one of many Aboriginal children who were forcibly removed from their families. This sad part of Australia's history happened between 1910 and 1970.

Shane Mortimer has lived in the Canberra area since the early 1990s. He helped make his first movie, Vulnerable, in 2009–2010. He is also working on a documentary series about native Australian grasslands. He is the Chairman of a group called Ag-Arts Residency Kenmore Limited.

Shane Mortimer's Activism

Shane Mortimer is known for his work as an activist. He speaks up for what he believes is right, especially concerning land and Aboriginal rights.

Speaking Out Against Wind Farms

Mortimer actively campaigns against wind farms. He believes that wind farms and biomass projects (which use plant material for energy) can harm wildlife and their homes. He also thinks they do not help the environment as much as people claim.

He is concerned that the wind power industry has not respected Native Title rights. Native Title is the legal recognition that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have rights to land and waters based on their traditional laws and customs. Mortimer also worries that wind farms near Lake George could make sheep and cattle less fertile.

He has supported protests against several wind farms. These include the Cullerin Range Wind Farm, Capital Wind Farm, and Crookwell Wind Farm.

Pushing for Aboriginal Recognition at the Australian War Memorial

Shane Mortimer has also spoken with Brendan Nelson, who used to be the Director of the Australian War Memorial. Mortimer wanted the Memorial to show more about the Australian frontier wars. These were conflicts between Aboriginal people and European settlers.

Working to Restore Native Grasslands

Mortimer believes that for a healthy future, native grasslands in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) must be allowed to grow back. In 2012, he told the National Indigenous Times that if just 10 percent of Australia's damaged native grasslands grew back, they could remove more carbon from the air than has been added since the Industrial Revolution.

For environmental reasons, Mortimer has tried to stop new building projects in the ACT. This includes a new suburb called Lawson in Belconnen. He also supports building more homes in existing city areas. He thinks it is better for the environment to build on top of current buildings instead of expanding into new areas around Canberra.

Civil Disobedience Actions

Shane Mortimer has sometimes used civil disobedience to make his point. Civil disobedience means refusing to obey certain laws as a peaceful protest.

Parking as a Protest

Mortimer often gets parking tickets because he parks his van illegally in the Australian Capital Territory. He does this as a protest. He believes that since the land belongs to his people, he should be allowed to park for free.

Supporting a Student's Housing Choice

In 2012, Mortimer gave an "authorisation certificate" to a university student. This student was living on a raft in Lake Ginninderra. Mortimer's certificate went against ACT laws. It stated that the student was "authorised to occupy Lake Ginninderra or any other lake estuary or wetland he may so choose upon to reside as suits his needs in Ngambri country."

Views on Racism

In 2012, Shane Mortimer spoke out about comments made by Professor Don Aitkin. Professor Aitkin, a former chairman of the National Capital Authority, wrote that Mortimer looked "about as Aboriginal as I do." Mortimer felt these comments were unfair and questioned his Aboriginal identity. He said that Aitkin's words made him feel belittled and doubted his standing in the community.

Professor Aitkin did not take back his statement. He said that looking Aboriginal is not the only way to be Aboriginal. He explained that being Aboriginal means you claim to be Aboriginal and are accepted by others as one. Bess Price, an Aboriginal politician from the Northern Territory, said Mortimer was "silly" to be upset by Aitkin's comments.

In 2011–2012, Mortimer refused to join an ACT Government project about Aboriginal family histories. He said the project was divisive and unfair.