Tumut Has No Colour Barrier

29 November 1968 The Canberra Times 

If ever the Government of NSW provides the Aborigines of Brungle with houses in

Tumut it is unlikely that the townspeople will object.

Brungle, between Tumut and Gundagai, was visited on Wednesday by the Minister in Charge of Aboriginal Affairs, Mr Wentworth, who later told Parliament that many people on the settlement lived in "fairly shocking conditions".

"Luckily", he said, "at present there are approximately 30 vacant houses in Tumut, which are in the possession of the NSW Water Conservation and Irrigation Commission".

Although many were likely to be made available to other State departments it was possible some would be made available to Aborigines.

They would be in addition to two houses being built in Tumut for the Aborigines Welfare Board.

Mr John French, the Anglican rector at Tumut, and a native of the town said, "The people here have accepted dark people for as long as I can remember. I don't think they would object".

Mr W. J. Coombes, the shire clerk, said he doubted that there would be any objections.