PM heckled at Indigenous Centre opening

The latest incident on Friday was during a ceremony to officially open the sports, educational and cultural facility built on the site of the old Redfern Primary School.

Having made a fourteen and a half minute speech, Mr Rudd retook his seat on a raised platform.

Shirley Lomas, 54, from Petersham then approached the prime minister, accusing him of failing disabled people of all backgrounds.

Her disabled 28-year-old son, David Pearce, is currently in a care facility at Penrith, in the city's west.

"What I would like to know is when are you truly going to help young aboriginal and non-aboriginal disabled people?" the angry voluntary worker demanded.

"This is my community ... I see drugs sold by our own people, so therefore more children are being born with disability.

"I would like to know when are they going to have their needs looked at?"

She added that her own "disability" was the "colour of her skin".

It comes exactly a fortnight after Indigenous Affairs Minister Jenny Macklin was heckled at the same centre, by a man who said he was a member of the stolen generation.

He accused the government of being racist over the intervention programs in the Northern Territory.

A calm-looking Mr Rudd re-took the microphone stand after Friday's incident, saying he would help the woman and describing her as a passionate mum who was right to raise her concerns.

Earlier in the ceremony, he described the centre, which has extensive sporting facilities, including a swimming pool, gym, football pitch as one that offers great hope.

"This is a really good day for Australia. This is a really good day for indigenous Australia. This is good stuff," Mr Rudd told around 200 people attending.

"What has been built here is a world class facility.

"It offers great hope, great opportunities."

Indigenous teenagers, from outside Sydney, said they are envious of the centre.

"It's real good. Good for the community around here. Get everyone off the street, they can come in here and have a game," Josh Toomey, 16, from Dubbo, told AAP.

He added he was jealous of locals who could use the centre.

"If only we could have one of these back home."

Tennis legend Evonne Goolagong-Cawley said the centre would benefit everybody.

"This is a very exciting day for me, it's turned into a magical place for everybody in Redfern," said Goolagong-Cawley, who is one of the centre's directors.

"It's all about creating jobs. We have a beautiful pool, a beautiful gym, it's a meeting place not just for indigenous people but for everybody."

A number of former and current indigenous sporting stars, as well as dignitaries including NSW Premier Kristina Keneally, attended the opening.

Source: http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-national/pm-heckled-at-indigenous-centre-opening-20100226-p71d.html