Eddie McGuire likens an Aboriginal AFL player to King Kong. Media coverage = extensive.

In question time in the House of Representatives, on average, just three in every 1000 questions cover indigenous affairs. Media coverage of this fact = almost none.

Crikey has teamed up with Bond University students to trawl the parliamentary records for this term, from Parliament’s first sitting until the day the election date was named on January 30 this year. As published in Crikey today, the students uncovered this startling fact: indigenous affairs is apparently so unimportant to our federal MPs they can rarely be bothered to ask about it. Think of all the ridiculous, partisan nonsense raised in question time — by all sides. And apparently there’s no time for indigenous issues.

The treatment of Aboriginal Australians and the disadvantage and racism that Aboriginal people still encounter is shameful and should be a major priority for our federal politicians.

Just don’t blame Eddie for everything. The celebritisation of this issue should be resisted; it’s about more than a few famous individuals. There are people who have more responsibility to act on indigenous affairs than a football identity / media tart — and they’re going to file into question time in Parliament House at 2pm today.

It might be a good day to consider what our MPs are asking about … and not asking about.