8MMM Aboriginal Radio (2015) s01e01 Episode Script

1
(Static noise)
LOLA: Hello. Hello, this thing on?
We been dance today.
(Women chant)
We been have a ceremony. Repatriation.
We've been bring our old person home.
It was gone longest time.
It be make me thinking now.
Land is family, and my
ancestor, that's home.
(Women sing)
No matter what, hmm, they
got different idea again.
But footprints and fences,
mm, they don't matter
'cause when we finish, we
all end up in the ground.
~ Oh, shit!
~ (People exclaim)
(Women sing)
LOLA: Stick around. You
might learn at something.
Aaaaahhhh
Look, I'm here
I'm from the bush
Don't be shy 'cause I'm black
Listen to me
I'm talking to you
From the bush. ♪
Convenient way to die,
falling into a grave.
Clem's office be cursed or some shit.
I reckon Jake gonna
be down with this.
~ Down with what? With what?
~ The online news traffic.
The ceremony's gone viral.
That's great news, I'm
definitely down with that.
Hey, where's Jessie?
~ Uh, the female ain't here yet.
~ What?
Shit going down at home. Said
she'd be creeping in later.
Later? No, no, no. Look, I
understand about obligations.
But today work comes
before mob, alright?
Call Jessie and get her
in here ASAP, please.
You don't pay me enough to take that
kind of heat. You talk to her.
Isn't your desk supposed to
be cleared for the new bloke?
What's up with you OBPs?
Not happy taking a brother's land,
you gotta take his desk too?
~ What's OBP?
~ 'Original boat people.'
I'll have you know, my ancestors
came to this country
by plane, not by boat.
~ Original plane people then.
~ I heard that.
THOMAS: Mum! Mum!
There's no hole in here!
Hurry up, Thomas,
I need a shower too,
I don't have time to
worry about your hole.
Not my hole, Mum - the bath hole.
Thomas!
See? Now he's calling YOU 'arsehole'.
Not, 'arsehole', Mum,
he said 'bath hole'.
Arseholes, bath holes. Talking
about holes, what about Ethole?
~ Big old nuisance.
~ Mum! Hurry up!
Get out, Thomas!
We had a house in town, old girl,
but you chose to move back to
town camp and all the humbug.
~ 'Cause this my home.
~ ETHOLE: Jessica, Aunty's here.
~ Mum!
~ It's Ethole. Tell her I'm gone.
Hey, you not ready yet? Come
on, I need to go town.
Mum! There's no hole in here!
~ Mum!
~ Right, that's it, get out!
(Exclaims)
Good on ya, mad one.
~ I told you there's no drain hole.
~ I'm not cleaning that up!
(Phone rings)
WOMAN ON RADIO: The funeral service
for the late Clem James from 8MMM
will be held at the Catholic
church this Wednesday, 10am.
All are welcome.
KOALA: I can feel
the negative energy.
~ This cursed office. Poor Clemmy.
~ Not my fault Clem's dead.
I asked you to sweep away the bad
spirits, and you turned us down.
Yeah, well, you pay me proper way,
I'll sweep 'em for you right now.
It's a question of your fees,
Lola. They're pretty steep.
DAVE: Hello?
I'll bounce the spirits with
a smoking freaking ceremony.
~ DAVE: Hello?
~ Sshh!
I swear I heard a ghost.
Lola, what will happen to the new
bloke if the office isn't?
20 bucks says he's taken by a dingo.
Well, I reckon he drinks
uranium-infested bore water,
he glows and explodes
from the inside.
~ Word.
~ No, dingo
50 bucks says he gets taken
by a fucking crocodile.
Sorry, hope you don't mind,
I came straight through.
No-one in reception.
Um, Dave Cross. The new bloke.
I'm looking for the
General Manager, Jake?
~ I'm Jake. No-one at the front desk?
~ Not a soul.
~ Well, why would there be?
~ (Shrieks)
(Koala squeals)
JAMPAJINPA: Oh! No, you didn't!
You're lucky you're old.
No, you lucky I'm old.
~ Fight, fight, fight, fight
~ Shut up, Jampajinpa.
.. fight, fight.
In the red corner we have
They're all taking Clem's
death really hard.
Get out of my way!
Grief, I think, can make you
do some pretty crazy things.
WOMAN, ON PHONE: Sorry to keep
you waiting. What scheme?
The Federal Indigenous
Safe Houses Scheme.
~ FISHS?
~ Yeah, FISHS.
~ What's the problem?
There's no drain hole in my bathroom.
One moment. I'll transfer
you to the Canberra office.
Uh, no, I'm in Alice Springs. Why
do I have to speak to Canberra?
Hello? Hello?
RADIO IDENT: 8MMM FM.
Obviously, the 8MMM family's
lost one of our own
in really tragic circumstances,
and I know we're all
very upset about it,
but Clem would have wanted
us all to move forward.
So let's move forward.
Uh, Jessie's late, but I
think everyone else is here.
Now, Koala, you've got the Minister
for Safe Houses today.
Just be nice, alright? She's
been very supportive of 8MMM.
Make 'em piss, sis.
Now, everybody, I'd like
you to welcome Dave
who's taking over from Clem
as our training manager.
Dave Cross. OK, team,
you know the drill.
Yep, Koala.
~ Hi, Dave.
~ G'day, darlin'.
Welcome to 8MMM.
I'm Kwerle but everyone calls me
'Koala' 'cause it's easier to say.
Oh.
I'm the online news producer
- voluntary, of course.
I'm here because
I just love the Aboriginal
people and their culture.
~ The babies are so cute.
~ (Mouths silently)
OK, Koala. Thanks
for that. Um, Milly.
(Sighs)
Uh, Mil?
Receptionist.
Mm.
Well, this brother's hardcore,
staunch man, represents.
~ You know what I'm saying?
~ Yeah.
I been oppressed by the system
and raised in the lap of luxury,
and denied the chance to bond
with my Aboriginal blood.
Right, and you are?
Oh, shite, my bad. Jampajinpa,
cadet broadcaster.
Right, only cadet broadcaster
here is a white man.
Weetman.
~ No, it says here 'Benjamin Whiteman'.
~ Sorry, it's Weetman'.
Not dissing my adopted olds,
but that name is a symbol
of my enforced cultural disinheritance.
Jampajinpa's my skin name.
A brother's gotta reclaim.
Black and proud. Pow!
~ But you're white.
~ OK.
Dave? Dave, you've heard of
the Stolen Generation, right?
Mm.
Yeah, well, Jampajinpa here
is a member of the
given-away generation.
He didn't consent to his adoption.
Dave, why don't you Why don't
you tell us a bit about yourself?
Uh, well, where do I begin?
Well, firstly, I probably know
more about radio broadcasting
than you lot will ever
learn in your careers.
Started out at the
ABC when I was 18.
First worked in Sydney at the
head office there at Gore Hill.
We produced a lot of
very important radio
Come on, brother, I have a
real maintenance issue here.
Can't be too much to expect a
drain hole in a bathroom, hey?
This renovations mob couldn't
renovate their ring holes!
Please brus, we both black. (Sighs)
It's nothing personal.
I'm just doing my job.
I don't want to brag,
but that program
actually won seven industry awards,
two of them personally for me.
Uh, you know, it does
take a great skill
to paint a picture using
only words, sound and music.
Next minute do you
picture me rolling?
Yeah, I know you lot aren't exactly
renowned for your hard work.
We'll just do the best we
can with what we've got, eh?
Hard work? And, uh who are you?
Oh, brother be hurtin' here. Don't
start his lips smacking again.
Jessie, this is Dave, the
new training manager.
Dave, this is Jessie, the
trainee general manager.
You'll be working closely together
over the next three months.
Dave's here to make sure you're
ready to take over GM's seat.
~ No. You really know how to pick 'em.
~ What about the smoking ceremony?
Lola, is it? What do
you do round here?
Well, good on you, Jake, you've
found us another redneck.
So, who's going to be
teaching who here, eh?
You can't expect me to give
up desk space for that bogan?
~ You don't have a desk.
~ Gonna have a smoking ceremony or what?
Um, it's a bit late for a smoking
ceremony. Clem's dead.
See? I warned you about taking on
a six-month-old blackfella, Jake.
You stepped the line now, wench.
Dissin' a brother's disenfranchisement.
~ It's cultural. (Sighs)
~ That doesn't even make sense.
FYI, smoking ceremony's been in the
family business for 50,000 years.
It's in my blood. (And
my blood remembers.)
I'm sorry, but we have to do something
about the cursed office.
~ It's spreading.
~ Um, no.
You have been white your whole life
and black for, what, a minute,
~ and you know everything.
~ Don't be hating on me, sister.
~ This is reverse discrimination.
~ OK.
Black man lives in here.
The spirits are restless.
I can feel it.
Superstitious mumbo-jumbo.
(Oh, yeah, yeah. Cool.)
Female can be walking around
dissin' whoever she wants
'cause you wanna tap that.
You mob. You're both pox!
Oh, run away, then,
you big sooky la-la.
Just so you know, I don't
want to tap that.
No, tap you I don't
OK.
CSAs?
When were you gonna
tell me about this?
Well, you weren't here.
~ How much does it pay?
~ It's dirty money, Jessie.
You know how I feel about this
Intervention propaganda.
The whole world knows how you feel
about the Intervention, Jake.
But it's not all about you.
We are busted-arse broke.
Koala can record the minister's
visit and I'll do the CSAs.
Yeah? We're doing 'em.
~ For the record, I said no.
~ Whatever.
Oh, good. You know
what we're doing then.
KOALA: Uh, yeah.
Oh, and another thing.
Yeah, when we get out bush,
stay away from the black men.
Stalk your own kind.
I'm the prey, not the hunter.
(Hot Oven,) your fire's
gonna be lit tonight.
This one from your
lover, Soaky Damper.
When I first laid eyes on you
I can't stop loving
you Oh, yeah ♪
DJ Jampajinpa. Holla!
Live from 8MMM studios.
This one goes out from
Jamesie in Amungana.
Holla to the shortays
.. Styxetta, Shiloh, Korine, Karmi,
Trishana, Tatiana, Sheniqua, Narn,
KayaMarley, SonJah, Naynay
I only took this job
on to tide me over
until the ABC position
became available.
And I thought it was gonna
be easy money but (Laughs)
.. you should see what I've
got to deal with here.
I've been here half a day.
Already I've had a cursed
office, a scrag fight
and this crazy old
bird threatening me.
You'd better get used to it. That
job's not coming up for six months.
What? Well, what am I gonna
do here for six months?
I don't think these
Aborigines can be trained.
Aboriginal people don't like
being called 'Aborigines'.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, whatever.
Tomartoes, tomaytoes.
I am Aboriginal.
The job will be advertised
online. Good afternoon, Dave.
Right, my mistake.
(Mock Asian accent) I was
thinking you was a chink.
Six fucking months. Shit.
~ (Knocking on door)
~ Yeah.
Hey, I thought maybe we
could grab an early lunch,
you know, talk over a few things.
Good idea.
.. Takiera, Gabby, Meema,
Rheanna, ShawnRee.
All you sweet things in Amungana,
this song's for you.
Dream lover
When I see you in
the midnight sky ♪
~ Yo, any peeps in the house?
~ (Phone rings)
Wench reckons she blacker than black.
I'll show her who the
blackest. Get some beats.
HIP-HOP
Spirits be gone. I'm-a
set a fire up in here.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
(Phone rings)
Shit.
~ NAN: What are you talking about?
~ Nan.
You supposed to take me doctors.
Sorry I missed your
doctor's appointment.
Are you taking me there?
Where are you, Jampajinpa?
~ You gonna take me now?
~ Yeah.
I'm coming right now.
(Pop music plays on stereo)
Zeke.
Hey, cuz, long time no see.
~ Is that your baby?
~ Nah.
Aww, onya. Go on.
He's brother's little one,
but he's in lock-up.
~ Have you got sore-sore?
~ Aww, baba got sore-sore?
We gotta go to hospital.
He sliced his leg on
a broken kitchen pipe.
These houses are death traps.
What about the government
renovations scheme?
~ Haven't they fixed the houses?
~ They look renovated to you?
Them government workers
live in the new houses.
Do you reckon we can catch
a ride into town with youse?
Of course.
~ Hey.
~ (Sighs)
Wah! (Giggles)
Great fucking joint. Camel
burgers. Rabbit kebab.
~ Roadkill, very traditional.
~ Yeah.
~ I think I'll have a hamburger.
~ Yeah.
Do this again sometime.
Hey, these Aboriginal organisations,
they ever let boongs
drive their cars?
~ Dave, that's a bit offensive.
~ What, letting an abo drive a car?
No, no, more those words
like 'abo', 'boong'.
(Man clears throat)
Sorry, no, I didn't mean
it like that, I just
I wouldn't use those words in
front of an Aboriginal person,
but you're white.
Look, 8MMM is an Aboriginal company.
We have to be mindful of
the traditional owners
of the organisation and of this land.
Yeah, no, I've got a lot to learn.
But, mate, I've got
a shitload to teach.
And I'm thinking maybe three
months is not enough
.. not enough time for
me to impart my skills.
I understand that, but I'm afraid
three months is all you've got.
Look, you can't expect
a cultural mindset
that's existed for over 60,000 years
to change in the blink of an eye.
Aboriginal organisations are
meant to be run by Aborigines.
~ Aboriginal people.
~ Sorry?
You said 'Aborigines'. They like
to be called 'Aboriginal people'.
Either way, I've promised Jessie
that she'll be in the GM seat
when I leave in three months.
~ You leaving in three months?
~ Uh, yeah, that's the plan.
You mob making a community service
announcement for renovation mob?
~ Mm-hm.
~ This rubbish place.
They never fix anything.
Yes, I know, Gideon, but just
help me out here, eh, please?
I need you to say something
good about the renovations.
Well, they build me a new
fence and new driveway.
Why I want that? I live in
the bush and I got no car.
Shit luck that's the only
sprinkler in the building.
~ Yeah.
~ See, Jakey?
I been tell you not put
sprinkler in here but, no,
you can't listen for me.
Voice for Aborigine is fucked now.
Aboriginal people.
Oh, where am I going to get the
money to have it fixed? Oh, God.
Kwenye, Jakey, don't humbug for God.
Dave is a radio man.
Hey?
He can fix it, hey, Dave?
Oh, yeah, no, sure. I'll do that.
~ Just lucky you've got me around, eh?
~ Yeah.
Better go and get my tools, eh?
Once you get this mess
cleaned up, love,
you can switch the fuse back on.
~ Yep.
~ OK.
My name is Petunia Napananka,
and I'm very excited
about the new fence,
especially the driveway.
My wheelchair used to
get stuck in the dirt,
but now I can wheel myself easily.
That's great stuff. Thanks
so much, Petunia.
~ I'll make me and you a cuppa tea, eh?
~ Oh, no, I'll make it.
No, it's right. I might be in a
wheelchair, but I'm not cripple.
Hey, Petunia, why are you
using the neighbour's tap?
We got no water and all
the pipes are broken.
And Gideon been fighting the
government for a couple of years.
They built me longer driveway
so I can come next door
to use the garden tap. Mmm.
Where we going?
We're going to have a little
chat with the Minister.
~ (Gasps)
~ Engarte Jesus.
I acknowledge and pay
the deepest respect
to the traditional owners
past and present.
As the Federal Minister,
I am proud of the Federal
Indigenous Safe Houses Scheme
and the five new homes my government
has provided for this community.
Excuse me? Jessie Garner, 8MMM.
Yes, Jessica?
All the new houses are
for Government employees.
~ Mm-hm.
~ What have you done for the community?
Well, we've improved 80% of
the housing in this community.
Improved?
Go on, Petunia, tell
them about your water.
I can get water now. No-one's
the boss for me.
I like that driveway.
I really like it.
I'm free to come and go from
my house whenever I want to.
That's great. Gideon!
~ Hm.
~ Go on. Don't be shame, Gideon.
Tell them about your
broken water pipes.
Gideon?
REPORTER: Have you
got a comment, sir?
Gideon?
Gideon.
(Grunts)
REPORTER: Sir?
Well, what you mob looking
at? You got eyes.
Gideon's house is falling down.
Point your cameras over there,
not at her big fat head.
Gideon and Petunia have no water,
and you build a driveway.
Babies are getting sliced
up on broken pipes
and you'll probably just
blame it on child abuse.
You've renovated my house
and I have no drain hole.
Which department fixes
the fucking drain holes?!
I've fucking tried
everything. It's fried.
Look out for me.
Youdickheadaye, youdickheadaye,
youdickheadaye, youdickheadaye ♪
Youdickheadaye,
youdickheadaye, youdickheadaye. ♪
What the fuck was that?
Mumbo jumbo.
Yeah.
~ (Rock music plays from console)
~ Huh?
I'll be buggered. Youdickheadaye.
Youdickheadaye.
'You dickhead, eh?'
You dickhead, eh.
The fucking mumbo jumbo.
What's up, woman?
Since when do us desert blackfellas
smoke out a dead person's place?
We sweep our spirits away.
~ What you flapping about, wench?
~ (Phone rings)
You set the office
on fire, dumb-arse.
Jake's gonna choke you.
~ 8MMM FM. This is Milly.
~ (Shit.)
Yep.
Hang on.
Hey, Jampajinpa, my old mate, just
the man I've been looking for.
Check ya later, peeps.
A smoking freaking ceremony?!
Jake, it's the Minister's office.
They got that calm voice.
They must be really pissed off.
Yep.
Tell you what, mate, in the real
world, she'd be out on her arse.
Why should an Aboriginal
organisation be any different?
~ You gotta stop mollycoddling her.
~ I don't mollycoddle.
~ I promote self-determination.
~ Bullshit.
Aboriginal people joke about
traineeships that go on for 20 years.
I want to break that cycle at 8MMM.
Bugger those drain holes, eh?
Shit. You've heard?
Yeah, I had a little
chat with the Minister.
I'm sorry. I lost it again.
No, it's my fault. I shouldn't
have said yes to the CSAs.
But
Look, in light of what's happened,
I've been trying to think about
how we might do things differently,
but I'm afraid my hands are tied
on this one, Jessie,
and there's nothing
Jake, you're grovelling again.
Just spit it out, please.
OK, straight to the point. That's
one of your strong points.
Straight to the point, assertiveness,
when you learn to channel it
~ Jake
~ Yeah, uh
Look, your run-in's earned you
three more months of training.
But that's six months!
We might as well keep Dave
on for another ten years!
I told you, you must learn
to channel your anger.
~ I thought you were different, Jake.
~ Come on, Jessie, that's not fair.
~ Lucky they didn't cut funding.
~ No, you know what?
You can keep your GM job.
I'm gonna find another
traineeship. I quit.
You can't quit.
You wanted the housing
CSAs. You finish the job.
Fine. And then I quit.
~ Fine.
~ Yeah, fine. But you're helping me.
~ Fine.
~ Fine!
GIDEON, RECORDING: Well, they build
me a new fence and new driveway.
Why I want that? I live
in the bush. I got no car.
That's useless. Yeah.
I've got an idea. Look at this.
(Clears throat)
(Indigenous accent) Them shiny
new fences and driveways
been proper good one for me.
I lock'em my gate and
no more humbug my place.
I'd laugh, but I reckon
you're serious.
Got a better idea? They're
due in the morning.
~ No.
~ Huh?
But I'll have to teach you to speak
Aboriginal English properly way.
~ What?
~ Whitefellas got miserable language skills.
~ Nah. Killer. That was deadly.
~ Oh.
Huh? A little bit deadly?
Slightly poisonous? Come on, sister.
~ Don't.
~ OK.
LOLA: Like I was telling you
mob early part, this my home.
My spirit am belong here.
Another mob, kwenye, they lost ones.
They don't know where they come from,
but they been claiming
this place for home.
And cheeky ones, they come and take
over like they own at every place.
They got no respect, true.
And other ones, they
got too much respect.
Drive you mad looking to fix it
everything, but kwenye, lovely way.
(Hammering)
But like I always reckon,
no matter what, we got
plenty room for everybody.
Think about it. This 8MMM FM.
Aboriginal radio in
Aboriginal country.
Right, this is a skills audit.
How many Indigenous languages
exist in Australia?
Who knows this shit?
~ Cotton bull.
~ Is that it, 'Cotton bull'?
Woolly one.
Oh, cotton wool.
With these recordings, we can equip
the Cultural Preservation Grant
~ and get some money in the door.
~ DAVE: Money?
~ Yeah.
You listen to women.
You wanna be a man?
ALL: Scull, scull,
scull, scull, scull!
You must learn stay!
You two gotta act like a real man.
LOLA: Hello? This thing on?