Julian Assange, aka J-Ass, aka Wikileaks founder and subject of Channel 10’s imminent basket-case telemovie (in that all their ratings eggs are in said basket), can now add Honorary Aboriginal Australian to his impressive resumé after the Indigenous Social Justice Association today extended Assange the offer of an Aboriginal Nations passport in an inner-city Sydney ceremony attended by the asylum-seeker’s father.
According to the Sydney Morning Herald, Assange’s father John Shipton said his son had been jilted by the Australian government, stating “Australian governments of every colour are happy to abandon their citizens when they’re in difficult situations overseas. Julian has always expressed the desire that the Aboriginal people of Australia be recognised as sovereign. It is a point of view that is becoming more accepted.” Oh, and Shipton will not be watching this (on account of not owning a television), much to the chagrin of Channel 10 execs:
I’m not sure how many colours Australian governments come in for Spring Summer 2012/13, but it looks like tangerine is going to be a surefire hit in the next election. The passport, which the SBS reports is only for use when travelling within Aboriginal lands and therefore sounds largely symbolic, will be shipped to London within the next few days, where Julian is reportedly holed up “in a small room… [with] a treadmill and a sunlamp;” no doubt in preparation for what Shipton calls prep for “twelve months in this situation [and] a long meditation,” while also working on getting a killer base tan.
I’m willing to stake my regular passport and beige government that he’s also listening to this:
Meanwhile, all the staff writers on those four other Julian Assange biopics eagerly await the next instalment in The Julian As-Saga.
Photo via AFP/Getty Images
