Hundreds Shot at Aboriginal Community: ABC Makes TV Documentary at Yuendumu

Abstract

In August 1985, ABC television screened the documentary 'Fight Fire With Fire' as part of its Open File series. Here is the story of the circumstances surrounding the making of that documentary. It was shot in the Aboriginal community of Yuendumu, NT, and was intended to portray the Aboriginal efforts towards self-determination with regard to controlling the media images of themselves presented to the outside world, as well as the kind of media information to be received in their community, particularly with the advent of Aussat. The film was meant to be a collaborative effort between the ABC crew and the aborigines themselves. As events progressed, it cannot be said that these laudable objectives and the subsequent results entirely coincided.