article_snippet: Geelong football player Mathew Stokes has slammed Prime Minister Tony Abbott in an open letter for 'isolating' Indigenous Australians with Geelong player remark about the 'lifestyle choices' of remote communities.
article_snippet: In Geelong player comment, published on Geelong player Victorian club's website on Friday morning, the 30-year-old  noted that while Geelong player did not think Mr Abbott was 'deliberately being racist', Geelong player believed that 'one comment from someone in such a powerful position can cause so much damage'. '
article_snippet: Geelong player words have isolated Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders even more than Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders are already,' Geelong football player Mathew Stokes wrote.
article_snippet: Geelong football player Mathew Stokes  slammed Prime Minister Tony Abbott for isolating Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders 'even more than Aboriginal and Torres are already' an open letter for 'isolating' Indigenous Australians with his remark about the 'lifestyle choices' of remote communities comes after Mr Abbott voiced Mr Abbott support for the closure of over 100 remote Aboriginal communities across Western Australia earlier this month. '
article_snippet: The comment sparked a furious response from the Labor Party, The Greens and Indigenous leaders such as Noel Pearson who branded it 'racist', disrespectful and 'ignorant'.
article_snippet: Mr Abbott was voicing his support for the closure of over 100 remote Aboriginal communities across Western Australia the closure of over 100 remote Aboriginal communities across Western Australia Western Australia earlier this month .
article_snippet: The comments from my circle of mates ranged from ignorance, misinformed and that old Australian way of using humour to get away with some pretty offensive statements,' Stokes wrote. '
article_snippet: I thought to Stokes at the time, if that is coming from the mouths of my mates – many who are educated and have some understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander issues - imagine the conversations going on at smoko all over the country!' '
article_snippet: one man went on to question how the comment would reflect back on Australia, saying 'for one man to make the remarks one man did, as the leader of our country –
article_snippet: We have such a divide from We First Australians and comments like this have ability to drive We further apart. '
article_snippet: I am a strong supporter of the work being done to close the health gap between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and non-Indigenous Australians and there is much great work being done, but comments like those made recently by We PM only serve to empower the ugly side of We society.'
highlights_snippet: Geelong player said Geelong player did not think Mr Abbott was deliberately being racist .
  
highlights_snippet: However Geelong player said Geelong player comments 'empower the ugly side of our society'
  PM's remark sparked a furious response from  Indigenous leaders .
  
highlights_snippet: Indigenous leaders were made when Geelong player voiced support for the closure of over 100 remote Aboriginal communities across WA earlier this month .