29 June 2013

fiat

[fee-aht, -at; fahy-uht, -at]

noun

1. an authoritative decree, sanction, or order: a royal fiat. Synonyms: authorization, directive, ruling, mandate, diktat, ukase.
2. a fixed form of words containing the word fiat, by which a person in authority gives sanction, or authorization.
3. an arbitrary decree or pronouncement, especially by a person or group of persons having absolute authority to enforce it: The king ruled by fiat.

Origin:
1625–35; < Latin: let it be done, 3rd singular present subjunctive of fierī to become

Today’s aphorism

‘It is clear that the individual who persecutes a man, his brother, because he is not of the same opinion, is a monster’.

Voltaire

On this day

29 June 1936 – Eddie Mabo was born. Campaigner for indigenous land rights in the Torres Strait. Successfully challenged the concept of ‘terra nullius‘ which was enshrined in federal law and meant ‘uninhabited land‘. The High Court ruled in favour of Eddie Mabo’s challenge and overturned terra nullius. The Mabo Decision resulted in legal recognition of indigenous rights to native land title. The Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (HREOC) awarded Eddie Mabo the Human Rights Medal in 1992, along with those who assisted in the case, Reverend Dave Passi, Sam Passi (deceased), James Rice (deceased), Celuia Mapo Salee (deceased) and Barbara Hocking.