8mmm (2015) s01e05 Episode Script

1 Hey, you mob! This Central Australia, it's a prettiful country.
Real pretty one.
That's why all the mad people, they can go walkabout here.
But us blackfella mob, we not mad one.
We know how to sit down in shade and find it water.
But these days, problem is not from perishing for no water.
No, trouble is people is too greedy for grog.
Stick around.
You might learn at something.
Aaaahhhhh Look, I'm here I'm from the bush Don't be shy 'cause I'm black Listen to me Talking to you From the bush.
You know, out there in the desert, I had an epiphany.
Now, we are going to bring Stuart and his party through the Gap to kick off Founders Day celebrations.
~ The Gap? ~ Mate, it'll be very impressive.
Oh, yeah, go on, bring them through the Gap.
It's only one of the most sacred sites in Alice Springs.
~ Extremely sacred.
~ We can't talk for that place.
You gotta talk for man.
People not allowed to go through.
Oh, what are you talking about? Cars and pedestrians go through it every day! No-one gives a shit.
Might be bitumen on top, but the ground's still dancing underneath.
~ Dreaming's still going.
Tjukurrpa.
~ Mmm.
Dave, your Founders Day committee did come to 8MMM for cultural advice.
And I'm almost sorry we did, alright? Jampajinpa's got the men organised.
Why can't you be as supportive? And I get Dave's car! Woot! He is gonna lead the welcoming party.
What welcoming party?! Oh, for Christ's sake! The Aboriginal warriors who greeted Stuart on his triumphant arrival into town! Hey! Hey! Read your history books.
It's all shit! I can't believe you agreed to stand by and let Dave and his men waltz in and plant the Union Jack! Me and the 'G's gonna be represented in full get-up and killer spears.
This celebration's a travesty that marks the decimation of Aboriginal culture! How about when you're black, you get a say? I reckon we should get a petition going to have Alice Springs renamed.
I think you're right, Dave.
A little acknowledgment would go a long way.
I mean, who was Alice anyway? Does anyone even know? Yeah, don't you know how to research? She was the wife of the Superintendent of Telegraphs for South Australia.
Fuck's sake! I mean, hardly justifies having a town named after you! Hey, what now, you mob? Dave's shout.
And they reckon you're a tight-arse.
Er, you just got discharged from hospital, Dave.
You sure drinking's a good idea? Mate, the alcohol's fine.
It was the fucking water that nearly killed me.
Hey, I gave you 100.
Where's my change? Come on, cough up.
Change.
Alice Springs? That's just a waterhole down the road.
They should never have changed the name.
They probably had to.
No-one would have been able to pronounce Mparntwe.
Um-buh-buh-buh what? It's the traditional name for Alice Springs.
Yeah, I know, mate.
I'm just joking.
You know what, if they're gonna change it, Dave, they should do it so it honours the Arrernte people, the true owners.
Arrernte? No, no, I was thinking about changing it back to Stuart.
What's your sudden obsession with Stuart anyway? ~ Hey, we're related! ~ Oh, what? Which way? Oh, proper way, Lola.
Non-gammon way.
To claiming.
Real big way.
No, no, mother's maiden name - Stuart.
That explains a lot! Oh, I gotta go.
Good luck with the petition, Dave.
Oh, thanks for your support.
Don't you mean Stuart? See you! See ya.
Yo, Jessie.
Come drink with us.
Not likely! Bub? ~ Finally! ~ What's wrong? Just wanted to know when you were coming home.
Can't I have a couple of drinks without being harassed? Be a grog-face, then.
You don't know what you're talking about, Thomas.
You can't bring grog into town camps.
You wanna be living in the creeks, eh, mad one? Oh, God, you're so dramatic! It's not like I'm getting horrors! Put your belly close to mine Wiggle your bum So, I gave her inches seven and drove it home I gave her inches seven She said 'Good Lord, I'm in heaven' OK! OK, I think it's time we all wrapped it up there, eh? No, it's not! Come on! Yep, I'm heading home too.
Want a ride Lola? Yep.
~ Dave, give me your keys.
~ Hey, not bloody likely! Well, you're not driving.
Give me your keys! Yeah, well, who's gonna make me? Give them to me now! ~ Hey, hey! ~ Give me the key! There you are, there you go.
Don't get your knickers in a knot.
Really mature.
Bub, what are you doing? Too noisy.
Can't sleep.
Don't put that Hey! That was my favourite song! Really? I never would have guessed! I've only heard it 15 frigging times.
Come on, sis.
We're the lovers.
We're not the fighters.
Well, I ain't feeling the love at the moment.
Thomas is using bread for earplugs because you mob making too much noise! Oh, well, I don't know what we'll do now.
Hey! What's your name? ~ Jampajinpa.
What's the problem? ~ Your Christian name.
My adopted name is Benjamin Weetman.
This is whacked! I'm just taking a shortcut.
~ What have you been up to? ~ Just having a few drinks at work.
~ How many's a few? ~ I didn't drive, so, a bit.
~ And where's work? ~ The radio station.
~ Radio station? ~ Mmm.
~ Like, a DJ or something? ~ Yep.
Whoop, whoop, whoop! Mr Weetman this is your third alcohol-related offence in two months.
You're going to the lock-up, son.
It's mandatory.
Screw that! I've never been arrested before! I tried to get arrested and you mob wouldn't let me! Well, looks like this is your lucky day.
You just can't go trespassing on private property, son.
You can't just go running around on other people's land.
This is black land! What a night.
Ah, shit.
~ Good evening.
~ Evening, sir.
I just need to advise that you've been pulled over for a random identification check.
~ Licence, please.
~ Coming right up.
Yeah, can I get a plates check? Coming right up.
I only just live around the corner.
There you are.
Oh! ~ Oh! ~ Stay in the vehicle.
Stay in the vehicle.
Look, we both know if I put you on the bag, you're gone, so I'm gonna let you walk.
I really appreciate that.
You have a good night.
Hang on! What are you doing? ~ Get out of the vehicle! ~ Oh, shit.
Hang on, hang on.
I'll be with you, I'll be with you.
Yep, going up.
They're all going up.
~ Don't make me regret it.
~ I will not make you regret it.
~ Honestly will not do that.
~ How you going? Go on, get - before I change my mind.
Alright.
Oi, Dave! Dave, it's Jampajinpa! Give me a CD.
~ Scottish bagpipes? ~ It's Nan's.
Hmm.
Hey, hey, hey! We're trying to sleep here.
Now you might wanna sleep.
Well, we wanna party! Hmm? You mob like to party all night! You're not supposed to bring grog into town camps in the first place! Oh, yeah, it's alright for you! Just 'cause you hide inside and drink like a white fella.
Well, I can handle my grog.
It's fellas like you that make the rest of us look bad! Mum! Marley, you don't even live here! Oh, whatever! Fucking hell.
Where are the cops when you need them? Uh No, of course not.
Hello, 8MMM.
This is Jake speak Hi, er, officers.
I'm Jake Henson, the general manager.
What can I do for you? Just a courtesy call, mate.
One of your staff was drink-driving last night.
Right.
We let the gentleman off with a warning this time.
OK, well, thanks for that, officers.
I appreciate it.
Well, you can understand how bad habits would have rubbed off on him, working in an Aboriginal organisation.
Excuse me? These people can't handle their grog.
Well, I can assure you that's not a problem in this workplace, OK? With the exception of the gentleman you picked up last night, our staff are extremely responsible when it comes to alcohol - role models, in fact - so next time you wanna cast aspersions Oh, this place stink like grog, true! I look like black slave for you mob? I'm not even worker for this place! No, that's right.
She's not.
This is Lola, who's a volunteer at 8MMM.
~ She's been here for ~ Hey! Woman got a hangover.
Can you take the blah-blah somewhere else? Yeah, we had a bit of a do here last night, so, that's A celebration, actually.
Anyway, I should get back to work, but thanks for letting us know.
It's noted, and I'm gonna talk to the gentleman in question for you.
Oh, nice of you to show your face.
Car trouble.
I don't suppose it had anything to do with you being pulled over for drink-driving Hey, if the cops had let me drive home, I'd still have my wheels.
Please tell me you're joking.
Oh! Dave, have you thought about getting some help? Yes! I'm gonna ring the tow truck, alright? No-one else is gonna do it.
No.
Fucking jungle out there.
Brilliant! So, guess what.
Dave got pulled over for drink-driving last night and someone stripped the wheels from his car.
You should sack his arse.
You know what, I think we should ban drinking at work, or just whenever staff are in public representing 8MMM.
Why should we suffer for Dave's sins? Hey, hey, hey, Jampajinpa's nan rang.
Lola, Lola, tell them, tell them.
Jampajinpa never been go home last night.
His nan proper worried one, true.
God, I hope he's alright, nothing bad's happened to him.
I mean, he could be lying in a ditch somewhere.
No-one would know.
Well, I don't know who he's got organised.
The re-enactment tomorrow! We thought you actually grew a heart! Marley might know where Jampajinpa is.
Well, maybe you should take Dave and look.
~ Why do I have to hold his hand? ~ Hey, car trouble.
Wheely? Well, whose fault's that? Just do it for Jampajinpa.
Come on.
So, how bad was he? Was he horrors? Was he? Hey, Milly! ~ Oh! ~ Milly! ~ 8MMM! ~ No, Milly! ~ Huh? ~ No, Milly, it's me, Koala! ~ I'm calling from the other room.
~ What? Who does this sound like? 'Known as a heavy drinker, often spending days at a time drunk.
' Like, nearly everyone I know.
No, Dave! Well, I know him too, don't I? Yeah.
~ On your bike.
~ What? Why can't you do it? Hey, last I checked I was doing your a favour.
8MMM FM.
~ Oi, oi, what's his name? ~ Marley.
Very traditional.
Oi, Marley! You there? ~ Marley! ~ Yeah, yeah.
Marley! Someone here for you! Yeah, yeah, I'm coming.
About bloody time.
I'm after Jampajinpa.
Where is he? I can't tell you where Jampajinpa is.
Why? Jessie! I'll tell you if you dance for me! Not in this lifetime! Oh! Is this some bloody cultural nonsense? We haven't got all day! Just can't you just do the dance, woman? Mm-mm.
~ Jakey! ~ Yeah? Jakey! Jampajinpa's nan been rung up! Policeman been chucking Jampajinpa in rehab! ~ Rehab? Are you sure? ~ What, I gotta be liar for you? No, I White people only gammon blind, locking it up all the blackfellas.
White people got grog sickness too, you know.
Jampajinpa is good boy.
~ Well, what do you want me to do? ~ Stop the grog! I can't control the alcohol in town, Lola.
I can't even control this workplace.
'Can't', 'can't', 'can't'! I'm sick of it, all the 'can't's! Nothing gonna change! We gotta do something, Jakey! Yeah, you're right.
You're right.
I'm gonna call an emergency meeting.
We'll make Founders Day a dry event, OK? Dry party can't get Jampajinpa from rehab! Alright, I'll call Jessie.
Kelhe.
What? ~ So, Jampajinpa's in rehab.
~ He's where? What now? Come on, dance for me, sis.
Jampajinpa's in lock-up! Yeah, word on the street is po-po got him in rehab.
He's never been picked up by the cops before.
Definitely not three times.
Oh.
You've been telling the cops your name's Benjamin Weetman when you've been getting picked up horrors, haven't you? Not just me, sis.
Other mob too! You wait! You wait till I tell your nan.
Out of all the drunken Benjamin Weetmans in this town, they throw the wrong stinking one in rehab! What? What are you talking about? As the Founders Day advisors on cultural practice, we at 8MMM would like to suggest that maybe we make Founders Day a dry event.
First you ban grog at Founders Day! ~ What's next - no happy hour? ~ Oh, God! Then you'll have us serving cups of tea in the pub, then no-one will have any human rights! Hear, hear! Ridiculous! What about the right to sober parents and a safe town? If it wasn't for the pubs, there wouldn't be a town! The Aboriginal people want the rivers of grog to stop! What are you talking about?! Aboriginal people own liquor licences, you know! It's not our fault Aboriginal people can't handle their alcohol.
They need to learn how to drink, develop their tolerance.
It's like anything! You've gotta put in the hours - practice.
You mob talking shit! Practice killing my people! Mparntwe is a very sacred place, and white people came in with all their bad vibes and upset the spirits! ~ Oh, you'd know! You'd know! ~ All of them! ~ The whole lot! ~ You'd know! ~ Every single one! ~ Everyone! ~ Let's tone down on the aggression.
It's an exchange of ideas, that's all, alright? Oh, hallelujah! Hey! How'd you bust me out, sis? All the other so-called Benjamin Weetmans on the police files are black.
~ er.
~ Uh, what?! ~ Blacker.
~ What are you doing here, Dave? ~ Hey, I care a lot about you.
You only care about your stupid re-enactment! No! Hey, what's up with the ride? Where's my wheels?! Cops around here are useless! They should be chasing real criminals.
He's just bitching 'cause the police picked him up for drink-driving.
I saw you staggering around last night! If you weren't so wasted, you could have helped me! Anyway, no point holding out.
Give me the keys.
It's no good anyway, brus.
It doesn't even have wheels.
Yeah.
Are you trying to hold out on me here, Dave? ~ Yep? ~ Oh! Alright.
Be five minutes.
Get us to the council office, will you? Quick! ~ Let's go.
~ I'm staying here.
~ It's just gonna be the same bullshit.
~ What? What about you? I'm staying with her.
Great lot of cultural advisors you lot turned out to be! ~ How was rehab? ~ Saddest crib.
Full of blackfellas.
Why is it such a big deal to have a celebration without alcohol? It is hardly a celebration without alcohol! Not to mention it's an insult to our founders.
Stuart liked to drink.
He'd be rolling in his grave! Hear, hear! If Stuart and his little friends didn't bring alcohol in the first place, the true owners of Mparntwe wouldn't have the problems that they have.
The problems wouldn't be problems, because the problems wouldn't exist.
Boo! Boo! Well, if you wowsers are gonna ban alcohol, we might as well cancel the whole bloody event No, no, no!.
.
because no-one's gonna go! No, no, hey, come on.
Let's not be too rash! ~ Oh, come on! ~ We could have two separate areas.
You know, alcohol, non-alcohol.
I mean, that's an easy solution.
We don't need to cancel the whole thing, I mean, come on! Dave, a surprisingly rational suggestion.
Can we vote on that, please? ~ A dry area at Founders Day.
~ Yeah.
Everyone in favour, put your hands up.
If you're against it, put hands down.
It's a negative vote.
Yeah, we carried it.
Yep, yep, yep.
OK, there'll be a dry area at Founders Day and one for drinkers.
Good.
Sensible solution, I think.
Thanks, everyone, for coming! Hey, Stuart's here! Oh, shame.
Won't bow down to you! Nah! Oi! Get off our land! Yeah! You got no shame, running around other mob's country.
~ It's just not right.
~ Yeah! This is whacked! Nah, this shit going down.
Get him! Flog him, Jampajinpa! Flog him! It's lucky nobody showed up.
It's pretty embarrassing.
It was a fucking travesty, and not historically accurate at all.
That's not entirely true.
The Warumungu people actually chased Stuart and his men off their land.
You people, you just gotta get over the past.
~ Hey, Dave? ~ Hey, yeah? I did some research, and you're not related to Stuart.
Oh, right! So, you know all about my family history now too, do you? Your mother's family changed their name to Stuart to hide their German heritage during the war.
What? Don't worry, Dave.
You can still say you're related to Stuart - blackfella way.
Mmm.
Hey, like I was telling you mob early part, people, they too greedy for grog, true.
Us mob, we got hard history - that Captain Crook and all his mates, they been making lot of trouble for us.
Mm-mm.
Now it's up to everybody to stop going wrong way.
We gotta make them right track for our kids and grannies.
I don't want to hear it, any more 'can't's! Grog is not racist one.
It can grab them, blackfellas and white fellas.
Hey, you never learn.
Keep telling you to stop drinking grog, but you still going.
~ Everybody else is drinking! ~ You got no ears or what? Jampajinpa! Think about it.
This 8MMM FM.
Aboriginal radio in Aboriginal country.
Well, I think we should try anything we can to help bring black and white people closer together.
~ Jessie? ~ What? What? We can be the pin-up organisation for black and white relations with 8MMM's very own reconciliation action plan.
You still don't know anything about blackfellas, do you? He knows it's an act, doesn't he? Alright, cue the stupid white fella.
Hey, Jakey! The set! Hello? This thing on?