Australians must remain hopeful in the face of abuse of AFL player Adam Goodes and continue to fight for reconciliation, Noel Pearson says.
The Cape York leader addressed the Garma Indigenous Festival in north-east Arnhem Land on Saturday, saying he did not like what the persistent booing and bullying of Goodes revealed about a section of Australian society.
"We don't know if we know our fellow Australians," he said.
But he said people should not allow themselves to "look into the abyss" and despair about the progress of reconciliation.
"We have got to believe in the better angels of our nature, we have got to believe we can summon up a better Australia than the one we too often show ourselves to be."
Mr Pearson said he had been angered by media coverage and social media commentary.
"Where we have hope, is that our love for our country, our love for our people transcends fear, anger and hatred," he said.
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