Produced at a moment when mobile phones were still a novelty, this 1991 Telecom Australia advertisement reflects both the emerging fascination with new technology and the persistence of racially coded tropes.

A series of shifting tones creates a comedic twist. There's an initial grave atmosphere as a white man accompanies a First Nations ranger (played by Tom E Lewis) through the outback. When the white man assumes the ranger can use 'mental telepathy' to communicate a flood warning, the ad pivots to humour – the ranger whips out his new mobile phone instead.

Meta-humour pokes fun at the stereotype of the 'magical native', which has been prominent in mass media and Australian culture for decades. The act of subversion highlights both the absurdity of the trope and the practicality of modern communication.

This advertisement could only have been created at a specific historical moment: after mobile telephones were made available to the public, but before they became the essential personal device they are today. Australia is positioned as a modern hub of industry and innovation through a closing montage that features satellite dishes, telecommunications workers and engineers against a uniquely Australian landscape.