Australia's treatment of indigenous Australians. Let's discuss....

[Violet_Crumble]

This thread's inspired by a very passionate supporter of Israel from the I/P forum who's very interested in discussing the mistreatment of indigenous Australians. I hope no-one minds but I've extended an invitation to her and I hope everyone gives her a warm welcome and treats her with respect...

Anyway, the argument (and I'm happy to be corrected if I've gotten it wrong) goes along the line of this: as Australia has a long and dark history of genocide and abuse, that renders us as Australians total hypocrites if we criticise any other country for its human rights abuses. It's an argument that holds no water at all, but it does lead me to ask what else can we do as a nation when it comes to reconciliation? The official apology was something that was incredibly moving and something I thought I'd never see, but talk can be cheap if it's not followed through by action...

on edit: I forgot to mention that Australians are being accused of thinking Australia's a progressive nation. I don't know about anyone else, but progressive is definately not the word I'd use to describe Australia...

[Buddha2B]

1. We are dealing with this

We 'Aussies' are dealing with the racism and Genocide of yester-year. It's a freakin mess. People seem to underestimate that things just don't become rainbows and candy overnight.

I grew up in Cairns and was surrounded by Indigenous people. I went to school with them, they were my neighbours and friends. The Federal Electorate Division of Leichhardt has the 2nd most inidigenous population in Australia. This is where the Eddy Mabo case went down and Native Title was born. (FNQ anyways)

Anyways I moved to Melbourne 8 years ago, and I'm removed from Indigenous issues. I don't interact with Indigenous people, there is nothing in the news...and it's disappointing. Melbourne being Australia's second largest city.

For all these issues, I feel some of the problem is the Melbourne/Sydney dominance in culture/tv. Indigenous issues are mainly in the regional areas. Outside of the occasional 'Redfern' issue, it doesn't impact big city folks.

My two cents for now.

[Violet_Crumble]

2. I totally agree that things don't become rainbows & candy o/night...

I don't have much involvement in indigenous issues nowadays, but I did work on the Indigenous Funding Inquiry back in around 1999/2000 and did research and went to consultation sessions with indigenous groups, and sat and watched since then as nothing's improved after all that work. So I found it just a bit disconcerting to be seen as a total hypocrite. Unfortunately it looks like the poster from the I/P forum who so eagerly wanted to discuss Australia only seems to want to do so in the I/P forum. Bit of a shame as I think it would have been an interesting discussion for this forum...

[Esra Star]

3. OK, this is a complicated subject

But the way I see the cycle going is:-
To help you have to intervene in some way.
When you intervene, at some point the cries of patronising will become deafening.
The newspapers wil do their best to confuse the public.
The "political will" will run out of steam.
Government changes and announces that previous government made situation worse and will proceed to close all assistance down.
Back down the snake.
Status quo.
Rinse and repeat

[nostromo_au]

4. Progress

In Australia as in every other single part of human society we're dealing with an inherited reality. In Israel, in Northern Ireland, in the USA as it relates to the native Americans this problem is endemic. We inherit what our forebears did and the effect it has on today's situation. Do we dare see ourselves as progressive people? Yes, because our outlook is NOT one of trying to maintain inequality and advantage on our (non-indigenous) side. Instead our attitude is one of trying to equalise conditions and include the previously excluded. In other words the situation isn't perfect yet but we are trying to rectify it.

[Slave To No One]

5. Progressive Nation

Hmmmm valid argument, however I would have to say we are a progressive nation. We aren't perfect but we do a lot more then U.S.A. in our treatment of indigenous and non European people.

[Name removed]

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