White Gain vs. Indigenous Loss (4)
August 14th 2009 05:08
The Aboriginal land rights movement in Australia began in NSW around the 1860s (Goodall, 1996, p.173) with the struggle to obtain and then hold on to reserve land. From there, it grew to a nationwide ongoing struggle culminating in the recognition of Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ native title in a High Court decision of 1992 (Mabo vs. Queensland). However, as Lisa Strelein points out, trusting in a judicial system to acknowledge and sustain indigenous self-determination is ‘fraught with dilemmas’ (Strelein, 1996, p.36), namely the inherent structures of oppression, and understanding indigenous needs from a European perspective.
In 1991 the Australian Government passed the Reconciliation Act, and a timeline from this point to present day will highlight the contemporary nature of Indigenous disadvantage to non-indigenous advantage, for in reality, nothing much has changed.
For example, the Reconciliation Council was established when the Act passed through Parliament, and was terminated nine years later by a Howard government on the eve of centenary of Federation celebrations. This is the same government who refused to say sorry to the ‘stolen generation’ in 2005, those children of mixed-descent forcibly taken from their parents. Although that blot has now been erased by the Rudd government, and no doubt the Indigenous population are pleased with the Mabo ruling and Wik Legislation, Indigenous disadvantage is alive and well in rural and outback communities, and any Native Title claims have to navigate the beaurocratic minefield of States, Departments, and local Councils that are inherent in federalism.
As Patrick Dodson points out, ‘we must be prepared to enter into a genuine dialogue with the Indigenous community to determine the way forward in addressing the challenges that lay before us’ (Dodson, 2007, p.28). Those ‘challenges’ are centuries of disadvantage that has resulted in poverty and poor living conditions, which in turn leads to crime and substance abuse. Add to that ingrained racist attitudes and beaurocratic dithering, and the way forward is an uphill road indeed.
In summary, it becomes clear that the Indigenous population of this country have suffered disadvantage for over two centuries while the non-indigenous have taken advantage. From invasion to dispossession, given Reserve land only to have it sold from under them; denied civil rights and legal recourse, granted citizenship but discriminated against, the list goes on and on. The non-indigenous, on the other hand, have been allowed to prosper and grow, secure now in the knowledge that their government accords them all the rights and privileges available to citizens of a First World country.
Needless to say, the balance has to be rectified if this nation is to have any hope of gaining the full respect of the international community. Granted, times may be tough, but as the Northern Territory Intervention plainly shows, many indigenous communities are doing it much tougher.
As a nation we need to support Reconciliation and Indigenous self-determination as the way forward, decry ingrained racist attitudes as the sins of a colonial past, lobby governments to foster Indigenous rights, ensure the dialogue remains continuous and positive. Only then can we be truly proud of the legacy we leave our children, a nation based on the equality of all citizens, not just those with white skin.
References
Barwick, D. (1972), “Coranderrk and Cumeroogunga: Pioneers and Policy, in T. S. Epstein & D. H. Penny (eds) Opportunity and Response: Case Studies in Economic Development, Sydney: Angus & Robertson, pp.18-66.
Broome, R. (2002), Aboriginal Australians: Black Responses to White Dominance, Crows Nest: Allen & Unwin, pp.18, 26-56, 130 & 143.
Burgman, V. (1993) Power and Protest: Movements for change in Australian Society, p.34.
Dodson, P. (2007) “Whatever Happened to Reconciliation” in Altman, J. And Hinkson, M. (eds) Coercive Reconciliation: Stabilise, Normalise, Ext Aboriginal Australia (Arena Publications, Melbourne), p.28.
Goodall, H. (1996) Land in our own country: the Aboriginal land rights movement in South Eastern Australia, 1860-1914, Chapter 8, pp. 173, in Chapman, V. & Read, P., (eds) Terrible Hard Biscuits: a reader in Aboriginal History. St Leonards: Allen & Unwin.
Horner, J. & Langton, M. “The Day of Mourning”, in Mulvaney, D.J. & White, P. (1987) Australians to 1938. Sydney: Fairfax, Syme & Weldon Assoc., p.29.
Pearson, M. (1984), “Bathurst Plains and Beyond: European Colonisation and Aboriginal Resistance” in Aboriginal History 8, pp.48 & 64.
Strelein, L. (1996) “Aboriginal self-determination and the Australian Courts” Eureka Street 6.9 November, 1996, p.36
Theophanous, A.C. (1994) Understanding social justice: an Australian perspective, p.91.
For example, the Reconciliation Council was established when the Act passed through Parliament, and was terminated nine years later by a Howard government on the eve of centenary of Federation celebrations. This is the same government who refused to say sorry to the ‘stolen generation’ in 2005, those children of mixed-descent forcibly taken from their parents. Although that blot has now been erased by the Rudd government, and no doubt the Indigenous population are pleased with the Mabo ruling and Wik Legislation, Indigenous disadvantage is alive and well in rural and outback communities, and any Native Title claims have to navigate the beaurocratic minefield of States, Departments, and local Councils that are inherent in federalism.
As Patrick Dodson points out, ‘we must be prepared to enter into a genuine dialogue with the Indigenous community to determine the way forward in addressing the challenges that lay before us’ (Dodson, 2007, p.28). Those ‘challenges’ are centuries of disadvantage that has resulted in poverty and poor living conditions, which in turn leads to crime and substance abuse. Add to that ingrained racist attitudes and beaurocratic dithering, and the way forward is an uphill road indeed.
Needless to say, the balance has to be rectified if this nation is to have any hope of gaining the full respect of the international community. Granted, times may be tough, but as the Northern Territory Intervention plainly shows, many indigenous communities are doing it much tougher.
As a nation we need to support Reconciliation and Indigenous self-determination as the way forward, decry ingrained racist attitudes as the sins of a colonial past, lobby governments to foster Indigenous rights, ensure the dialogue remains continuous and positive. Only then can we be truly proud of the legacy we leave our children, a nation based on the equality of all citizens, not just those with white skin.
References
Barwick, D. (1972), “Coranderrk and Cumeroogunga: Pioneers and Policy, in T. S. Epstein & D. H. Penny (eds) Opportunity and Response: Case Studies in Economic Development, Sydney: Angus & Robertson, pp.18-66.
Broome, R. (2002), Aboriginal Australians: Black Responses to White Dominance, Crows Nest: Allen & Unwin, pp.18, 26-56, 130 & 143.
Burgman, V. (1993) Power and Protest: Movements for change in Australian Society, p.34.
Dodson, P. (2007) “Whatever Happened to Reconciliation” in Altman, J. And Hinkson, M. (eds) Coercive Reconciliation: Stabilise, Normalise, Ext Aboriginal Australia (Arena Publications, Melbourne), p.28.
Goodall, H. (1996) Land in our own country: the Aboriginal land rights movement in South Eastern Australia, 1860-1914, Chapter 8, pp. 173, in Chapman, V. & Read, P., (eds) Terrible Hard Biscuits: a reader in Aboriginal History. St Leonards: Allen & Unwin.
Horner, J. & Langton, M. “The Day of Mourning”, in Mulvaney, D.J. & White, P. (1987) Australians to 1938. Sydney: Fairfax, Syme & Weldon Assoc., p.29.
Pearson, M. (1984), “Bathurst Plains and Beyond: European Colonisation and Aboriginal Resistance” in Aboriginal History 8, pp.48 & 64.
Strelein, L. (1996) “Aboriginal self-determination and the Australian Courts” Eureka Street 6.9 November, 1996, p.36
Theophanous, A.C. (1994) Understanding social justice: an Australian perspective, p.91.
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