3. Indigenous Disadvantage and Self-Determination
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Government and Indigenous Australians Exclusionary Values
Government and Indigenous Australians Exclusionary values upheld in Australian Government continue to unjustly prohibit the participation of minority population groups. Indigenous people “are among the most socially excluded in Australia” with only 2.2% of Federal parliament comprised of Aboriginal’s. Additionally, Aboriginal culture and values, “can be hard for non-Indigenous people to understand” but are critical for creating socially inclusive policy. This exclusion from parliament is largely as a result of a “cultural and ethnic default in leadership” and exclusionary values held by Australian parliament. Furthermore, Indigenous values of autonomy, community and respect for elders is not supported by the current structure of government. The lack of cohesion between Western Parliamentary values and Indigenous cultural values has contributed to historically low voter participation and political representation in parliament. Additionally, the historical exclusion, restrictive Western cultural norms and the continuing lack of consideration for the cultural values and unique circumstances of Indigenous Australians, vital to promote equity and remedy problems that exist within Aboriginal communities, continue to be overlooked. Current political processes make it difficult for Indigenous people to have power over decisions made on their behalf to solve issues prevalent in Aboriginal communities. This is largely as “Aboriginal representatives are in a better position to represent Aboriginal people and that existing politicians do not or cannot perform this role.” Deeply “entrenched inequality in Australia” has led to the continuity of traditional Anglo- Australian Parliamentary values, which inherently exclude Indigenous Australians. Additionally, the communication between the White Australian population and the Aboriginal population remains damaged, due to “European contact tend[ing] to undermine Aboriginal laws, society, culture and religion”. -
South Australian State Public Sector Organisations
South Australian state public sector organisations The entities listed below are controlled by the government. The sectors to which these entities belong are based on the date of the release of the 2016–17 State Budget. The government’s interest in each of the public non-financial corporations and public financial corporations listed below is 100 per cent. Public Public General Non-Financial Financial Government Corporations Corporations Sector Sector Sector Adelaide Cemeteries Authority * Adelaide Festival Centre Trust * Adelaide Festival Corporation * Adelaide Film Festival * Adelaide and Mount Lofty Ranges Natural Resources * Management Board Adelaide Venue Management Corporation * Alinytjara Wilurara Natural Resources Management Board * Art Gallery Board, The * Attorney-General’s Department * Auditor-General’s Department * Australian Children’s Performing Arts Company * (trading as Windmill Performing Arts) Bio Innovation SA * Botanic Gardens State Herbarium, Board of * Carrick Hill Trust * Coast Protection Board * Communities and Social Inclusion, Department for * Correctional Services, Department for * Courts Administration Authority * CTP Regulator * Dairy Authority of South Australia * Defence SA * Distribution Lessor Corporation * Dog and Cat Management Board * Dog Fence Board * Education Adelaide * Education and Child Development, Department for * Electoral Commission of South Australia * Environment, Water and Natural Resources, Department of * Environment Protection Authority * Essential Services Commission of South Australia -
Chapter 2 Statistical Context
2 Statistical context CONTENTS Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander data in the Statistical context chapter 2.2 Population 2.2 Population, by ethnicity and proficiency in English 2.3 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population profile 2.3 Income 2.4 Educational attainment 2.5 Statistical concepts used in the Report — reliability of estimates 2.5 Statistical concepts used in the Report — age standardisation of data 2.7 List of attachment tables 2.13 References 2.15 Attachment tables Attachment tables are identified in references throughout this Indigenous Compendium by an ‘A’ prefix (for example, in this chapter, table 2A.1). As the data are directly sourced from the 2015 Report, the Compendium also notes where the original table, figure or text in the 2015 Report can be found. For example, where the Compendium refers to ‘2015 Report, p. 2.1’ this is page 1 of chapter 2 of the 2015 Report, and ‘2015 Report, table 2A.1’ is attachment table 1 of attachment 2A of the 2015 Report. A list of attachment tables referred to in the Compendium is provided at the end of this chapter, and the full attachment tables are available from the Review website at www.pc.gov.au/research/recurring/report-on-government-services. The Statistical context chapter (chapter 2) in the Report on Government Services 2015 (2015 Report) contains contextual information to assist the interpretation of the performance indicators presented in this Report. Data are presented for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people for some items — those data are compiled and presented here. The Statistical context chapter also contains a discussion of the statistical concept of age standardisation and its application to prisoner population rates, and to death rates, for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and non-Indigenous people. -
The Promise of Regional Governance for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Communities1
Ngiya: Talk the Law – Volume 1 THE PROMISE OF REGIONAL GOVERNANCE FOR ABORIGINAL AND TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER COMMUNITIES1 ALEX REILLY∗, LARISSA BEHRENDT∗∗, RUTH McCAUSLAND∗∗∗ and MARK McMILLAN∗∗∗∗ The national interest requires a new relationship with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. There can be no relationship without partnership. There can be no partnership without participation.2 From the time the Whitlam Government introduced ‘self-determination’ as its policy framework for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, there have been many legislative versions of what this means in practice. This debate about how Indigenous people’s interests and needs can be best represented in legislation has re-emerged after the Federal Government’s announcement of the abolition of ATSIC and its Regional Councils.3 Both Indigenous peoples and governments continue to struggle with the question of representation in the context of policy formulation, funding arrangements, accountability, regulation, service delivery and Indigenous peoples’ human rights. Regional governance for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people is often proposed as a means of addressing disadvantage and disempowerment, and as better reflecting the priorities and aspirations of Indigenous communities than national or state-based structures. In the wake of the abolition of ATSIC, both the Federal Government and Opposition indicated their support for working with 1 This paper is part of an Australian Research Council funded project on Regional Governance and Indigenous communities that Jumbunna Indigenous House of Learning, University of Technology Sydney and the Gilbert + Tobin Centre of Public Law, University of New South Wales, has undertaken in partnership with Reconciliation Australia. ∗ Alex Reilly is Senior Lecturer, Macquarie University. -
Tasmania (TAS)
Australian Red Cross 26.05.21 COVID-19 Information Sheet – Tasmania (TAS) Disclaimer: The information below should not be considered an exhaustive list and service delivery may change. Please contact organisations and services directly for the most up to date information and to enquire further about eligibility. Red Cross does not determine eligibility for the third party services listed. Government of Tasmania Updates • Tasmanian Government COVID-19 Updates o Tasmanian border restrictions and subsequent quarantine arrangements are classified as low, medium and high. To check the classification of a location visit the Tasmanian government’s coronavirus website. These classifications change depending on the COVID-19 situation in each state and territory. • COVID-19 vaccinations: The Tasmanian and the Australian Governments are working together to give safe COVID-19 vaccinations to the community. Vaccines are being delivered in phases. All Tasmanians aged 18 and over will be able to get vaccinated for free. More information is available on the Tasmanian government website. • Support for Temporary Visa Holders: • Pandemic Isolation Assistance Grants are available to support low-income persons, casual workers and self-employed persons who are required to self-isolate due to COVID-19 risk. To apply, please call the Public Health Hotline on 1800 671 738. • The Rapid Response Skills Initiative provides funding of up to $3,000 towards the cost of training for people who have lost their jobs because they have been made redundant, the place they -
Voting in AUSTRALIAAUSTRALIA Contents
Voting IN AUSTRALIAAUSTRALIA Contents Your vote, your voice 1 Government in Australia: a brief history 2 The federal Parliament 5 Three levels of government in Australia 8 Federal elections 9 Electorates 10 Getting ready to vote 12 Election day 13 Completing a ballot paper 14 Election results 16 Changing the Australian Constitution 20 Active citizenship 22 Your vote, your voice In Australia, citizens have the right and responsibility to choose their representatives in the federal Parliament by voting at elections. The representatives elected to federal Parliament make decisions that affect many aspects of Australian life including tax, marriage, the environment, trade and immigration. This publication explains how Australia’s electoral system works. It will help you understand Australia’s system of government, and the important role you play in it. This information is provided by the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC), an independent statutory authority. The AEC provides Australians with an independent electoral service and educational resources to assist citizens to understand and participate in the electoral process. 1 Government in Australia: a brief history For tens of thousands of years, the heart of governance for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples was in their culture. While traditional systems of laws, customs, rules and codes of conduct have changed over time, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples continue to share many common cultural values and traditions to organise themselves and connect with each other. Despite their great diversity, all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities value connection to ‘Country’. This includes spirituality, ceremony, art and dance, family connections, kin relationships, mutual responsibility, sharing resources, respecting law and the authority of elders, and, in particular, the role of Traditional Owners in making decisions. -
Raising Awareness of Australian Aboriginal Peoples Reality: Embedding Aboriginal Knowledge in Social Work Education Through the Use of Field Experiences
The International Education Journal: Comparative Perspectives, 2013, 12(1), 197–212 iSSN 1443-1475 © 2013 www.iejcomparative.org Raising awareness of Australian Aboriginal peoples reality: Embedding Aboriginal knowledge in social work education through the use of field experiences Deb Duthie Queensland University of Technology, Australia Julie King Queensland University of Technology, Australia Jenni Mays Queensland University of Technology, Australia Effective social work practice with Aboriginal peoples and communities requires knowledge of operational communication skills and practice methods. In addition, there is also a need for practitioners to be aware of the history surrounding white engagement with Aboriginal communities and their cultures. Indeed, the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW) acknowledges the importance of social workers practising cultural safety. Engendering knowledge of cultural safety for social work students is the opportunity to listen and talk with Aboriginal people who have experienced the destructive impacts of colonisation and the subsequent disruption to family and community. This article discusses the use of field experiences within a Masters of Social Work (Qualifying) Program (MSW) as an educational method aimed at increasing student awareness of contemporary Aboriginal issues and how to practice effectively and within a culturally safe manner. KeyWords: Aboriginal Australia, social work education, cultural safety, field experiences, blended learning. Australia was colonised by Great Britain in the late 18th Century. From the outset, the impact on Aboriginal peoples was detrimental on many levels. As has been well documented, this impact has taken many forms, from semi-official extermination (Lake & Reynolds, 2008; Richards, 2008) through to social engineering policies of less 197 Raising awareness of Australian Aboriginal peoples reality obvious brutality. -
Appropriate Terminology, Indigenous Australian Peoples
General Information Folio 5: Appropriate Terminology, Indigenous Australian Peoples Information adapted from ‘Using the right words: appropriate as ‘peoples’, ‘nations’ or ‘language groups’. The nations of terminology for Indigenous Australian studies’ 1996 in Teaching Indigenous Australia were, and are, as separate as the nations the Teachers: Indigenous Australian Studies for Primary Pre-Service of Europe or Africa. Teacher Education. School of Teacher Education, University of New South Wales. The Aboriginal English words ‘blackfella’ and ‘whitefella’ are used by Indigenous Australian people all over the country — All staff and students of the University rely heavily on language some communities also use ‘yellafella’ and ‘coloured’. Although to exchange information and to communicate ideas. However, less appropriate, people should respect the acceptance and use language is also a vehicle for the expression of discrimination of these terms, and consult the local Indigenous community or and prejudice as our cultural values and attitudes are reflected Yunggorendi for further advice. in the structures and meanings of the language we use. This means that language cannot be regarded as a neutral or unproblematic medium, and can cause or reflect discrimination due to its intricate links with society and culture. This guide clarifies appropriate language use for the history, society, naming, culture and classifications of Indigenous Australian and Torres Strait Islander people/s. Indigenous Australian peoples are people of Aboriginal and Torres -
Australia's System of Government
61 Australia’s system of government Australia is a federation, a constitutional monarchy and a parliamentary democracy. This means that Australia: Has a Queen, who resides in the United Kingdom and is represented in Australia by a Governor-General. Is governed by a ministry headed by the Prime Minister. Has a two-chamber Commonwealth Parliament to make laws. A government, led by the Prime Minister, which must have a majority of seats in the House of Representatives. Has eight State and Territory Parliaments. This model of government is often referred to as the Westminster System, because it derives from the United Kingdom parliament at Westminster. A Federation of States Australia is a federation of six states, each of which was until 1901 a separate British colony. The states – New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia and Tasmania - each have their own governments, which in most respects are very similar to those of the federal government. Each state has a Governor, with a Premier as head of government. Each state also has a two-chambered Parliament, except Queensland which has had only one chamber since 1921. There are also two self-governing territories: the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory. The federal government has no power to override the decisions of state governments except in accordance with the federal Constitution, but it can and does exercise that power over territories. A Constitutional Monarchy Australia is an independent nation, but it shares a monarchy with the United Kingdom and many other countries, including Canada and New Zealand. The Queen is the head of the Commonwealth of Australia, but with her powers delegated to the Governor-General by the Constitution. -
Preserving and Promoting Indigenous Australian Cultural Heritage
#thismymob: Preserving and Promoting Indigenous Australian Cultural Heritage Joel Fredericks and Christopher Lawrence Centre for Indigenous Technology Research and Development School of Software, Faculty of Engineering and IT University of Technology Sydney [joel.fredericks; christopher.lawrence]@uts.edu.au Abstract. Mobile technologies have become an integral part of daily life in con- temporary society thanks to the pervasiveness of smartphones and tablet devices. Over the past 30 years these technologies have evolved beyond their original mandate by permeating diverse social segments across the world. Many cultural heritage projects have adopted mobile technologies to catalogue and document culture and history. However, limited research has examined the potential of us- ing mobile technologies as a mechanism to preserve and promote Indigenous cul- tural heritage. This work-in-progress paper outlines three distinct areas for the design and development of mobile technologies for Indigenous cultural heritage. We outline these as: (1) Establishing the notion of ‘digital land rights’ which asserts the rights of Indigenous people to a safe online space that they control; (2) Co-designing with a diverse group of Indigenous communities to build mean- ingful mobile experiences; and, (3) Documenting traditions within their unique context to preserve and promote Indigenous cultural history. Keywords: Indigenous Australia, Mobile technologies, Digital land rights 1 Introduction Social and cultural dislocation have been identified as key causes of disadvantage and vulnerability in Indigenous communities [1]. Key factors include the loss of social net- works, language barriers, racism, and the sense of not belonging. At the same time, Indigenous communities are rapidly losing their ability to transmit their languages and cultures to a new generation. -
Putting Down Roots Belonging and the Politics of Settlement on Norfolk Island
Putting Down Roots Belonging and the Politics of Settlement on Norfolk Island Mitchell Kenneth Low B.A. (Hons) University of Western Australia, 2004 This thesis is presented for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy of The University of Western Australia School of Social Sciences (Anthropology and Sociology) 2012 Abstract In this thesis I theorise emergent nativeness and the political significance of resettlement among the descendants of the mutineers of the Bounty in the Australian external territory of Norfolk Island (South Pacific). Norfolk Islanders are a group of Anglo-Polynesian descendants who trace their ancestry to unions between the mutineers of the HMAV Bounty and Tahitian women. Norfolk Islanders’ ancestors were resettled from their home of Pitcairn Island to the decommissioned, vacant, penal settlement of Norfolk Island in 1856. Since this date, members of the Norfolk community have remained at odds with state officials from Britain and Australia over the exact nature of their occupancy of Norfolk Island. This fundamental contestation over the Island’s past is the basis of ongoing struggles over recognition, Island autonomy and territoriality, and belonging. Using a combination of qualitative research conducted on Norfolk Island and extensive historical and archival research, I present an ethnography of belonging among a highly emplaced island population. One of the central problems in conceptualising Norfolk Islanders’ assertions of belonging is that Norfolk Islanders not only claim Norfolk as a homeland, but members of this community have at times declared themselves the indigenous people of the Island. With respect to recent anthropological theorisations of indigeneity as relationally and historically constituted, I consider the extent to which concepts such as ‘native’ and ‘indigenous’ may be applicable to descendants of historical migrants. -
Australia and the Pacific
AUSTRALIA AND THE PACIFIC: THE AMBIVALENT PLACE OF PACIFIC PEOPLES WITHIN CONTEMPORARY AUSTRALIA Scott William Mackay, BA (Hons), BSc July 2018 Submitted in total fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Australian Indigenous Studies Program School of Culture and Communication The University of Melbourne 0000-0002-5889 – Abstract – My thesis examines the places (real and symbolic) accorded to Pacific peoples within the historical production of an Australian nation and in the imaginary of Australian nationalism. It demonstrates how these places reflect and inform the ways in which Australia engages with the Pacific region, and the extent to which Australia considers itself a part of or apart from the Pacific. While acknowledging the important historical and contemporary differences between the New Zealand and Australian contexts, I deploy theoretical concepts and methods developed within the established field of New Zealand- centred Pacific Studies to identify and analyse what is occurring in the much less studied Australian-Pacific context. In contrast to official Australian discourse, the experiences of Pacific people in Australia are differentiated from those of other migrant communities because of: first, Australia’s colonial and neo-colonial histories of control over Pacific land and people; and second, Pacific peoples' important and unique kinships with Aboriginal Australians. Crucially the thesis emphasises the significant diversity (both cultural and national) of the Pacific experience in Australia. My argument is advanced first by a historicisation of Australia’s formal engagements with Pacific people, detailing intersecting narratives of their migration to Australia and Australia’s colonial and neo- colonial engagements within the Pacific region.