Report Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs
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1973 VICTORIA REPORT OF THE MINISTRY OF ABORIGINAL AFFAIRS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30TH JUNE, 1973 PRESENTED TO BOTH HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT PURSUANT TO ACT No. 7574, S. 41. Ordered by the Legislative Assembly to be printed, 27th November, 1973. By Authority: C. H. RIXON, GOVERNMENT PRINTER, MELBOURNE. No. 28.-739/74.-PL-PRICE 50 cents Ministry Of Aboriginal Affairs Annual Report 1972/73 VICTORIA To the Honorable the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, SIR, In accordance with the provrs1ons of Section 41 of the Aboriginal Affairs Act 1967, I have the honour to present the Annual Report of the Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs for the year ended 30 June, 1973 M. R. WORTHY, Director of Aboriginal Affairs. 105 King Street, Melbourne, Victoria, 3000. 30 October, 1973. INTRODUCTION Intense public interest in Aboriginal If we employ Aborigines they are accused Affairs, as evidenced by extensive report for being "stooges"; if we don't employ ing, has fortunately assisted Aborigines them we are accused of denying them to become more fluent and confident employment opportunities. Even on invi with mass communication. This recently tation, if we attend Aboriginal meetings, acquired skill will achieve more effective we are often abused and told to get out; results, however, if issues arc emphasised if we don't attend we are accused of being rather than attempting to make people disinterested in Aboriginal affairs. If we feel guilty. promote Aboriginal organizations we are Although this is legitimate political told we have supported the "wrong ones"; activity, given the past apathetic behav if we neglect to promote Aboriginal or iour of white to black Australians, it ganizations we are told we arc "empire building" for white administrators. If we should be recognized that acting from a involve Aboriginal staff in case work we sense of guilt may cloud rather than arc told they are destroying themselves, clarify judgment. The result will be an that they should not work with their own acceleration of the worst form of patron relations; if we do not involve them in case age intellectual paternalism. This type work we are ignoring unique Aborigines of patronage provides for Aboriginal know-how. If we print newsletters in sim activity without accountability. ple language we are treating Aborigines as Unless we, black and white Australians, children; if we use sophisticated langu appreciate the need to compromise and age we are trying to deliberately mislead together work out solutions on rational them. If we listen to particular Aboriginal as well as on emotional levels then the leaders, we are told that those particular future of race relations between black leaders are not "our leaders". If we buy and white Australians is dark indeed. better type homes we are attempting to The Ministry has sufficient faith in the help Aborigines fail because they can't majority of both races to expect that out be expected to manage the upkeep; if we of the present lively debate, wisdom and buy more modest homes we arc down better justice for Aboriginal Aust rali grading Aborigines. If we involve Abor iginal organizations in case work we are ans will prevail. "setting them up" hoping they will fail; The popular fashion in Aboriginal affairs if we don't involve Aboriginal organ this year is to "knock" government izations in case work we are neglecting departments irrespective of whether it their resources. If we support Aboriginal is action or inaction which is under services such as health and legal services scrutiny. The result is always the same we are supporting apartheid; if we don't we are damned if we do and damned we are accused of denying the Aborigines if we don't. Action taken should not the opportunity to use their own initiat have been taken; inaction calls for action. ive. If we give assistance we are destroy- 2 ing their initiative and pride by giving bers of the public who take both sides handouts; if we decline to give assistance on every issue. we _are indifferent to suffering and need. If we provide educational scholarships On 14 June I returned from a three we are creating a "white back-lash"; if we months visit to several countries in don't we arc keeping Aboriginal people which I observed race relations. Inform down from places of power. If we give ation gained during this visit will be land rights by ownership of reserves to used, where appropriate, to modify pro Aborigines, we are accused of a confid grammes and policies of the Ministry. A ence trick and wasteful government full report of the visit is being prepared. expenditure; if we don't we are accused The visit encompassed meetings with of denying Aborigines their basic right American Indians, Negroes, Canadian to the land. Treaty and non-Treaty Indians, Eskimos, Bedouins in Israel, immigrants in the It is interesting to note that on all Midlands of England and minority occasions there are Aborigines and mem- peoples in China. 3 MINISTER The portfolio of Minister for Aboriginal The Hon. V.O. Dickie, M.L.C. was Affairs was held by the Hon. E. R. appointed on 23 August, 1972 as Minister Meagher, M.B.E., E.D., M.P. until 23 for Aboriginal Affairs. August, 1972. LEGISLATION Legislation administered by the Ministry remained without amendment. INTERSTATE CONFERENCES Two meetings of the Australian Abor the needs of tribal Aborigines in the iginal Affairs Council attended by North, and those in Southern cities. Commonwealth and State Ministers were The Land Rights issue, too, figured held during the year. The Hon. R. prominently at both conferences. lt was Meagher represented Victoria at the agreed that the complexities of the meeting held in Darwin on 28 July, 1972. overall situation could be remedied by The Hon. Vance Dickie attended the increasing the Commonwealth's respon meeting in Adelaide on 6 April, 1973. sibility for Aboriginal Australians, while retaining existing State administrative The Director attended meetings of the contacts and expertise. Standing Committee of Officers of the Aboriginal identity was discussed at Council at Darwin 25-26 July, 1972, length at the Darwin conference and and Adelaide 9-10 November, 1972. The resulted in a special conference held in Acting Director Mr. Peter Renkin attend Adelaide to consider legislation relating ed the meeting at Adelaide on 3-4 to Aboriginal and archaeological relics. April, 1973. The Council of Ministers in April was In Darwin and Adelaide, National issues invited by the Commonwealth Minister in Aboriginal Affairs were contrasted to consider a request that the Common with the differil'}g policies and attitudes wealth assume responsibility for policy of each of the States. Highlighted in planning and co-ordination at a National discussion was the great differences in level. 4 OTHER CONFERENCES Mr. Renkin, Acting Director, with Dr. arranged by the Centre for Continuing W.J. Stevenson, Chief Health Officer, Education of the Australian National represented Victoria at the Sixth Com University. monwealth/State Conference on Aborig Mrs. D. lnglis attended the National inal Health Services in Melbourne on 17 Conference of the Australian Pre-Schools April, 1973. Association in Perth on 19-25 August, 1972. As a result of attendance at these Mr. Renkin also attended a "Search" Conferences, Ministry policies have been Conference on Community Development modified. Details of these changes appear at Canberra on 27-29 June, 1973, in the appropriate sections of the Report. COMMONWEALTH/STATE RELATIONS The Commonwealth continues to make lt is evident that a national policy for grants to the State for Aboriginal Aboriginal advancement is essential, affairs. combined with regional administration. The vast difference of interest, culture During the year there was considerable and activity between Aborigines located debate on the issue of responsibility for in different States and even within a Aboriginal affairs at Commonwealth and State boundary dictates that a flexible State levels - generally more heat than approach must be adopted if there is to light was generated. be realistic Aboriginal advancement. STAFFING The staff establishment increased from staff. The proportion of Aboriginal staff 79 to 88 (see Appendix D). This increase now employed in the Ministry is 26 per is due entirely to providing additional cent. employment opportunities for Aboriginal 5 STAFF TRAINING The training of staff is considered to be objectives was held at the Ministry's of vital importance due to the complex, camp site at Rubicon in August, 1972. highly personal and often emotional A further course was conducted in May, content of Aboriginal Affairs. The need 1973 to orient new staff members and for a unified and yet flexible approach to provide source material for future is recognised and staff skills are developed planning. particularly in the field of communication with Aboriginal people. The contribution The transfer of responsibility for health which Aboriginal staff make to staff services for Aborigines from the Ministry training is invaluable. to the Department of Health (Victoria) was announced on 25 June, 1973, and A residential course to evaluate the will result in the reduction of five staff Ministry's goals and methods of reaching members. POPULATION Figures issued by the Commonwealth comparable figure for Aborigines is 3.4 Bureau of Census and Statistics indicate per cent. that as at 30 June, 1971 the Aboriginal An immediate interpretation of these population of Victoria was 6,371. Present figures tends to support the contention estimates place the Victorian Aboriginal of the Ministry that recent Aboriginal population in excess of 7 ,000. life styles in Victoria continue to have a Prior to the Commonwealth Census of disastrous effect upon the Aboriginal 30 June, 1971, all figures relating to population. Aboriginal population have been estim Former community attitudes and prac ates based on best available knowledge.