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The Forum > Article Comments > Judges should rule on law and facts, not feelings > Comments

Judges should rule on law and facts, not feelings : Comments

By Gary Johns, published 25/2/2016

Two judges of the Federal Circuit Court have expressed concern that Aboriginal children are likelier than non-Aboriginal children to be taken from their homes.

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SAINTS, if you read the transcript of the inquest into Deborah's death you will see that at least one caseworker raised the issue of the conditions Deborah and her siblings were living in. But she was told by a worker at the Aboriginal Placement agency not to impose her middle class white values onto aboriginal people and create another Stolen Generation. In the NT there is a huge fear amongst public servants of being seen to be racist, and they don't get much support from their superiors.
Deborah's case is just one of many. Aboriginal kids are placed with family members who do not fit the usual criteria demanded in white foster parents and frequently are no better off than if they were left with their parents.
Posted by Big Nana, Friday, 26 February 2016 9:01:23 AM
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Hi LEGO,

Gary was probably taking for granted that the 'Stolen Generations' myth was just that, and moving on from there.

Hi Big Nana,

Yes, isn't it racist to cover up abuse and neglect ? Surely social workers have to call it as they see it, even if it means that they put their jobs at risk ? And what is their union doing about it all ? Surely the welfare of children outweighs somebody else's waving of the SG boogey-man at social workers ? Whatever happened to courage and truth and integrity ?

God, I'm so naïve :)

Cheers,

Joe
Posted by Loudmouth, Friday, 26 February 2016 9:13:29 AM
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Big Nana

If that’s the case. Why haven’t we heard anything from Senator Peris as she is the Senator for Northern Territory?

Why also haven’t the media exposed the above issues.

Loudmouth

You took the words right out of my mouth. My comments exactly.
Posted by SAINTS, Sunday, 28 February 2016 1:49:38 AM
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Saints,

You do me proud, sir. I dips me lid.

Cheers,

Joe
Posted by Loudmouth, Sunday, 28 February 2016 2:04:58 PM
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Loudmouth

If the truth as to extent of violence and abuse is reported - those reporting the facts will probably be called racists for exposing issues.

Aboriginal people also have to "want" to help themselves into education and employment. However, I do understand it's tuff on kids if parents are constantly drunk, violent and abusive to children and partners.

Am going to do some further research and send an email to Senator Peris and Senator Scullion - both Government Ministers for NT.

Will be interesting to see what response I get to questions regarding - levels of abuse, health, education, people in custody, employment, agencies, government funding, removal of children, etc.

Senator Peris has been in Government (and Minister for NT) since 2013.

Senator Scullion has been in Government (and Minister for NT) since 2001.
Posted by SAINTS, Monday, 29 February 2016 11:07:05 PM
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Hi Saints,

Senator Peris is a labor Party senator, she is not a government minister.

I suspect that conditions have got so bad in rural and remote populations that a point of no return has been reached, that - as conditions are at present - things can only get worse, if that's possible.

So either we, the governments, the bureaucracy and service workers involved, tolerate those conditions as spectators and grumblers, OR major initiatives have to be implemented, OR some more drastic action is needed.

Maybe Indigenous practices in rural and remote populations have successfully found ways around every positive initiative devised so far. Every government 'plot' is 'foiled'. People find ways around every initiative to stay on welfare for life, and condemn their kids to it as well.

Meanwhile the 'leaders' shield those populations from criticism and scrutiny, in a classic top-down, patron-client system, so familiar to students of corrupt societies around the world. The sorry lesson of those societies is that they can never be reformed, only overthrown: Marcos, Mobutu, Idi Amin, etc. - and there are very few etcs to name. A well-organised corrupt system is very hard to shift.

Meanwhile, in the towns and cities, fifteen or sixteen per cent of all adults are university graduates - with women outnumbering men two to one - around twice the proportion of ten or twelve years ago. So totally dysfunctional rural and remote populations are not the only game in town.

And if conditions are positive in the cities, can 'leaders' learn anything from this experience ? Don't hold your breath.

Cheers,

Joe
Posted by Loudmouth, Tuesday, 1 March 2016 8:54:56 AM
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