Your article criticises Abbott for "fail(ing) to take the decisive action necessary", ie to ride roughshod over the arguments and wishes of a number of stakeholders. It seems the man is damned if he does and damned if he doesn't.

Having worked in various policy areas connected with funding and the use of funds by indigenous organisations, the one conclusion that I inescapably came away with was that we were expecting a group of people to act in a way for which they had no skills and no cultural bias. Administration, even-handedness in dealing between one's own clan/family and other clans/families, and strict accountability are skills and social values that I have found/seen in very few, if any, indigenous administrators and organisations. I am very prepared to believe that there are such adminsitrators and organisations. I simply make the point that all these seem to be skills that are desperately needed right here and now and are in very short supply.

Paternalism is taken to be an ugly word but if what the term means is to have someone appointed to communities to make decisions and "take decisive action" in a way that is strictly accountable to both funders (and public) as well as clients, then I am all for paternalism - at least until such time as we gradually train up a middle class of indigenous managers and administrators to take over and run things far better than they have been run to date.

Kevin

Kevin has reached the conclusion that Indigenous Australians are a group of people who have "no skills and no cultural bias" in the administration of their own affairs. So, he believes, we need paternalistic whites to do it all for them "at least until such time as we (sic) gradually train up a middle class of indigenous managers and administrators to take over and run things far better than they have been run to date". This view is primitive and ignorant.

Could I recommend Kevin read about the aquaculture industry established long ago by the Gunditj Mara people in southwestern Victoria especially around Mt Eccles and Lake Condah? Kevin might be fascinated by the complex system of ponds, wetlands, channels, weirs and fish traps which sustained a sophisticated economy and social structure which was destroyed by white invaders who failed to understand the skilled management of the resources in that environment. It was the European settlers who mismanaged the environment while portraying the Indigenous people as incompetent and stealing their land. Perhaps the Gunditj Mara should have appointed administrators to help the whites out until they could train up some managers among themselves.
http://www.nntt.gov.au/bibliography/1058851861_2448.html

GR says: “The futile search for magic wands and silver bullets must be abandoned. The solution lies in the sort of slow, unglamorous policy development work which isn’t conducive to screaming headlines. Indigenous Australians must play a key role. All jokes aside, if we haven’t learnt that, then we haven’t learnt anything.”

I am not quite sure what you are trying to say with the rest of this article. Stop patronising and trivialising?

As an average Euro- Australian, I get a little annoyed at certain Indigenous and pro-Indigenous commentators. You want us to support you, but you want us to butt out? I haven’t a clue what Indigenous people want from those who seek reconciliation.

“Indigenous Australians must play a key role”. Stating the bloody obvious. Have you ever got your heads together and asked:” What do we want from the average Australian?” From those people, like Rancitas, who are trying to navigate their way through all the nonsense out there. I know it is not in the Indigenous character to be telling other peoples how to think but I think we need some guidance –some positive output. I haven’t a clue what the Indigenous population want from those folk who are pretty well with the Indigenous.

“Unglamous policy development work”. Why unglamorous? Every issue needs good PR. Issues need to be kept in the public’s minds otherwise they will think it is not important any longer (now that is patronising but it is the nature of public opinion). I think you need to be telling, in an engaging way, what you want, why you want it. The policy development work must be joint process with most of the input and output from Indigenous peoples.

Oh dear I am so frustrated with you people. GLASS OF MERLOT, A PIECE OF TRIFLE AND LATTE OVER HERE PLEASE! WAITER OVER HERE! HERE! MEEEEE! THE PRETTY ONE! WHY WON'T ANYONE SERVE ME? I VOTE.

Did you hear the one about Paddy? Paddy came out from Dublin to visit Paddy, his cousin in Australia.

Anyway when he gets back home his Dad, Paddy (Snr), says: “Tell me boy how’d ya’ sojourn down to the antipodes fair. What are the folk like?
“’Aussies,’” the most hospitable people I’ve ever met. They’ll share their house, their food, they share everything. It’s those white bastards you have to watch.”

Rancitas is no sorry for that.

Tony Abbott thinks he has the answers. Grahman Ring thinks he has the answers. It's all talk, and it really doesn't matter who is right.

Nothing is going to happen! The regular blow ups will occur; politicians and aboriginals will blame each other; the government will hand out more money to be wasted, and the whole sorry, silly saga will continue.

The majority of indigenous Australians live in suburbia and pretty much live like anyone else. The bludgers will continue to live in isolated communities.

End of story.

Leigh, I have found that thoughtful uncertainty has helped me and others with answering life's complex questions much more effectively than cocksure ignorance. Why not try it!