It is interesting that some question if the persons Aboriginality was a factor in her suffering being ignored and assistance denied. Perhaps from the point of view of a Passer by, Aboriginality is one of many factors that may contribute to blind eyes being turned.
However it seems to me that this occurs over and over again to Aboriginal people, to a greater degree than to migrant Australians. For example, at time of writing the nation is mobilising to support the housing crisis in cyclone torn Nth. Qld. Yet a severe and ongonig housing crisis on Palm Island has been ignored totally for decades.
http://www.kalkadoon.org/index.php/palm-island-housing-report/
or the migrant drivers who get let off light for running down Aboriginal people in Townsville http://www.sunday.ninemsn.com.au/sunday/cover_stories/article_1938.asp
or generations of Aboriginal wages being stolen by the Qld. govt. which has (recently, not "way back then") offered 2-4000 dollars compensation.
Ignoring the needs of Aboriginal people, whether it is first aid, housing, justice in court or worker's rights, unfortunately is the modern psychological equivalent of King George the 3rd's declaration of Terra Nullius
. Black-fellas? what black-fellas? I dont see any black-fellas
J.T.

I would suppose, if our Elite positioned and phony cohorts that fill and present a less professional approach to a task they are paid with public moneys to actually achieve at least some thing, instead of the pretentious elitist achieving nothing and even compounding the problem to perpetuate more Looted funding to amerce themselves with their own depravity.
But then again, when someone who is a professional and does know what the answer is, only becomes a victim to demoralization and persecution by the phonies, as no one is permitted to impact on their Looting Ideologies. It is a sick world we live in, but for sure – not for long.
http://www.cambridge.org/journals/journal_catalogue.asp?mnemonic=IPG

Hall's Creek was defended

See http://www.kimberleyecho.com/archive/2006/20060316/story01.html.

The Halls Creek article clearly shows the desperate state of Aboriginal people and the inappropriate government programs up until now - another example of Aboriginal will being ignored over time. I'm afraid it does not indicate that the community was protected, as the title of the previous post suggests. It shows a desparate plea for protection after years of being ignored. There are many examples of Aboriginal strategies to deal with issues. It is important to realise that in Aboriginal society "removing" children from a dangerous parent means the child goes to relations within the family and tribal network - as is part of culture, something very different than being put in an orphanage or a non-related foster home.
It is important that non-Aboriginal people do not misrepresent Aboriginal will and culture, even if it contradicts "do-gooders" as being an endorsement of any white programs or ideologies.

This reminds me of the petrol bouser for washing hands, wherever that was. It was interesting that the "do-gooders" universally condemned this program but the locals themselves embraced it. The Bouser was not a trick that the government used to get the communinty to force the children to wash their hands. the handwashing was a trick to get a petrol Bouser out of the government after years of asking with no results because they wouldn't listen.

from, this do-gooder, it is sheer racism to assume that a community needs a bribe or authoritarianism such as a petrol bouser or removing children to institute a community health program for their children. Current programs fail, including child welfare and health, not because Aboriginal people don't care about their children.but because they are designed and imposed by the white bureacracy, in white cultural paradigms (often with black staff though) and they succeed in little other than paying wages for staff. Meanwhile the clients on the ground desperatly continue to search for solutions by themselves.

p.s one more thing about managing money as discussed earlier. r.e Bondy and Skase - not to mention the Australian Wheat Board.
I cant reference this as I forgot where I read it, so I challenge anyone to correct me, but the incidence of misappropriation of funds in Aboriginal organisations is exactly the same as the incicidence of misapropriation in the mainstram public service. I haven't heard a comparison with employee rip-offs in the private sector but that would be interesting too.

There has been recently a massive rip-off in the defence department uncovered. The government should abolish the army the same way they did ATSIC.

I agree with you King Canute. The army is obviously incapable of managing it money and should be closed down with the power given to a few politically selected people. The army should then have to enter into shared responsibility arrangements to negotiate its funding. The wheat board on the other hand is interesting as these are skilled people who can shift blame and get away with daylight robbery.
One thing I have often noted is that SOME of the non-Indigenous people I have known who worked in remote Indigenous communities return with an amazing amount of money. Unfortunately these people I have had the misfortune to meet are not pleasant and are very nasty about Indigenous people. Many unscrupulous non-Indigenous people make a fortune out of the 'Aboriginal industry'.