A timely and effective article. Indigenous politics have certainly drifted off the map with successful suppression by the coalition government, and it plainly is not good enough. Hopefully the Labour party can make this a central aspect of their next election campaign to give Indigenous Australians the justice they deserve

Both main parties,by treating Aborigines as a separate race, have been guilty of apartheid.
Aborigines are Australian as we are Australian and they should have the same benefits and responsibilities as we do.
While they are treated as either primitives and/or privileged they will gain nothing.And we are the losers.
Aboriginal children should be entitled to education, health, security exactly as every child in this country.
Aboriginal youth should be trained for a career,trade then we would not be importing strangers whose sympathies are not with Australia.
The sooner all this is done the better.

This is the best piece of writing on Aboriginal affairs I came across for a very long time.

Indeed, we need “the evidence of what works and what does not work in reducing disadvantage. Not ideology – evidence.”

Evidence is available. There is an emerging body of knowledge in the area that can be called ‘entrepreneurship facilitation’. It’s all about helping disadvantaged communities discover opportunities and helping them stand firmly on their own feet.

There are various approaches that deliver amazing results:
• There is the micro-loans concept which has delivered millions of jobs in third-world countries, in a cost effective way (o joy of joys for the treasurer!), where billions of UN dollars were previously wasted
• There is the ‘enterprise facilitation’ – be it the British model, or the ‘Sirolli approach’ which started in WA’s Esperance
• There is the ‘theme village’ concept born in Austrian Alps
• There are successful projects for physically disadvantaged groups, like Association of Mouth and Feet Painting Artists (MFPA)
• There is Community Development Venture Capital creating jobs and elevating poverty in the USA (which are sustainable and profitable institutions)

In a nutshell, it’s all an approach we have heard so many times of: ‘give a man, ad he will eat for a day, give a man a rod, and he will ear for a lifetime. (More precisely, it’s about teaching people how to make rods.)

Entrepreneurship facilitation is the most effective, proven way for disadvantaged groups and communities to regain self-reliance.

In fact, due to a wide range of projects based on business education and financial support for start-up enterprises, Americans achieved something impressive: the business up-take rate amongst their indigenous people is twice that of the general population.

It is much more than just about money. As the Mouth and Foot Painting Artists put it: it’s independence, pride, self-respect and creative fulfilment.

What we need are integrated, well designed entrepreneurship encouragement programs for aboriginal communities - and for all disadvantaged groups.

Paul (Pawel) J. Dabrowski Ph.D. AIMM, RODC,SBSSF

www.creativewinwin.co

Oh dear bleeding hearts again!
I suppose now the indigenous race of this empty land have been found something must be done.
It would be so nice if they would remain largely hidden serving as talking points for those, particularly the politicians who must evidence their true morality.
Mind you all such must be done at minimum cost or better at no cost at all if the Liberals rule. If anyone becomes distressed at being obliged to provide for others at their own personal or political cost it is the liberals. Produce better humans you say proudly intermeshing with, well, Australian culture, you know saying yes to the UK -oh out of date it is the Americans.
So is the point of the post to show that such programmes can be run at almost no cost and large profit? No I am not talking about the human condition, not about helping a rounded human to form. Do we need more trained people for the work force? Cheaper than already prepared, imports? Do we need coast watchers, surely not, over the horizon radar and electronic surveillance hopefully aided by increased joint facilities should suffice. The new structures in the Cape will help perhaps another American base in say Broome would be a better investment.
They are already there, go on that is a rumour.

The A.L.P. are as lost at sea as anyone else on indigenous affairs, for exactly the same reason. They don't understand, yet they are making it up themselves rather that moulding their policies towards Aboriginal will, opinion and sociology. All the Parties from one-nation to the greens operate within European frameworks of politics and economy and as such are just added weight to the ballast of colonial society.
This does not mean there is nothing the political parties can do, as appears to be the real attitude behind the plethora of white commentaries. "Aboriginal affairs portfolio is like rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic"
There is much that all the parties can do, the ALP can do the most as it can actually govern federally and in the states are now, unfortunately in Beattie's Queensland where I live at least, governing by way of colonial administration and policies. see http://www.kalkadoon.org/index.php/palm-island-housing-report/
Any party must transcend colonial policy and public service culture in order to be able to begin to scratch the surface

in the article the comment was made "Pearson forces us to confront difficult issues, and this in part explains the failure of many in the Left to respond." This is a rubbish as the left has failed to respond to all Aboriginal voices, not just Mr. Pearson. It is interesting that Mr. Pearson has been widely criticised by Aboriginal leaders around Australia for his views yet "the left" and others for some reason see him as a lone voice for Aboriginal Australia. With all respect to Mr. Pearson, his positions on punitive welfare strategies and deconstructing remote communities are just one of many positions within the Aboriginal debate about Aboriginal futures.
Mr. Pearson is doing a good job stirring the pot and I have no doubt in his own community and elders he is providing a solid power base. However we must allow Aboriginal Australia to resume the discussion, itself, that was abruptly halted with the abolition of ATSIC. The most articulate blackfella gets the jelly-beans? No we should learn to listen to Aboriginal vocabularies instead of just listening to those who have become masters of the language that we speak.

Both parties must keep the white underbelly happy unfortunately.

They are prostituting the aboriginal people by throwing cash at them.

Some of you who know little will say they dont deserve anything more than whites, you have got to be kidding. How about i turn up on your doorstep and kick you out, be violent and degrading, and see how you feel from the other side of the fence.

Why not give them rent on every piece of Australian land, both crown and private. This total amount, with each portion being only a peppercorn and can be added to rates, can ensure Aboriginal people are recognised as the traditional owners, would provide a permanent revenue stream to improve the cultures disadvantages, and with good management Aboriginal people can be the powerbrokers of Australia in the next 30 years, assuming education and health can improve.

This is what aboriginal people need. It is Aboriginal land, they are entitled to be renumerated for it. No one looses, i do not mind paying a bit extra eg $10 per quarter or year for rates, it does not drain funds from the budget, and with a good management structure, milestones and strategic direction they will get what is 218 years over due.

What we must remember is they dont need a level playing field, they are ENTITLED to more than that, Aboriginals owned this land and were here first. They are entitled to be renumberated by way of rent, even without addressing the hardship and disadvantages suffered for over 200 years.

This is common sense, and could enable a new era for aboriginal people. The ALP and Liberals do not think they are worth anything though.

There are some good posts here but I think that there is also a need for things to be funded properly. For too long a good idea will be funded as a 'pilot' scheme and regardless of if it works - defunded.

Lets have some commitment from political leaders in attacking racism. Education would be a good start and I also mean educating the teachers for they are a cross representation of the wider Australian population.
If Labor wants to 'do something' for Indigenous Australians maybe they should start to listen to ordinary Indigenous people and not just the Noel Pearson edict. Noel Pearson is not an elected spokesperson, and he does not represent all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders.

here is some background info on Palm Island

The Beattie govt. is soon to impose another new plan
on Palm Island,

The govt. has buried most recent and relevant reports
about the situation on Palm.

The Palm Island Mayor and council have asked for
support to get a better deal from the Qld. government.

Please pass around your email networks as widely as
possible. - especially to public servants in Queensland.

kalkadoon.org

An article about the recent Qld. Premier's department
evaluation of "Meeting Challenges Making Changes" -
the grog laws.
This report never saw the light of day.
http://www.kalkadoon.org/index.php/2005/12/24/a-review-of-queenslands-aboriginal-grog-laws/

An alernative model for treating alcoholism
http://www.kalkadoon.org/index.php/2006/01/20/what-are-the-alternatives-to-to-qlds-grog-laws/

a good history of Palm Island and an Australian
article about the McDougall report - which has also
been buried.
http://www.kalkadoon.org/index.php/2006/02/24/palm-island/

2 personal reflections on Palm Island
http://www.kalkadoon.org/index.php/2006/03/27/two-personal-reflections-on-palm-island/

report on housing on Palm Island prepared for Qld.
Greens
http://www.kalkadoon.org/index.php/palm-island-housing-report/

http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200603/s1605636.htm
Last Update: Friday, March 31, 2006. 12:43pm (AEDT)
Palm Is council rejects new homes offer
The Palm Island Council says overcrowding and a lack
of suitable accommodation is still the biggest problem
facing the largely Indigenous community in north
Queensland.

Mayor Erykah Kyle says the council unanimously voted
to reject a government offer to build four new homes
on the island because the council believes the offer
is inadequate and is hopeful of receiving funding for
50 houses.

"I took it to the council - I said, 'what are we going
to do?' The councillors altogether were unanimous that
a letter be written back [saying], 'thank you, but
what we need are 50 houses'," she said.

She says the problems with alcohol, poor health and
domestic violence can be attributed to a lack of
housing.

"If people anywhere in Australia are forced to live
like our people are forced to live in that
overcrowding, wouldn't it be better to just sit down
at the end of the day and drink and sometimes drink
yourself quite silly," she said.

mickijo,

A fair comment but how come this country does not treat us as equals. Why do people see me as a black person before they see me as anything else.

When this is addressed by non-Indigenous people then we can share in a equal future.

On that point, we cannot and should not forget the past. If someone took over your house and after a few days (after you lived there for many generations) said, forget about the past, let's live together. I can assure you that you would not just agree to it.

Race relations is still 'only' very young in this country so forgetting the past will not change the wrongs that took place nor will it allow Indigenous people to move forward.

Many of our developed nation peers are addressing these similar issues with their Indigenous groups, why does Australia resist? Wow even South Africa beat us, well as long as it isn't cricket who cares...Hmm

Late last year the Qld. Premiers department conducted a review of it’s Aboriginal Alcohol prohibition program, the “Meeting Challenges, Making Changes” (M.C.M.C.) program.
This report has been buried.
http://www.kalkadoon.org/index.php/2005/12/24/a-review-of-queenslands-aboriginal-grog-laws/

The Queensland government has just announced it’s intention to impose these unwelcome restrictions on the community of Palm Island.
The Palm Island council already has it’s own alcohol restrictions and reject the state’s regime as an oppressive colonial imposition.

The Premier's M.C.M.C. evaluation stated

“The Plan is a disordered aggregation of strategies, activities, products and lower order tasks”

“It is clear that current approaches are not resulting in significantly improved outcomes”.

The Palm Island council and community leaders say proper housing and jobs are the only solution to alcoholism and family violence.

The premier’s buried M.C.M.C. review seems to agree, it says…..

“Unmet housing need and the poor quality of a high proportion of existing housing stock adversely affects the achievement of positive outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community members with impacts in areas such as health, family violence and education”

The state government has had $4 million in its bank account earmarked for Palm Island Housing for over 12 months. It has recently offered the Island 4 new houses. The council estimates an immediate need for 50.

The federal government has an indigenous housing program called “Fixing houses for Better Health” which offers up to 1.5 million dollars to Aboriginal communities to spend up to $5,000 per house on maintenance. A private contractor in conjunction with the council, as is the norm in other states, tendered for this money for Palm Island. However the State government scuttled this initiative because it considered maintenance to be a state responsibility and none of that money has gone to Palm Island. (nor have houses been upgraded)

At present the grog laws, the focus of the state’s indigenous policies, have again put the police as the primary agents of indigenous policy. This and the new restrictions they are imposing is winding the clock back and returning Aboriginal communities to the reserve and mission existence of last century.

John Tracey