McConvill also states that what Aboriginal women and children have faced under the guise of customary law is worse than racial discrimination - has he actually asked any Aboriginal women about this? Has he read anything that has been written by Aboriginal women on the subject of violence, abuse and customary law? (Audrey Bolger, Judy Atkinson, Hannah McGlade, Megan Davis, Larissa Behrendt, just to name a few?) Has he listened to what they have proposed as solutions to the problems facing Indigenous communities?

Of course he hasn't, because they don't match the twisted logic that leads him to emphatically support the Howard Government's carryon that removing customary law from having any place in sentencing will actually provide a solution to such complex and systemic experiences of disadvantage and abuse. Bet all the blackfellas in this country feel so much better already knowing James McConvill is on the case.

Okay, so I might be being a little naive here, but shouldn't the law of the land apply to all people of the land regardless of their skin colour, religious beliefs or gender ...... :-(

"the law of the land apply to all people of the land regardless of their skin colour, religious beliefs or gender"

Yes it should but it must also take into consideration the lack of historical protection that the laws also justified and protected.
Indeed its historical inconsistency to create a law for all.

We are not all equal before the law, many are more equal than others.

Excellent post ruthmcc. This is not the first time this author has pursued this line of argument, and he obviously possesses the comprehension and insight of a one-eyed goat.

I only hope he is reading the posts like yours in order to awaken his mind from its seemingly immortal ignorance

After seeing the Lateline programme last night one can quite easily despair and say there is no hope. Aboriginals will self distruct no matter what is done to help them.

One thing is certain, we cannot allow the abuse of women and children to continue. Wherever possible the abusive perpetrators have to be removed and if all else fails the women and children placed where they are safe.

This morning, it occured to me that there has to be some success stories as well as the bad ones. There has to be some communities that are functional and doing better than others, and some individuals that are doing better. Let us concentrate on these, no matter how few, and find out what works, with the view of replication.

Noel Pearson is a person that comes to mind. I see him as a practical, level headed bloke and would like to hear his views about disfunctional communities. Maybe one person does not have the answer, but a combination of ideas to suit differing situations may work.

We have to get away from the blame game and the no hope thoughts and centre on the things that have some promise of working.

I'm not quite ready to wipe the aboriginals off as a lost cause just yet and would like to see some positive comments from those more knowledgeable than me. Perhaps Rainier and his mates would like to contribute.

Mal Brough expects extended Aboriginal families to live in harmony in isolated communities where there is little hope. Maybe we should ask him to invite a dozen of his relatives to share his house to demonstrate how an extended family should operate under one roof.Then we could place bets on how long before the neighbours call the police. Better still, set up a Big Brother style house in one of the Aboriginal communities to see where the problems lie.