The Forum > Article Comments > Sending in the troops > Comments
Sending in the troops : Comments
By Brett Solomon, published 2/7/2007The widespread abuse of Indigenous Australians should deeply worry us all. So too should the Federal Government’s response to it.
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Posted by Verdant, Monday, 2 July 2007 9:00:18 AM
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The real question should be: Will Fraser, Hawke and Keating apologise to aborigines for turning Aboriginal women and young people into sex toys? If it has been going on for years it must have been known by those alleged Prime Ministers.
Is it so hard for them to say 'sorry'? Posted by Sage, Monday, 2 July 2007 9:40:54 AM
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It's becoming increasingly apparent that the Howard government's "lightning" response has been initiated from the top down - without consultation with aboriginal communities, or the NT government.
Should we be surprised about this? I don't think so. The Howard record is of opportunistic grandstanding. He recently made the announcement about the Murray River takeover. Again - this was in a crisis situation that needed action. But again - it was done without consultation with the "lower orders" - and again, after decades of neglect regarding the problem. It would be nice to think that Howard has no ulterior motive. Nice - but unlikely. Even if this action does result in a good response to a real problem, the aborigines are stll left with changes to their land rights, removal of permits, and with the Commonwealth's control of the territory, in a weakening of the Northern Territory Land Rights Act. Is it just a coincidence that this weakening of native title rights is occurring in areas where miners are salivating to seek uranium, and some influential backers of the Howard government are salivating to create international nuclear waste dumping? Christina Macpherson www.antinuclearaustralia.com Posted by ChristinaMac, Monday, 2 July 2007 10:04:24 AM
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Yes. It should not have taken 11 years for the Coalition to do something to set right the incompetence of the ALP and the closed shop of socialists and corrupt community leaders.
But, politicians do things ONLY for political reasons. The current Howard action is the right one, but let’s not kids ourselves that he is doing it for anything but political reasons. He is probably going to lose the next election because he has hung around too long. He is desperate. However, to suggest that Howard should have consulted with the NT government, and indigenous communities is disingenuous to say the least. Why consult with the very duds who have brought about the chaos and encouraged it for so many years? They have had their chance and blown it. They are the very cause of the problem now needing the drastic action that politically motivated critics are whingeing about. Howard, for all his faults and dubious motives, is the first PM to try anything that might work in regard to aborigines. Belt up, and give him chance. It should be remembered that the sole reason for ‘Get Up’ is to discredit conservatism. Any individual or organization describing as ‘draconian’ the current action to help the aboriginal situation is so far to the left as to be downright dangerous Posted by Leigh, Monday, 2 July 2007 10:08:16 AM
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Well said Verdant and congrats for seeing the other side. Took me many years too mate but it does look different when you open your eyes. Seriously, congrats. One more human being out of that pile of barrackers and rednecks. I sat there for many years and finally realised what I was. A bigot. Intolerant and ignorant. Still am, but not on this issue.
Stick to your views too as you will see Howard roughshod in real action this time. Note one thing all of you. Howard has not even bothered to go see these people. Nope, video conferencing is suddenly all the go for PM's. Only to rural and remote communities (of course he has to get all the people where there is electricity first. And internet access, right?). If Howard had actually read that report (he hasn't as he has taken none of the recommendations and created some dramatic and headline grabbing other, unwanted actions) he would know that sending troops is insanity. And yes, of course it's political. It's election year everybody! Everything is politically motivated, until Howard thinks he has exhausted every single nasty little shot in his locker. Note that this morning he's back on the "evil unions" band wagon. OK, forget the indigenous people, that didn't work. Oh troops? What troops, are they still up there? Don't they read polls. Get them out and send them to....well actually just have them circle Kirribilli as I ain't leaving, regardless of election results. It's MY House. And to Sage and his ilk. Who cares about the past and the blame game? Every politician and Australian has done nothing. Did you know nothing? Why blame others if you did? If uou didn't then you have been asleep for decades. Don't bother with the "What did you do?" line. We haven't the room here. Just look at yourself first mate. Forget the sound bytes, the spin. This is not an emergency. The only emergency is Howard trying to get traction on some issue, anything. The indigenous people would prefer action, but after thinking, not charging. Posted by DavoP, Monday, 2 July 2007 10:44:05 AM
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This article, along with John Tomlinson's, is among the most considered and balanced responses I've read yet to Howard's overdue but stupidly implemented 'shock and awe' campaign against NT Aboriginal communities. Despite being aware of the shocking problems endemic to many Aboriginal communities, the Howard government has for 11 years refused to fund and implement measures designed to ameliorate them.
Now, a few months out from a Federal election, Howard wants us to believe that this stunt is a serious effort to improve conditions for Aboriginal kids. Last election, we had the false "children overboard" claims; this time he's attempting to get political mileage out of claims of Aboriginal child abuse. I think that the Howard government has demonstrated that it is a serial 'child abuser' by these cynical machinations. As I've said before, you'd have to be a racist or a fool, or both, to be sucked in by this latest disingenuous ploy. Posted by CJ Morgan, Monday, 2 July 2007 10:47:48 AM
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Verdant, good post,especially about the bottom line which as you say is human rights. And by the way, we all suffer from 'downward envy' at times. Having the emotional intelligence to recognise this is critical. You must have a high IQ.
Sage, See Paul Keating redfern speech here: http://apology.west.net.au/redfern.html Posted by Rainier, Monday, 2 July 2007 10:56:59 AM
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I agree with Brett Solomon and others that urgent and long overdue action is needed to combat child abuse and sexual assault in Indigenous communities. What decent person wouldn't?
Howard has known about this issue during the past 11 years, so why is it only now he’s decided to dramatise this as a “national crisis”. Yet, setting aside Howard’s motive and his past intransigence, his paternalistic and heavy-handed plan raises many concerns: (a) the failure to consult with Indigenous communities whose lives are affected and rights significantly eroded; (b) the failure to plan with the Northern Territory Government whose laws are being overridden; (c) the ‘quick-fix’ superficial nature of the Howard reaction. The disturbing components of the plan that require urgent reconsideration include: • the use of troops and ‘foreign’ police out of their area of training; • compulsory invasive medical examinations of children under 16 by professionals largely untrained in cultural issues; • the feasibility of these health inspections given the current health infrastructure in the NT already stretched to breaking point; • the feasibility of enforcing bans on alcohol and pornography; • the failure to extend action to white males involved in child abuse; • the rationale for resuming Indigenous land to deal with chronic health and welfare problems; • the reasons why the Government has ignored the recommendations of the very Report they say gives rise to their action. Above all, the Howard ‘crisis’ plan fails to address the thoroughly well documented underlying issues of Indigenous health, housing, education and employment. Is it any wonder people of good-will who want to see an end to child abuse and other areas of social neglect are cynical about the fate of this ‘shock and awe’ campaign once the election is over? Where was Howard’s deep concern for the ‘lost years of childhood’ when he was locking up hundreds of children in detention? Posted by FrankGol, Monday, 2 July 2007 11:08:18 AM
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Perhaps you people who are winging about the lack of facilities that Aborigines have been provided with should take a trip into Aboriginal country all round Australia and visit same. The facilities have been provided but in many instances they have been either vandalised or completely destroyed by those very same people. Until attitudes change, it is rather pointless for any government to do anything. Aborigines need to divest themselves of the victim mentality and get out there and help themselves. It is no good having white Australians setting up enterprises to provide employment if the local communities are just going to sit on their arses under a tree sniffing petrol and drinking themselves stupid.
Wake up and then white Australia will start to treat you like human beings again. Posted by VK3AUU, Monday, 2 July 2007 11:47:50 AM
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VK3AUU:
"Wake up and then white Australia will start to treat you like human beings again." Again? With your attitude there's no need for "again". I love the way so many people on both sides of this argument talk about what should happen to "our" aborigines. We don't talk about "our" Tasmanians or "our" Greeks or "our" middle class. But it's ok to talk about "our" aborigines as if they're pets or something. Says a lot about the contribution white attitudes make to the problems we're seeing. So does Brough and the PM's strategy on this. - Send in the police and the army, then discover you don't have enough policy or army. - Announce doctors will check the kiddies, then discover you don't have any doctors. - Announce kiddies will be educated, then discover you don't have any teachers. - Announce ban on alcohol, then discover half of these communities are already dry. - Announce you can be trusted to fix everything, then wonder why people don't believe you. I'd love to see these guys organise a p!ss up in a brewery. Posted by chainsmoker, Monday, 2 July 2007 12:11:17 PM
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Well said, chainsmoker.
Posted by FrankGol, Monday, 2 July 2007 12:56:47 PM
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VK3AUU,
I completely agree with what you say. Posted by jackson, Monday, 2 July 2007 1:02:44 PM
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Everybody is winging about Howard ; what can he or Trickie Kev do about Feral Aboriginals ; Sadly the answer is the same as it has allways been ......nothing ; Howard can at least do what the state Govt's did'nt do that is restore Law and Order .
There are many more Feral Whites in Australia ; The full force of the Law applies to them ; The Crime is the failure of the State Govt's to apply the law . How is it that Keating , Hawlk and Howard are being ostracised and accused of sitting on their hands ? All these people sent $ millions towards the Aboriginal Problem (?) what happened , who benifitted , the Sydney Black Mafia and the Bureaucrats ? The fact is $millions are not the answer either , makes no difference if you are Black or White the road out of Poverty is work ; If Howard can restore civility , Education and Health , Opportunity will follow . Posted by PortoSalvo, Monday, 2 July 2007 1:23:00 PM
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If the Aboriginals wanted work, there is plenty of it available in the West Australian mining industry. Why is it that white Australians who want to make a quid are prepared to leave home and go a couple of thousand kilometres to get a job and the rest of the lazy b's both black and white are prepared to stay at home and expect money to be put in their hands. I did it when I was young, nothing has changed. Poverty is a state of mind and until that is changed nothing else will.
David Posted by VK3AUU, Monday, 2 July 2007 1:44:01 PM
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There appears to be many people playing the blame game. It's not anyone's fault. Two very different and incompatible cultures clashed, and the most "advanced" culture dominated to the detriment of the local one.
In just a handful of generations we've tried to transform a nomadic tribal society, into a modern, settled down and civilized set of communities. That's quite a lofty social engineering goal and it's not surprising that things haven't quite gone according to plan. One of the key issues that I haven't seen addressed is the economics of these aboriginal communities (which is interesting given the supposedly superior economic qualifications of the Howard government). We want these people to have all the goods and services of modern life, which involves pouring significant resources into these communities. But there's nothing coming back out. We want to blame them for being lazy, but there's a complete lack of opportunities for them to get involved. Theres no mines, no factories, no farms, not even any tourists. No jobs. Unlike the small "white" Australian towns, there's a complete lack of fundamental industry to support a local economy. It's well known the impact that high unemployment has on a community. Lack of self worth, lack of hope for a future and all the other psychological issues that lead to the substance abuse, the violence and the other problems we see plaguing these communities. Ultimately it may be unsustainable for these people to live on their land in the way acceptable to modern Australia. If we want to make progress, we need to address the root causes, and not just attempted band-aid solutions for the symptoms. Posted by Desipis, Monday, 2 July 2007 2:14:24 PM
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I don't agree that it is "nobody's fault". The consistent refusal of the Howard government to apologise for the scandal of the Stolen Generations is, I think, closely related to this new phase of storm-trooper attitude. Howard, back in 2004, declared that he was not interested in "symbolic issues" and he wanted to focus on practical solutions.
He then succeeded in practically eliminating Aboriginal issues from the mainstream media and withdrawing support and funding from remote Aboriginal communities. The press is now, again, interested because Howard has labelled it a "crises" and all we see are images of drunk Aboriginal men and children with runny noses. These are the pictures I have been shown of Aborigines since I was a kid and do nothing to eliminate the fundamental racism of Joe Public. Symbols are so powerful in influencing how people view one another - images of children behind barbed wire helped change governement refugee policy. How is it that Howard cannot see that his re-writing of Australian history, his consistent refusal to acknowledge the wrongs of the past, is not fundamentally related to the parternalism that continues to dominate Aboriginal affairs? As pointed out, Aboriginal people are not "ours" to manipulate at will. Ask how White Australia would feel if the government claimed the right to walk into our houses and anally and vaginally examine our children for evidence of abuse? The Howard policy is basically saying, once again, that Aboriginal people aren't capable of looking after themselves and must be "saved" by the White man. I used to believe that history could never repeat itself. Now I know I was wrong. Posted by despisingHoward, Monday, 2 July 2007 3:13:00 PM
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All interesting, and great to read so much debate. Howard's inaction, and that of all Australians, politicians and the rest of us, is wrong, and I doubt that his current strategy will do anything but win Howards votes from rednecks.
Can I be just a wee bit picky? The word is 'whinging,' not winging! Posted by orla, Monday, 2 July 2007 3:54:19 PM
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It wasn't until all this business blew up that I learned our Troops have been going into Aboriginal communities for years, building and cleaning up, helping the Aboriginals in many ways. Nor had I had ever heard of Norforce .
But our Australian troops and police go to other countries to do what they can to assist people. Why not our people too? Why the moan from the left who have done the worst to set Aboriginal affairs so far back? Good for Howard, good for our troops, good for all who will try to drag the Aboriginals into the daylight. Posted by mickijo, Monday, 2 July 2007 4:30:45 PM
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I along with others say, well said, Verdante. Don't know how old you are, but sounds like you grew up when Aboriginals as in our Dalwallinu district got a bad name because though they were okay to work with sheep or cattle, did not fit in well with the seasonal rush and tear of the ever more modernising wheat farms, especially doing an all night shift on a tractor.
So sadly, what has happened is that most Aboriginals have left our district, habitating closer to towns, most of them unemployed. Also reckon that the situation has certainly got worse for them since they have had access to alcohol, drowning their sorrows in drink especially so through being unemployed and on the dole. A big worry is that this new corporate culture we are living in now, is breeding many young successful people, including our own grandkids, who are treating our Aborigines with even less respect than we ever did. Maybe it is owing to the dole and the easy access to booze, that makes our natives appear even more downtrodden. Of course, if one gets over-concerned about it, one has to bear the weight of being known as a bleeding heart or a looney- leftie. Yet having gained Honours in my old age studying similar problems in Sri-Lanka, it makes one feel kind of special in his old age, to having sort of become part, I hope, of an Avant Guarde Posted by bushbred, Monday, 2 July 2007 4:58:21 PM
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VK3AUU,
I do look forward to your neaderthal type comments, they give me chuckle. Keep draggin those knuckles. : Posted by Rainier, Monday, 2 July 2007 7:13:35 PM
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FrankGol, chainsmoker. Fair enough. I'd add one more issue that hasn't been addressed, that of the problems of getting child abuse cases to the courts, and through the courts.
By definition an emergency requires extraordinary action to handle the danger present.Howards plan provides that at least. I'd suggest that provided the worst excesses (at least) of drugs and alcohol, and of abuse can be stopped then current services will be more effective. Additional follow up with full consultation is then essential. Given the polls maybe its Rudd we should be putting the heat on for solutions. CJ Morgan. Naive maybe, but neither a racist or a fool. (Deserved the flogging you gave me on the other thread. Apologies for being a smartarse). Posted by palimpsest, Monday, 2 July 2007 7:33:45 PM
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Don't GetUp.
ShutUp. Posted by Admiral von Schneider, Monday, 2 July 2007 8:13:54 PM
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Brett Solomon needs to catch up with a few key facts.
1. Federal Police are being sent into Indigenous communities in the Northern Territory to restore law and order. Norforce troops are only there to provide logistical support to the police, doctors and public servants. 2. The Federal Police are now training in NT laws and cultural sensitivities in Darwin. 3. The plan doesn't involve compulsory invasive medical examinations of children under 16, and never did. In fact, since the intervention of Tony Abbott, the plan no longer involves any compulsion in relation to health issues. 4. The professionals who will be doing health screening will not be untrained in cultural issues. 5. The screenings will not be unrealistic if they lead the Feds to take more steps to address staffing shortfalls and resource the chronically under-funded NT health infrastructure. 6. The banning of alcohol is not unrealistic, because most of the many NT communities where alcohol has been banned for the last 25 years or so and which have a reasonable level of policing, are much safer and more livable places than those where alcohol is permitted or is banned but insufficiently policed. 7. Banning alcohol etc does not suggest "this child abuse is perpetrated entirely by Aboriginal men." 8. Quarantining 50 per cent of welfare payments may not help reduce the level of sexual abuse of the children in these communities, but it will certainly assist in reducing the high levels of severe neglect and failure to thrive. 9. In reality, these are complex issues that demand a comprehensive response like that being undertaken by the Commonwealth. 10. The reasons at the heart of the substance abuse, addiction, violence and social dysfunction must be addressed. The sweeping reforms to policing, welfare, alcohol regulation and infrastructure development will assist in improving education, health and housing. 11.Rehabilitation programs for those affected are being expanded. 12. One key reform is that inexperienced idealists like the GetUp mob led by Brett Solomon will have to start grappling more firmly with realities Posted by Dan Fitzpatrick, Monday, 2 July 2007 8:37:38 PM
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No worries, palimpsest. Perhaps I should have said that anybody who's taken in by this stunt is either racist, foolish or naive :)
However, the fact remains that after 11 years of arguably the most anti-Aboriginal Australian government in decades, it literally sends the troops into Aboriginal communities in a nakedly cynical and sensationalised political ploy, in the last couple of months before it has to call an election. And it's becoming increasingly clear that it just won't work - even in the short term. I suspect future historians will not treat Howard kindly on this issue - along with the Tampa, 'Children Overboard' etc. I notice that nobody's talking about "practical reconciliation" lately... Those naive individuals who so enthusiastically got with Howard's "Shock and Awe" program in its brief moment of initial glory must now be just a little disquieted by the quiet but inexorable intrusion of reality into the rhetoric - not to mention the on the ground practicalities. They need to get real about the welfare and rights of Aboriginal people, by supporting the proper provision of services to their communities, by a government that takes abundantly available good advice rather than engaging in tawdry political stunts like the current circus. Dan Fitzpatrick appears to be in fairyland. Is he some kind of spin doctor for the Howard Aboriginal Putsch? Posted by CJ Morgan, Monday, 2 July 2007 9:19:45 PM
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No, I don't live in fairyland, am very definitely not a Howard stooge, and I actually work in one of the Aboriginal communities which has just been visited by the task force, and witnessed the visit.
Cheers Dangerous Dan Posted by Dan Fitzpatrick, Monday, 2 July 2007 9:35:04 PM
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You say "bad policy" but the perpetrators of crimes also have responsibility. The main difference in Australia is that an aboriginal man will have a house built for him when a white guy would go to jail for fifteen years.
Is there really such a difference between an evil bastard and an aboriginal evil bastard? Get real. Posted by citizen, Monday, 2 July 2007 11:36:46 PM
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Thank you to those that appreciate my turnaround.
Not much to be proud of given I am 50 ears old and suddenly see things clearly. Well hope I do. Unlike Dan Fitzparick I do not live amongst, nor work with aboriginal people so claim no expertise. I have just lived and worked amongst people and recognise an unlevel playing field from a mile away. The few times I have been close to, or in an aboriginal community the only recollection I have is that roads leading in are dirt or poorly maintained. But at the end of the road we refuse to look after we expect an avenue of roses. Posted by Verdant, Tuesday, 3 July 2007 12:04:55 AM
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From time to time we see proof lies are used to prove a point that can not be proved.
Send in the troops? honestly? if we send them to help after storm or flood we do well but here it is cause for insult? I know in my heart they go without fixed bayonets without guns. And that we must as one poster said continue this drive after Howard. It would be of help if some who value lifestyle and pain of these people less than trying to prove a point would hold themselves accountable for that view. If politically correct views that border on lies can be weighed against the real pain in these community's. Posted by Belly, Tuesday, 3 July 2007 6:06:57 AM
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the pollies have had about 100 years to sort out the aboriginal problem. did you ever think maybe it's too hard for them? maybe the structure of australian government makes resolution impossible?
first, there can be no long term solution, since no policy can outlive a change of government. second, there can be no effective devolution of power when the people who have it yearn for more. this means real autonomy of aboriginal people on their ancestral land is unlikely to happen, but probably the key to establishing a successful resolution. the result has been, in a political society without an effective constitution, a vote-driven bipartisan policy of doing as little as possible- lest 2 votes be lost through wasting money on brown people Posted by DEMOS, Tuesday, 3 July 2007 8:02:04 AM
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"Given the polls maybe its Rudd we should be putting the heat on for solutions."
Good point Palimpsest. It does look rather like Rudd will inherit whatever remains of the surge, but from a political point of view, there's no point in him weighing in on this issue. As the Gallaxy poll showed, it's not a vote changer. We'll have to wait until the special sitting to see which bits he supports and which bits he doesn't. Posted by chainsmoker, Tuesday, 3 July 2007 10:25:39 AM
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Dan Fitzpatrick provides what seems like a neat rebuttal to Solomon's article but with a closer thoughtful reading many of the points are dependent on 'ifs'. He has since revealed that he works in one of the Aboriginal communties already targeted. Clearly well informed but does he have an inherent conflict of interest?
Fitzpatrick says that the "screenings will not be unrealistic if they..address staff shortages...and chronic under-funding..". Banning alcohol will not be unrealistic he says, if it is policed sufficiently. He informs us of the training of Federal Police but omits the fact that they are doing crash-courses that would normally take months to do. He says health professionals are not "untrained in cultural issues" but neglects to say that they will not be specifically trained in indigenous culture. He must know that many Central Australian indigenous children are not bought up by their biological parents yet doesn't think it important that the professionals looking at child abuse need to be versed in these issues. He trumpets the Commonwealth's response as "comprehensive" with "sweeping reforms" not evident in the media down South. What I would like Fitzpatrick to explain is the good behind Howard's decision to remove Community Development Employment Programs (CDEP) from this new finacial year leaving many in remote communities without work and without a framework in which to keep their towns tidy and servicable. Right now many CDEP managers have finished their contracts and are leaving Aboriginal lands taking their skills and experience with them. The timing is curious. Perhaps Fitzpatrick is exhausted from living within the neglect and feels any action however heavy-handed is a good thing. Perhaps it is the best Australia can do but we will only know if we strive for something better. Posted by Eric G, Tuesday, 3 July 2007 4:46:47 PM
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Eric G: "Perhaps Fitzpatrick is exhausted from living within the neglect and feels any action however heavy-handed is a good thing."
Given Dan Fitzpatrick's response to me and subsequent post, I think that Eric G's analysis and inference is likely close to the mark. While Fitzpatrick's motives are undoubtedly honourable, his perspective seems to be obscured by the various "ifs" oulined above. However, my cynicism about this stunt is only increasing as the days go by. There is nothing in this action that inspires confidence in the Howard government's sincerity to actually enhance the wellbeing of Aboriginal people, including their children. Posted by CJ Morgan, Tuesday, 3 July 2007 5:01:38 PM
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To hear comments " Thank goodness, something is being done". Have any of you met or have a real Australian as a mate? Thought not!
I ask, when the army and police come barging into your community, what will be your comment? You live in your "nice" environment, yet you are not aware, or avoid, the domestic violence in your own community. Talk about "I'm alright jack". So I can comment! What hypocrisy! Posted by Kipp, Tuesday, 3 July 2007 5:46:51 PM
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Rainer, I have missed you. Hell, I thought I was still up in the tree, but now you mention it, the knuckles are getting a bit worn. Must be old age setting in. Have a good day.
David Posted by VK3AUU, Tuesday, 3 July 2007 7:34:26 PM
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I believe John Howard has done the right thing in acting toughly in this case. It was reported that a lot of the men in these communities spend the day drinking and it appears the mothers are also drunk or else cant defend their children from these men. Its like if a husband and wife in any society are constantly having drunken parties where the mother and father are drunk and there are drunken men constantly roaming around when there are little girls in the house the outcome is usually sexual assault of the children.
In these Aboriginal societies where there is this mass drunkenness on a tribal scale with the exception of a minority, the sexual assaults on young girls is on a massive scale and out of control. The aboriginies have had decades to address this problem in their tribes but they have failed to protect their children and so the children must be protected by the authorities of the country. This is just mass predatory rape of defenceless children. SHAME TO THESE ABORIGINAL COMMUNITIES FOR ALLOWING THIS TO HAPPEN TO THEIR CHILDREN. Stop blaming the white people and take some responsibility. When are the men in these tribes going to stand up and lead their people with pride and diginity instead of spending the day drinking and depending on welfare. The racism card doesn’t wash anymore. How do you explain all the other races here who get jobs and make a good life for themselves. The days of living in the stoneage like these people want to do is long gone, history has turned the page. Its their non acceptance of the reality of this that is at the root of all their problems. Blaming the white man after 200years is not going to solve any of their problems. Only they can stand up and lead themselves out of the past and into the future. Making sure their children go to school would be a good start. Posted by sharkfin, Tuesday, 3 July 2007 9:44:04 PM
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Eric G:
Yes I have a few 'ifs'. I don't believe I have a conflict of interest - I am independent of government, fundamentally opposed to many of Howard's key policies, but not irrationally opposed to all that his mob does. Re Federal Police training: they are doing the normal crash courses - nobody in the public service does crosscultural courses "that ... take months". Re health professionals: many are people experienced in Indigenous settings, and are certainly being chosen and supervised by highly experienced persons. Anyway, many will infill for locals who have the experience - at least that is the current theory in the circles involved in planning it. I share your concerns about CDEPs - this is more of a problem in regional centres than in remote communities, but nonetheless there are huge problems occurring with restructuring of remote CDEPs, re-allocation of contracts to large companies located thousands of km away from the participants, lack of realistic and appropriate policy guidelines, etc. I can confirm your information that "Right now many CDEP managers have finished their contracts and are leaving Aboriginal lands taking their skills and experience with them", and I suspect that the timing is connected with the Brough/Howard earthquake, but exacerbated by a feral CEO or feral senior execs in DEWR who seem to delight in torturing the CDEP people, both managers/supervisors and particpants. If anything happening at the federal level clearly justified great anger at the moment, I would nominate the catastrophic wrecking of the already sick CDEPs. CJ Morgan: Hold the cynicism. I understand that Abbott has made further advances against the wilder aspects of the Brough blue-print, and that Cabinet has endorsed a more equitable approach to the welfare quarantine proposal, so that it will be restricted to recipients who have clearly neglected their kids, will involve a re-direction of 40% of the benefit to spending on the children, rather than 50% , and will roll out to non-Indigenous neglecters of children as well. He has also clearly won the struggle to mak the health checks entirely voluntary. Posted by Dan Fitzpatrick, Tuesday, 3 July 2007 11:45:38 PM
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Why do posters not speak of Aboriginal community's outside country towns across Australia?
Each shares all the problems of the NT. Each shames both white Australia AND the sometimes openly RACIST few Aboriginals who undermine change. Not pleasant? no but true. My work this day will take me into such a country community ,drunken females will be seen and hungry kids. Is it ALL white mans fault? If I park my car unwisely it will not be there after I return if I take a promise of a very well paid job I will get no takers. Can we bypass the idiotic, yes only description that fits insults about the Army? Rudd will use them just as we always have to build or rebuild to bring help and distribute it . Only some one unable to think clearly would say they invade. Those of us who are anti Howard should remember we have no need to adopt his tactics of lies to see the end of him. And those who think these folk can fix the problem without help? WHY HAVE THEY NO DONE IT? Posted by Belly, Wednesday, 4 July 2007 7:37:25 AM
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Facts..John Howard is a racist.He is devoted to the destruction of the Aboriginal people and culture.He is up for sale.He has been employed by the mining interests to make a land grab dressed up a assistance.
He has been used by employers to dun wage earners. He's in the services of the media conglomerates to manipulate media ownership. He is a lackey of the American arms manufacturers. He is amoral. Kevin Rudd's implicit agreement is in the same league. Noel Pearson has been seconded. I don't know what to do. The most powerful are degenerate. Posted by ocm, Wednesday, 4 July 2007 10:09:10 AM
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ocm, you are a sick individual, you need to see someone who will help you.
Posted by mickijo, Wednesday, 4 July 2007 2:46:17 PM
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Yes, I might be sick, mikijo.
The PM is only interested in the PM. His intentions towards the problems of our aboriginal people are only of interest if his own public standing can be increased. He's certainly achieved a lot of publicity. If he can get votes out of masquerading as anything other than the moral pervert that he is, then he will say and do whatever he needs to, in order to further his personal ends. mikijo the man is a self-confessed liar and a proven abuser of the truth. Personal ambition has been known to cause mental and moral deterioration and our PM is a shining example of this. His foray into the NT is the latest assignment from his masters. When they have the go ahead to dispossess the owners and the mines are producing, his bosses, in their boardrooms will sit back, satisfied and say " Well wasn't he a pushover." And they will be right. The sick person in this argument is the Prime Minister. Posted by ocm, Wednesday, 4 July 2007 11:03:56 PM
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It's boring reading all the Bile directed towards Howard .
Thank God none of these people are in Command of efforts to alleviate the suffering of the Children involved . These people don't understand how Gov't works , they don't know about the "Dead Hand" the Bureaucracy , they don't realize that an "Inquiry" , "Consultation" is a junket for the media savvy "Sydney Black Mafia" and the Gov't Spin Doctors ; Remember the screams when the Howard Gov't wanted to audit their affairs to find out "Where to Millions went" ........none was delivered to where it should have gone , if it had done so maybe we wouldn't be having this discussion . Recall the aboriginal lady lamenting on Auntie TV , something like , "We had the opportunity and lost it , all those millions of dollars wasted". All that money delivered by the Feds was taxpayers money , it never was audited , no one was charged with fraud , and no one has ever apologized . There is no votes and little public interest in Aboriginals , occupies the too hard basket , however there are people like me , dedicated family people , myself five children , who are gut wrenched at the child abuse revelations coming out of the Northern Territory , paradoxically it is fortunate that I / we are not in command of the Howard Efforts because I /We would deem the Parents unsuitable morally , unsuitable to be Parents , and act accordingly to alleviate the suffering, I /We would become infamous and be forever cursed for heralding in the second "Stolen Generation". Perhaps the NT Gov't realized the same , that's why they sat on the report ..........Lucky I / We and They ; the Children and the Moral Psyche of the average Ozzie have John Howard ? Posted by PortoSalvo, Thursday, 5 July 2007 10:01:49 AM
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We have had total and complete failure in regard to aboriginal affairs by all government levels. Now the message is that if we care about children we should just trust the government to fix it without question?
I feel, as a white person, lack of government representation on this issue. Such a frustrating and powerless feeling. It made me wonder how it would feel to be aboriginal?
The very first problem we need to address is the attitude of Australians. Human rights have been unfashionable of late with anyone speaking up for anyone automatically labelled do-gooder, bleeding heart or looney leftie. I know because I had this attitude myself, which troubles me now no end. I guess at some stage we felt minorities were getting too much. Well no excuse really. We have lost touch with human rights as a nation and need to address this as a matter of extreme urgency. With awareness support comes easier.
We cannot allow Howard to own this policy without question, he will leave office soon, it has to belong to all Australians as the long term committment required can only come from the people. The damage he may do with his policy on the run will be our cross to bear, not his.