The thing is, how do we know that these Aboriginal families have been ignored the abuse? How can we be so sure that they did nothing to try to protect the children? How can we be so sure that it isn't the Aboriginal people's cries for help that have been ignored by our Government and what we are seeing now is just the result of years of Government cover up and neglect?

I have been trying to get justice and protection for my children from systematic bias, educational neglect, vilification, bullying, victimisation and discrimination being served to them by Public Servants in the Education Department and it has been impossible to have issues acknowledged or addressed. For trying to protect my children the system has turned on me. Nobody seems to have the power to do anything, and those about whom you complain seem to be the only ones that have rights. Rights that are valued and respected to the bitter end regardless if their vicitms are children.

What's the bet that Aboriginal people gave up trying to get help through frustration in trying to navigate a system that gives all the rights and power to the accused and doesn't have to care about the children.

Our Governments have alot to answer for.

Education - Keeping them Honest
http://jolandachallita.typepad.com/education/
Our children deserve better

Following from my post above. I lodged formal complaints to the Ombudsman about victimisation, neglect and psychological abuse of children by members of the Department of Education. These allegations were not investigated and were ignored.

Of course the issue with the Aboriginal people is different because it is sexual abuse, but at the end of the day when the physical scars have healed all that is left is the psychological and emotional abuse of children. This type of abuse is the type that leaves the deepest scars.

In the 2002-2003 Ombudsman’s report under the heading:

'Behaviour causing psychological harm it states in part:

We use a definition of behaviour causing psychological harm that is quite narrow and only covers serious, persistent and targeted maltreatment of children.....

This type of abuse is potentially more destructive than other forms of abuse but is seldom the focus of research or intervention. For an allegation to be accepted as being in our jurisdiction, it must include three components.

1. Sustained or repeated behaviour directed at a particular child including humiliation, belittling, verbal abuse or making excessive demands, or a single incident that resulted in severe repercussions for a child.

2. A claim that the child has suffered harm including wetting themselves, vomiting, refusing to attend school or sleep disturbances.

3. A claim that the alleged harm was a direct result of the alleged behaviour.'

SO, it seems that before "IT COUNTS" our children have to be on their death beds holding a written confession

Actually folks, all the Hoo Hah and politicaly correct garbidge aside, the real question is ;

"What happens AFTER the ELECTION ?"

Wanna a bet the whole issue will be dropped like the proverbial hot cake ?
DUH, how fickle people's memories are, it wasn't so long ago, the very same esteemed (NOT) PM attempted to claim political mileage, (again from children) with the "Children Overboard Affair".
Just goes to show you, you can fool some people over and over again.

The indigenous issues confronting US,(that is every Australian,AND I INCLUDE OUR INDIGENOUS BRETHEREN in this ) are the responsability of each and every one of us.
However, from where I sit, (in W.A. the most heavily populated state of indigenous people, and actually have lived and worked side by side with them) our indigenous bretheren HAVE their part to play in this issue, a part that I see very few taking up on their own behalf, and in that regard lies the problem. IMHO.

Besides our assistance, (and despite the many claims made, there has been tremendous advancement in this regard over the last 20 years) they must be prepared to help themselves, yet this is not being done.
Until they do this, sadly, they are doomed.

A short statement on money:

Its clear to me that there is no obvious and simple proportional relationship between measures of needs and the funds required to achieve outcomes. Dan Fitzpatrick [and others] assumes there IS in his never ending hysterics about 'blacks getting his money'.

It must be noted that while measures of relative need can be useful as a guide to assisting judgements on how resources might be better distributed, a formula based approach cannot be used in isolation. Judgement is an essential feature of allocation and Howard et al have simply judged Aboriginal people in remote areas as unworthy.

He made a big song and dance about allocating a measly 1 millon dollars 'for petrol sniffing' but was careful not to talk about the broader context of 'need' and 'judgment of resources required against need'.

Take into consideration how much money has been allocated (but then quietlyquarantined) by Howard (especially on Aboriginal health) and you begin to understand how dire the situation is.

A short statement on money:

It’s clear to me that there is no obvious and simple proportional relationship between measures of needs and the funds required to achieve outcomes. Dan Fitzpatrick [and others] assumes there IS in his never ending histrionics about 'blacks getting his money'.

In another post DF cites 33 billion as the overall allocation to 'Aboriginal affairs' but as usual, cites not primary research on this figure. He obviously just picked in out of his rear end.

Read the Commonwealth Grants Commission, Report on Indigenous Funding 2001, Canberra, 2001, for a much more informed position here:
http://www.cgc.gov.au/IFI_Pages/ifi_final_report_complete.htm

Those wanting to raise the ire of good white Australian tax payers should also be mindful that while measures of relative need can be useful as a guide to assisting judgements on how resources might be better distributed, a formula based approach cannot be used in isolation. Judgement is an essential feature of allocation and Howard et al have simply judged Aboriginal people in remote areas as unworthy.

He made a big song and dance about allocating measly 1 millon dollars 'for petrol sniffing' but was careful not to talk about the broader context of 'need' and 'judgment of resources required against need'.

Take into consideration how much money has been allocated (but then quietly quarantined) by Howard (especially on Aboriginal health) and you begin to understand how dire the situation is.

If you ask me the cost of sustaining White Australian privilege has been relatively cheap for too long.

WHY BAN URANIUM
MINING? WHAT IS THE
NUCLEAR ACTIVITIES (PROHIBITION) BILL? In uranium mining, the uranium and its
decay products buried deep in the earth
are brought to the surface, and the rock
containing them is crushed into a fine
sand. After the uranium is chemically
removed, the sand is stored in huge
reservoirs. This left-over radioactive
powder is called "uranium tailings". There
are already more than 50 million tonnes
of it in the Eastern States, but none - yet -
in Western Australia.
Uranium tailings contain over a dozen
radioactive materials which are all
harmful to living beings. The most
important of these are thorium-230,
radium-226, radon-222 (radon gas) and
the radon progeny, including polonium-
210. If this radioactive sand is left on the
surface and allowed to dry out, it can
blow in the wind and be deposited on
vegetation far away, entering the food
chain. Or it can wash into rivers and
lakes and contaminate them.
While the hazard per gram of tailings is
low relative to most other radioactive
wastes, the large volume and lack of
regulations for their containment have
resulted in widespread environmental
contamination.
The most serious health hazard for
people associated with uranium mining is
lung cancer due to inhaling uranium
decay products. What happens to
tailings after the mining companies have
left the site poses an incredible headache
for future generations. The production of
this material simply has to stop.
None of the uranium deposits in Western
Australia have ever been commercially
mined, although there have been several
trial mines. We want these trial sites
cleaned up, and we want uranium
mining banned.