I have been very sceptical regards the issue of sexual abuse of aboriginal children. Normally child sexual abuse is only about 5-10% of total abuse occurring to children, and the most common form of child abuse is neglect.

With the attention on child sexual abuse in Aboriginal communities, there can be less attention on what forms the most common forms of child abuse.

The lack of gainful employment seems to be the main cause of so many social problems in aboriginal communities, whether they are remote communities or aboriginal communities in cities. There are many services in cities, and I don’t think having extra services for aboriginal people will help much without having gainful employment as well.

The incidence of aboriginal children not attending school is far too high, and those children are now condemned to a life of welfare dependency without gainful employment.

I also understand that in some Aboriginal communities, women drinking and smoking when pregnant is close to 100%, while doctors are now recommending that no woman drinks alcohol or smokes while pregnant due to the greater risk of deformities occurring to the baby. Children born to mothers who drink or smoke while pregnant have a far greater likelihood of being born welfare dependant also.

Freeze ALL funding for new buildings, freeze all major maintenance projects, on all these communities until valid, legally enforceable leases obtained from these Land Trusts (these private land owners).

These Land Trusts receive money from mining royalties and other leases previously issued.

These Land Trusts, as private landowners, need use their income from their landholdings to finance their developments.

Why is an an Australian (who happens to be Aboriginal) wanting to live within their "Traditional Homelands" NOT entitled to same level of security in residence, same rights, same responsibilities, as other other Australians ?

Why is an Australian (who happens to be Aboriginal) living within their "Traditional Homelands" STILL required to obtain permission for visitors, whether family, friends or tradespeople ?

Commercial decisions re Western Desert air service closure was result of decisions made by people running the company and the Land Trusts.

They were NOT, are NOT, the only air service able to service the Western Desert; They are NOT the only air service servicing the Western Desert.

Open all the publicly funded airstrips on various communities to public access, so other people can use them, have avgas available for sale, then better air services will be possible.

Better air services possible ages ago, was Land Trusts decisions not to allow airstrips be declared open to public stopped them.

Private airstrips on private land should be paid for by Land Trusts who privately own them.

Better road services possible ages ago, was Land Trusts decisions not to allow roads be declared open to the public blocked this.

As private roads on private land, these roads should be paid for by the private Land Trusts who own them.

Only when the Land Trusts, and shareholders within communities, start paying their own way, or go bust, or find funding from others who feel it is worth the cost, will they address underlaying problems in the communities

Lifestyle adaptation from living as a hunter-gatherer to being an urban resident involves a large change in how you relate to the world around you.

When living in abnormal bush communities, similar to zoos, these change can be even slower.

Why is it so hard on communities ?

Administrations demand money from residents living in these houses yet these same administrations do stuff all to get people valid leases for these houses and other buildings.

Almost all these buildings constructed and funded with public monies.

Land Trusts will not issue leases.

Is no big deal for others around Australia obtain leases for their homes and businesses, why is this not so on the communities ?

When other Australians try purchase or build their homes, they as borrow money for which the financiers demand and receive security over the land titles.

On communities because you can not get a lease from Land Trusts you can not get security for a loan.

Who will give their money to someone who wants to build a house on community with no securit

Why post this unrevised, six months after original publication, when there is a new government, without acknowledgement of this momemtous change or some attempt to place indigenous concerns into a current context or perspective. John Howard and Mal Brough are gone. I opened this article expecting something about more recent developments. If the writer wants this information to inform future policy makers or even comment on the plans of the present government in the light of her no doubt valid observations she needs to make that clear.

Because, Patricia WA, it is part of our Best Blogs 2007 feature which is showcasing 40 of the best blog posts from Australian blogs for 2007 throughout the month of January. Regards Susan Prior - editor.

Hi SusanP (Editor) I hear you. Great response.