Equalising outcomes is not a legitimate function of government, but even if it were, obviously well-intentioned race-based government interventions have a dreadfully long history of failure, even in their own terms.

“If resolving Aboriginal disadvantage was put in the hands of the private sector with incentives for success it may be solved in a far more efficient manner than is possible through a bureaucratic process.”

That is true, but by definition, the government can’t put it in the hands of the private sector and provide the incentives (other than by abolishing all race-based laws and policies) because if it did, that would be the government, not the private sector that’s making the evaluations and taking the action.

The point is, the private sector places little to no value on people living and reproducing in poverty and idleness in remote communities that are nothing but an artefact of the welfare state.

But if Australia’s race-based policies were abolished, the biggest obstacle facing the people from these communities, in trying to make their way, is itself the welfare state. The intensive government regulation of the economy counts most against the most disadvantaged: those with least literacy, skills, or capital.

For example, the government by decreeing a minimum wage that is above the market rate for a particular person’s skills, in effect forces that person into unemployment.

The statutory on-costs for employers, eg, tax, super, workers comp, leave loading, unfair dismissal procedures, long service leave, mandatory insurance, mandatory registration etc. mean that employing people with low literacy and low skills is that much less economically viable. The effect is to discriminate against the employment prospects of low-skilled people.

But if someone who can’t get a job wants to contract independently, he must somehow administer the ABN, the GST, the income tax, the tax deductions, the car log, the super, the worker’s comp, obtain compulsory licensing and insurance… and so on.

All these effectively illegalise the options for the most disadvantaged.

We never seem to learn that the solution is a lot less intervention, not a little bit more.

OK Rollo, but if they never never find any healthy food in the shop, then they are never never going to be able to buy it, even if Saatchi & Saatchi are doing the marketing brilliantly. It's a clear case of sine qua non, man.

The government could be forgiven for thinking that it has some responsibility to see that the basic components of a healthy lifestyle are within reach of remote Aboriginal people.

Besides, who is actually claimimg that "the Government think that putting healthy food on the shelves of remote community stores means that the people will buy and eat it?" From what I can see, only Rollo.

It is patronising and arrogant for Rollo to suppose that "the govenment" is that simplistic in its thinking. After all, the Government is the body which is already organising platoons of health promotion and medical experts to work with remote communities and advise them that everybody should be eating healthy foods.

Maybe Rollo's the one who's "out of touch with reality".

bitey,

I hope that you are not the innocent that you appear to be on this subject in things affecting your own life.

Your right to disagree with me doesn't make me a 'miserable person',either.

If you want to start calling people names right fro your first post, I am not a good one to start on. I'll keep my peace this once.

As someone who has worked with Rollo I know his heart is in the right place and is doing a lot more work than other people.

In terms of platoons of Public Health Nutritionists I believe there is 15 or less servicing communities in the NT. With leave and the large staff turnover it often averages out to less than 1 visit a year.

Leigh, take a bex and have a lie down somewhere, all that pent up rage is going to kill you.

I called you miserable because you obviously didn't take the time to read the article and were just as obviously blinkered in your world view - and it was you who chose the personal attack first (on Rollo), not me. Please spare me the thinly veiled threats.

One of the threads mentioned Noel Pearson and his philosophy of self help and self respect. Would you run Noel and his kin off their land and shift them to some vacant land in Cairns (for processing) to get them to change their ways? Would you dismiss any white person accepting a wage to assist Noel as just another sucker fish feeding off the misery of others?

See, life ain't that black and white is it Leigh.

A small aside in his article but I think the key issue is working with Aboriginal people, not for them , or on their behalf.

Disempowering people will lead (suprisingly!)to continued dependancy.

If we want to move forward then we need Aboriginal engagement and leadership including taking responsibility and participating in solutions.

I think stop messing about and offer every Aboriginal training and / or a job (I will leave others to work out how)or remove their welfare.