"collective social responsibility"

Annually for longer than most here could remember, millions have been poured into indigenous and indigenous advocates and lobbyists.

However, the reports of the government's own auditor, the Australian National Audit Office, always diplomatic and restrained, nonetheless have reported year after year of fraud, waste and worst of all, lack of attainment of goals and scant regard for the very simple and practical recommendations for improvement of past reports.

Large numbers of indigenous have graduated from university, so it is will, not education that is the problem.

The collective responsibility that is lacking is from within the indigenous community.

" but I do think there is a collective social responsibility to help secure better outcomes for such people who need our help"

Interesting point. Some observations

People at all levels of the socio economic pecking order make bad choices, I accept the suggestion that those lower down on the pecking order may make more than a fair share of them. Our collective responsibility does not extend to enabling repeats of the same bad choices over and over by the same people.

It also should include compassion for those further up the income pecking order who make bad choices.

We have a tax system that hit's people based on income with no regard to need so the wage earner who has made "bad" choices which create a need to earn extra is taxed more to support those who's choices hinder their ability or willingness to earn an income.

We have a tax system that will send people into bankruptcy who have made bad choices which mean they cannot meet their tax obligations whilst at the same time placing no tax obligations on others who have made a different set of bad choices.

We have family law and child support systems that can be brutal over a sustained period for a bad choice in short or hoped for long term partners in what is often a very one sided manner.

My concept of social responsibility does not include supporting those who continue to despise those they take charity from. It does not included an increasing social responsibility as the hours I work increase to meet my own and my family's needs.

R0bert

One solution might be to start treating all Australians equally and get rid of the racist concept that aboriginal people are somehow different and need a paternalistic approach to their particular problems.

The Aboriginal Industry is one industry that we could do without.

Glad to see there are a few thinking individuals out there.
Perhaps it is time for you to show your colors to the general populace,the politicians and the aborigines themselves.
Most clubs will tell you that if you take the indigenous poker machine money away and they would be struggling to survive.
Up where I live, despite a ban on turtle and dugong killing, the 'locals' slaughter indiscriminately so they don't have to spend their social security pay on red meat and protein.
It means more booze and dope to keep the lifestyle flowing.
How stupid are we who work for our sustenance.
How stupid are we who care for the environment and its lifeforms.
How stupid are we who pick up a gun and fight for what we have.
How smart are they to sit around the public gardens and have another drink while they watch us protect their cultural existence.

rehctub,
I am in a position to know and I do know of dozens of full bloods and near full bloods living remotely who have six figure bank accounts because to just don't spend their social security payments.
One old fellow said to me "Boy I got plenty of money. I don't need your blood money. All I need is what I got....Freedom.

Yes Chris, I have spent a lot of time fishing around Weipa.

One time we camped near Marpoon Mission and the full bloods there lived in the bush, while the majority of misson residents we white fellas that hooked up with aboriginal women and these guys were the real trouble makers whereas the full bloods, who mainly lived alone could not believe how good they had it. A place to live and money for nothing.

I believe of all the comments, the one from Thinkabit whereby their welfare entitlement is determined by the amount of blood is a great idea, with a safety net of cause.

The current system sees some researching just to prove a point they have some indigenous blood in them and that's just milking the system. If we can't remove the leaches from the public tit, the only other option is to remove the tit from the leaches.