LOUDMOUTH, ONTHEBEACH and FOXY; you've all raised some interesting thoughts on this topic, and I must admit on most issues, apropos the needs of our indigenous people, I'm totally ignorant ! My only real input - I know what they definitely DON'T need...BOOZE & DRUGS !

Employment; rather than seeking a University education, why not a proper trade course ? Building, plumbing, carpentry etc. ? They'd always be likely to find well paying work, as tradesmen surely ?

Accommodation; as ONTHEBEACH mentioned, nice, newly built housing ? Does the average 'bushmen black fella', wants to live in a modern house ? When relieving at Bourke years ago, I saw a couple of newish, modern houses virtually unoccupied, the extended family preferring to live in their humpies down by the creek ?

Is there perhaps another 'type' of housing or accommodation better suited to their needs and wishes if so, what ? Has anyone actually sought advice from say Pat DODSON or his group ? I would've thought we should seek guidance from the aboriginals themselves, as to what type of housing would best suit them ? They like moving around, perhaps a caravan even ?

An aside, they 'love' their dogs, so whatever housing is determined suitable, it should include kennels or similar to accommodate the many camp dogs that forever hang around their settlements ? The dogs generally reside inside the house with the family. I've seen up to a dozen, of these half-starved mangy looking canines and their pups, in one house ?

I just thought I throw the above into the mix, in an attempt to pick all your brains ?

O Sung Wu

My niece is in mid 30's (recovering from major stroke). She was walking (with limp) as part of rehabilitation. She is ok. Never ceases too amaze me how people acts worse than packs of dogs especially when they smell someone wounded. Sorry mate but the police in wa have a no win situation. My nieces situation is by no longer isolated and justice rarely happens. The victim industry ensure that.

Hi there RUNNER...

Mate I'm sorry to hear from you on several fronts. Your niece has been afflicted with a major stroke at such an early age, leaving her with a discernible limp, thus identifying her as being choice prey for an assault & rob by a trio of cowards ! And neither you, your niece, or the police harbour any expectation whatsoever of receiving any meaningful justice in this deplorable crime against the person ?

Moreover it would now seem, in this enlightened age of 2015, a crime of violence, involving a partially incapacitated female victim, is just all too mundane to even bother with. Probably adjudged by some puerile bureaucrat, as not being in the public interest to even bother seeking any form of equitableness or legal redress ? How sad eh RUNNER ? How very sad and ineffectual, this once great country has become ? I'm buggered if I know mate !?

Joe,

According to the 2015 budget papers with total expenditure set at $434.47 billion. 'Assistance for Indigenous Australians' is set at $2.1 billion, with an additional $743 million for indigenous health. So please explain your figure of $30 billion. I simply do not see where it comes from. Unless you are referring to the expenditure indigenous people might incur as part of the general community.

runner,

I am glad to hear your niece is OK. Thugs have no place in our society.

Runner,
I certainly do not condone anyone assaulting and robbing your niece, and I wish her a full and speedy recovery. It is rather cynical to say "My nieces situation is by no longer isolated and justice rarely happens. The victim industry ensure that." The police should do their job, and hopefully the perpetrators if apprehended, will be dealt with appropriately by the courts.

p/s The 'Black Market Day' went off very well with a beautiful sunny winters day in Sydney.