From the Bureau of statics: "The final estimated resident Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population of Australia as at 30 June 2016 was 798,400 people, or 3.3% of the total Australian population. This population estimate represents a 19% increase in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population estimates from the estimate of 669,900 for 30 June 2011. The size of this increase cannot be explained by demographic factors alone and will be explored in the upcoming publication Census of Population and Housing: Understanding the Increase in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Counts Between 2011 and 2016 (cat. no. 2077.0) to be released October, 2018."

The big 19% increase in population growth in those five years was obviously from non indigenous bloods claiming aboriginal status to gain aboriginal welfare benefits. I once worked with a fellow who had a son from his first wife and a step son of aboriginal wife, and there were different levels of child support for the two boys. So it was advantageous for him to register his son as aboriginal

Josephus,

It's quite amazing that the increases in Indigenous population, from one Census to the next, is usually greater than the number of births in the meantime. According to the Censuses, no Indigenous people ever die. Not only that, but age-cohorts - people who are in one age-group at a Census, and five years older at the next - increase in size from one Census to the next.

Frankly I don't believe the Census figures in relation to the Indigenous population. I suspect that in some situations, people are counted more than once, and others (perhaps sometimes the same people) are counted more than once under different names. As well, some dick-brain 'progressives' tick the box out of a misplaced sense of solidarity. I wouldn't be surprised if the Indigenous component of the Australian population is closer to 2.3 % than 3.3 %, and that this has been the case since 1971.

Of course, this over-estimation in the figures affects Indigenous graduate numbers: at the last Census, the ABS counted more than 49,000 graduates. I think the more accurate figure in 2016 (i.e. at the end of 2015) was around 38-40,000, and is currently around 46-48,000, or about one in every eight Indigenous adults, roughly equivalent to the stock of graduates in most Eastern European countries.

Two populations, each going their own way: to over-simplify, some seizing opportunities in education and employment; the other population content to remain on welfare. People make their own choices.

Joe

As Noel Pearson advised many years ago, I too look forward to Aboriginal people on lifelong welfare,
Loudmouth2,
You should go for a drive through his community !

Josephus, that must be galling to a person of your faith, having the Indigenous population increasing, when its your genocidal belief that "the race must be bred out"!

The answer to your question is easily explained. What is happening, as the numbers in society who are willing to accept aboriginality increases, more and more people are willing to acknowledge their true heritage. I suppose some lament the good old days when if a "Darkie" moved into their street they could agitate to have them kicked out of the all white neighbourhood. In the past many of those with aboriginal blood would deny and suppress it because of the disadvantage of being black caused in such things as employment, housing and the social stigma it attracted in general. My maternal-grandmother did just that so she could marry a middle class white cow cocky in the Wellington Shire of NSW around the turn of the 20th century, she even become a Catholic, staunch at that, she never drank, and never smoked, just worked her arse off on the farm. Here own grandmother had been a "servant" to a white farmer in the Bathurst district from the 1850's, she bared him several children, but only two survived to adulthood. By all accounts he was a decent chap and like my grandfather treated their women well. My first cousin, who still lives in Bathurst, at well over the age of 60, has gone through the process of establishing her aboriginality. Said I should do the same, I said; "No I'm not doing that, both our mothers denied any aboriginal connection, I recall that silly peroxide hair my aunt would give her kids. They both denied any aboriginal connection right up to the day of their death, my mother was 84, claiming she had Spanish blood from the island of Mauritius. When my oldest son tells me he should claim to be Aboriginal to get some benefits, I tell him to; "just keep on working, and forget that nonsense".

cont

cont

Looks like my cousin is one of those increasing the Aboriginal population, good for her. Just as funny, when old grand-uncle Dick would come to visit in his big old car with a tribe of kids, my father would say; "Christ, bloody old Dick, he looks like Albert Namatjira!" Mum hated him saying that. A lot of racists back in those days.

"Christ, bloody old Dick, he looks like Albert Namatjira!" Mum hated him saying that. A lot of racists back in those days.
Paul1405,
I'm missing something here, what is racist with that ??