Everything that has been thrown at the problem has failed?

Yes, so far the attempts have failed because politicians
have been quick to propose "solutions" that suit them, or
they spend money which doesn't reach where it's needed or
do the job that's needed.

To solve social and political issues they have to go out to
Aboriginal communities and listen to the affected people.
At present most initiatives fail and Aboriginal people are
tired of politicians who just keep promising.

We see communities on a regular basis where there's
frustration with the bureaucracy not listening.
Government programmes often propose the one solution
that's applied in many cases.

But such blanket solutions rarely work in Aboriginal
affairs. Governments need to develop solutions in
conjunction with Aboriginal communities.

What we really need to do is work with communities to
understand what their needs are and then design the
service to respond to those needs. Often communities
are given programs they don't need or require.

What might work in a community in Western Australia's
Kimberley region might not succeed in Central Australia.

Why should young Aboriginal girls be denied their
rights as citizens?

Not sure what is being inferred by that question.

At a guess - it could be their parents want to
protect them from harm. They mistrust the whitefella's
society and its culture.

History shows us that Aboriginal people were expected to
calmly submit to an order to take from them girls and
boys and place them in government institutions.

Today the brain washing continues about Aboriginals being
lazy, dirty, and of low intelligence going nowhere.

Foxy,

Were you aware that in the 1960s the UN declared a refugee situation near Fitzroy Crossing, Western Australia when about 5,000 displaced Aboriginal workers from cattle stations that had been deserted by their owners suddenly appeared and began to squat outside the town.

It was such an embarrassment for the state and federal governments that they attempted to suppress any news releases. I suppose White Australian Policy politicians had learned a bit from their Apartheid counterparts in South Africa.

The only way to compensate Aboriginal Australia is GIVE THEM THEIR BLOODY LAND BACK!

Oh, I just had a picture of Phil leaping 10 feet out of his chair when I said that.

I'd like to Thank everyone who has contributed to
this discussion. I believe that every inhabitant
adds something to Australia. Makes it more
Australian than it would otherwise be. And obviously
there will be more Australians who will leave even
greater footprints on the pants seat of the world
in the future.

May we find a genuine workable way of lifting
our Indigenous people from the margin to the mainstream.
Many have tried - many people of goodwill have tried -
and there has been no shortage of resources. This is not
a question of spending. We've had experimentation and
failure, but we've failed to listen. Perhaps under the
right leadership - we will not only listen but actually
act.

We are a young country and our greatest glories are still
in front of us. A reminder to those who will take us into
our future, there are still many glories to be won in
every sphere of life as long as our country continues.

See you on another discussion - for me this one has now
run its course.

Take care.
Stay safe.

Foxy,

You have a very good knowledge base and you are extremely articulate but you always look at people as being rational beings.

You need to take account of the irrational as much as the rational. The world runs on conflict just as much as it runs on consensus.

Look and Phil and I. On The Forum we look like two belligerents always locking horns with each other but in real life we are probably like two peas in a pod. Two big Aussie mates in harmony with the Universe.

Mr O,

I'm slowly learning not to argue with "crazy".