Foxy,

Pray tell me why so many thousands of Aboriginal Australians who are University Graduates seem to drop out of sight and into the general community?

Until the current policies of racism are dropped and all Australians are treated equally then there will always remain a problem.

As for starting a separate thread, why bother?
I've raises other matters here in this thread and so far they have been ignored; as the originator of this thread, it is incumbent upon you to respond, not to decide that you can drop out when the going gets tough.

What about the Government's callous disregard for human life when to save lives would threaten revenue, does that not fit the future of Australianness?

Foxy and Is Mise,

I'll leave you two to fight this one out, I've got bigger irrational fish to fry.

Is Mise,

Experts want to see universities tap into
the potential of Aboriginal organisations to increase
student numbers.

Statistics about the total number of Aboriginal students
participating in higher studies vary significantly depending
on the agency that's gathering the data and due to
re-structuring and shifting responsibilities.

As a result data is inconsistent and sometimes missing
even from major sources of Aboriginal higher education
data. Political and racial values of statistical
gatherers and framers of questions further influence date
gathered.

There is argument however that enrolment retention and
completion rates are significantly lower than those of
non-Aboriginal students. The total number has increased
but because rates for non-Aboriginal students have also
increased their proportion of total university students has
remained at only about 1.3%.

Numbers are also low because specific groups of the
Aboriginal population are under represented. Such as
women as primary carers, students living in remote areas.
Young men, people in prison systems and people with
disabilities.

In addition some students chose not to identify as
Aboriginal to avoid racism.

Parents play a major role in helping children make it
through university. They are a driving force in
education. Also lets not forget that since colonisation
in 1788 - Indigenous Australians have been segregated
from non-Indigenous Australians both in their rights
and socially within society. So many who do successfully
complete their university studies come from mixed
marriages, mixed heritages and they may choose their
white ancestral paths.

The fact remains that there is a gap that exists in
so many critical social indicators in our society
and that is for any nation, particularly one
blessed as ours, unacceptable.

I started this discussion to give people a chance
to express their views on a variety of issues. It is not
my responsibility to hold any one's hand or to respond
to all the postings. Also I'm not dropping out as you
put it - when the "going gets tough." That's your
often used drum and it's wearing thin. It's also an
ignorant assumption.

After so many posting, this discussion for me at
least has now run its course.

BTW: Aboriginal students choosing higher studies are
a minority, and likely to be older than their peers.

Just to end on a humourous note.

Ben Pobjie, the author, comedian, and satirist
that I've quoted earlier during this discussion
and its only fitting that I should end with him,
tells us that:

" There are those who will say there is no point in
looking towards the past, that the important thing is
to look to the future. But I ask, how can one know where
one is going, if one doesn't know where one has been?"

"The answer: Google Maps."

"But in a less literal and more pretentious sense, hope
for the future must always be based on respect for the
past, and in recapping the history of Australia, we
hope passionately that we may learn something about
ourselves. Usually we don't, but still, it's a
great way to pass the time."

"What will the next 200 years bring for Australia?
More fun wars and exciting political power struggles?
Human cloning? Laser guns?
All these wonderful possibilities and more are out there.
Or it's possible that we'll all die of radiation
poisoning, or that the rising seas will swallow us".

"Whatever happens to Australia the country, we can be
sure of one thing: Australia's history, rich and
colourful and filled with heroism and drama, will live
on into infinity. And for that we can thank the hard-
working historical recappers who work themselves into
the ground to keep the flame of history alive for
future generations."

In other words, people like Ben Pobjie.

You're welcome.

Foxy,

All very well, but why do Aboriginal graduates seem to drop from sight?
And why shouldn't Aboriginal girls have the same rights as other Australians?
Do you believe in underage marriages?

How about a comment on the callousness of Australian State Governments that put revenue over lives, you wanted to discuss Australianness, and that's a bit of Australianness for sure.