The Aborigines copped a very rough deal in those early days of outsiders. There are stories of pre Cook days of conflict with Maccassans in the North of the great South Land.
Over the past 150 years however, particularly the Europeans have bent ar$e over backwards to make things better for the Aborigines.
The proof is there for all to see that those who had it in them to strive for betterment did in fact succeed.
We must not overlook the fact that when it comes to procuring better conditions, many indigenous have taken the opportunity.
Many of those who still ride the poor me band wagon are gradually changing also. The handful of the blame brigade are no longer indigenous & are sabotaging any good will for no reason other than taking delight in disunity.

Hi Paul,

The recommendations of the Royal Commission are just
as important today as they were 30 years ago and as
you point out they should be implemented alongsdie
a partnership with Aboriginal communities and their
leadership. They need to work together under the
principle of self-determination to reduce the over
representation of Aborigines in the justice system.
We can do better. We need to do better.

Inadequate medical care, lack of attention and self-harm
are listed as causes for the deaths in custody. As are
racist attitudes and assumptions that drive this
neglect and inaction. Reports tell us that police
officers ignore cries for help from sick Aboriginal
prisoners. That, plus taking too long to attend to their
medical needs.

There's more at the following link:

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-56728328

The safest place for young aboriginals that flout the law is in prison as aboriginal deaths caused by other aboriginals is higher % than the ratio in prison and is not a statistic; compared to all aboriginal deaths in custody being 434 since 1991, and that includes all cases of death. To claim the 434 deaths was due to Police brutality or prison neglect only feeds into the Marxist BLM racist agenda of the George Floyd riots.

It is reasonable to predict in a population of 43,000 people in prison there will be deaths from illness and preventable causes including accident, injury and suicide. Once you allow for the specific demographic of people who are more likely to be prone to substance abuse and given to violence all congregated together and the punitive nature of their environment, one can even predict a much higher likelihood of illness, injury and death.

The Australian Institute of Criminology monitors deaths in custody through the National Deaths in Custody Program (NDICP) which was established after the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody. The Royal Commission's findings released in 1991 included that:

the high number of Aboriginal deaths in custody was due to the overrepresentation of Aboriginal people in custody
Indigenous Australians were no more likely to die in custody than non-Indigenous Australians.

In the years 2012-2013 there were 53 deaths in prison custody. Only 9 of those were among Indigenous prisoners. Indigenous prisoners are under-represented, with 27% of prisoners being Indigenous and just 17% of deaths in custody being Indigenous.
GET THE FACTS! DO NOT FALL FOR THE BLM RETORIC. The next call will be defund the police.

Back in the day, I was a relieving police sergeant in some of NSW's far western towns with a high proportion of indigenous people living in or nearby. The first thing I'd ask my subordinates when I first arrived for duty is who we had in custody. I'd then walk out to the cellular area and check-up on our 'guests'. The sergeant I/C always had the responsibility for the health and safety of those in custody, at the top of his list, without a doubt!

Invariable it was some luckless Aboriginal person, maybe two usually locked up for public drunkenness and, or fighting, which was generally about it; hardly a crime wave. So I would casually enquire of them, why you're being held? And they'd often say, "... eh Boss, it's 'cause I'm an Abo or Black, and ye mates won't give me no bail...".

Sadly it was the truth - Whereas a male or female caucasian would be bailed under normal circumstances, provided the offence they're were being held was not one that was indicatable, there was an unofficial presumption of no flight risk, and he'd answer his bail under his own recognizance, or a nominal figure. But not so an indigenous person, who'd need the combined assets of Westpac & the Commonwealth Bank to make bail, otherwise they'd simply get out, and do it all again, or alternatively, go 'walkabout'.

Of course, I've been long retired, and before that, I was a detective, so we're talking nearly fifty years or more ago now. But whenever I read of an indigenous person being hurt or, in some way, suffer while in police custody, I do wonder if anything's changed for the better; I most certainly hope so, as it sure needed radical charge?

I just listened to Phillip Adams & Pat Dodson on the Radio. Pat Dodson was remarking on the lack of leadership from the PM, the tactics of the Police & related Departments.
Not once did he question the lack of his & other Indigenous leaders' leadership.
Not once did he mention recommendations he made to indigenous parents to discipline their children. In all, he did not once say what indigenous groups need to do to reduce anti-social behaviour in their communities.
I'm afraid that my view is that we all need to band together to find solutions to anti-social behaviour by black, white & brindle youths. One side perpetually bleating faults of the other is a pointless exercise.
Firstly, we can't get around the fact that we cannot continue without a National Service. I found the indigenous far more in favour of a NS but this is vehemently opposed by the Leftist snow flakes of all races represented in Australia. The Army reserves have a much greater interest rate among the indigenous in comparison to all others.
Maybe, just maybe people like Pat Dodson should push for a NS & put the Labor/Green voting lilly Whites to shame & melt their lack of responsibility & show them up for what they really are..

Indy,

It must be your innate racism that leads you to make the statement;
"Over the past 150 years (since 1881) however, particularly the Europeans have bent ar$e over backwards to make things better for the Aborigines." would you care to elaborate on how in 1881, or 1930, maybe more recently 1960, only 60 years ago, even today, how Australia was/is bending over its arse to make things better for the Aborigines?