Foxy,

I'm not suggesting for a second that its one thing or the other. There are a combination of reasons for the state of the poorest aboriginal segment.

This nation has been trying to fix those problems for at least 50 years now with extraordinary levels of funding, programmes, schemes, legislation and whatnot. The results are equivocal at best.

What has never been tried is addressing the cultural norms that cause so many of these problems. I've explained why that is...the determination to avoid any hint of racism.

Until that juvenile attitude is changed, things won't change.

mhaze,

You're right. Anything is worth a try.
And heaven knows doing nothing is not
or should not, be an option.

Foxy,
You left out culture, have you read the Quadrant article yet?

I'm not interested in reading Quadrant.

Foxy,
Fair enough, but it’s not about the magazine but about the historical quotes.

mhaze, a good post from you above.

"addressing the cultural norms" I don't understand how you do that, other than through education, and positive programs to improve social conditions. Its true 50 years (since Whitlam) of white intervention in remote aboriginal communities has resulted in too many failures, too many lost opportunists, there has not been enough positive outcomes to be able to claim success. One thing is apparent in the majority of incidences of DV, either alcohol is involved, or its confrontation caused by the return of an aggressive partner with massive issues, sometimes it involves both.

BTW, in disadvantaged predominately white populations in big cites, often referred to as the 'Houseo's Estates', you get much the same levels of DV, and high incidence of police intervention. That's not cultural its social