This is a tough one. Various Australian governments - both conservative (current) and liberal, have tried in past years to "help" the Aborigines with some absolutely spectacular failures. From the "stolen generation" of the 1950s to the current news item.
I would expect that this current attempt will attract massive amounts of negative press - possibly condemnation from other countries, and will end up getting squashed.
I lived in Australia's Top End for four years in the late 1990's. It is still a frontier like settlement even now, with an incredibly harsh environment. During the monsoonal build up, temperatures can get into the high 40's (Celsius) with 80-90% humidity. You can't swim in the rivers because of the crocodiles.
Now for the cop out statement. You can't really appreciate what the place is like until you have spent some time there, and not just your average 10 day package tour during the tourist season (when the climate is much more pleasant). I know I certainly didn't.
The domestic violence up there beggars belief. The substance abuse also beggars belief. Alcoholism and petrol sniffing mainly. You would go to the shops and see people, men, women and children with a fresh plaster cast on pretty much every day.
True story. When you need to buy mentholated spirits anywhere else in the country (and probably the world) you just go to the supermarket, go to the laundry / hardware aisle and grab yourself a bottle of the clearish stuff. In the top end, you had to go to the cigarette counter, ask the clerk for a bottle and the stuff was bright purple. This was an attempt to stop people drinking it!
Two alcohol management initiatives were trialled in the town I lived in. One was reducing the amount of time that the pubs (hotels / bars) were open for, and limit alcohol take away services. This appeared to be fairly successful - certainly appeared to be less public drunkenness. The other was forbidding the sale of cask wine on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, Thursdays being welfare day. They actually boarded up the relevant aisles in the liquor store. Both these initiatives were initially decried as "racist laws" but the reality was they applied to everyone. I couldn't buy a cask of cooking wine on a Thursday just because I was white.
On the two issues raised in the article, I'll deal with hardcore pornography first. As stated in the article, there are differences in laws between Australian states and territories. One such difference is the availability of pornographic materials, particularly in a video format. One only has to visit our national capital (also in a territory) to see a thriving sex industry at work. Being a capitalist nation, where there is demand, you can bet there will be supply. I think they should close that legal gap. On the computer issue, well if they were government provided, I see it as the same as pornography in the workplace, which is not kosher for anyone. That still leaves print based hardcore pornography available, which is available pretty much anywhere in the country, though.
On alcohol, most of the aboriginal communities that I was familiar with were already "dry camps". That means that the tribal elders have decided to not allow alcohol into the community, or won't allow drunks back in. They area also known to throw trouble makers out permanently. I think that decision needs to remain in the hands of the elders. Where the government could probably help in upholding the elders wishes with additional police. During my time in the top end, one drunken member was thrown out of the community. He proceeded to steal a bulldozer and demolished the community center.
AP are generally an even handed reporting outlet, so I don't perceive this story to be an overly liberal beat-up. It explicitly states the intended laws would affect tribal lands, rather than the territory as a whole. In my mind that is different laws for different people, which you can't do. Also, what about the aborigines that live in towns rather than communities?
So I think the government is a bit misguided on this one, but that doesn't remove the fact that there is a MASSIVE, MASSIVE problem up there. I don't have the exact figures to hand, but the average life expectancy of Australian Aborigines is significantly lower than the national average for all Australians. They are also far more likely to suffer renal problems and diabetes.Here's (Australian Bureau of Statistics) an report giving more details of the health problems. They're also much more likely to end up in gaol.
You know when you sit round with your friends, having a few beers and solving the worlds problems? This was one we could never work out how to fix.
PS - to clarify some potential confusion about Australian Politics. Our parliament is based on the Westminster system. Our current government is called the Liberal party and they have conservative policies. The opposition is called the Labor party and they have liberal policies. Confused? Good
So how much of the problem is the hardheadedness of tribalism, how much of the problem is the unwillingness of modern society to help advance the indigenous?
As of 2/28/05: 101 pounds since December 7, 2004 OFFICIAL THREE-MONTH COUNT: 112 pounds on March 9, 2005 OFFICIAL SIX-MONTH COUNT: 142 pounds on June 8, 2005 OFFICIAL ONE YEAR COUNT: 187 pounds on December 7, 2005 As of 2/27/06: 202 pounds "I've lost a heavyweight" As of 7/31/06: 224 pounds
Probably a little from column A and a little from column B.
Many of the tribes do not get on at all. Add alcohol = violence. Also, as stated in the article, some time ago much land was "given back" by the government. What isn't stated is that if government, industry or leasehold farmers utilise this land, then that attracts royalties to be paid to the owners. Now for some tribes, this is a significant amount of regular income. Where tribal leadership is strong and committed it can be OK, but I've heard many stories about elders being bashed by their families for grog money.
For mine, there is also a significant gap between where the indigenous are, and where you have to be to take advantage of schemes but in place by government and modern society. For example if the parents don't work, dad's always drunk and beats up mum and kids. Mum turns the odd trick to get money for the kids food and booze for herself, chances are that it's not an ideal study environment for the kids. They'll probably leave school at age 15, which is the age where government can no longer force kids to go to school, barely literate onto a life of violence, substance abuse and probably gaol. Certainly not in a position to take advantage of targeted university entrance of job placement where a lot of the attention has previously been focussed. So what to you do? Does the state take away these kids? Then we're back to the stolen generation.
One bright light recently has been sport. Australian aboriginals generally make freakish Australian football and Rugby League players. In the premier Australian Football League, I think its a total of 63 from 608 players are now indigenous, which is a record high. The young kids all have their heroes, Byron Pickett, Leon Davis, Buddy Franklin, etc. and reports are showing that kids wanting to play league footy like their heroes are more accessible to programs and are keeping themselves clean.
Originally posted by Big GOne bright light recently has been sport.
Anyone else drawing a parallel here with inner city American kids and sports?
As of 2/28/05: 101 pounds since December 7, 2004 OFFICIAL THREE-MONTH COUNT: 112 pounds on March 9, 2005 OFFICIAL SIX-MONTH COUNT: 142 pounds on June 8, 2005 OFFICIAL ONE YEAR COUNT: 187 pounds on December 7, 2005 As of 2/27/06: 202 pounds "I've lost a heavyweight" As of 7/31/06: 224 pounds
#
#
