Advancing Reconciliation and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples' Rights

Sydney University Thursday 3 May 2001



1. What can be done to take the reconciliation process forward?

  • "To move forward we need to change the way people think, ie. attitudinal reform"
    i. To change the way non-indigenous Australians think about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. To make people understand the history and experiences of Indigenous Australians, to understand social problems in the context of a history of negative and damaging experiences.


  • "We need to make practical, legislative reform to improve the situation of Indigenous Australians"
    i. Native Title: returning land is a necessity as a matter of justice. It is both a practical and an incredibly important symbolic move. Practical in that it could provide a source of income and a sense of place to Indigenous communities, and symbolic in that it would acknowledge and attempt to make reparations for invasion, displacement and the denial of the existence of Indigenous Australians. (We acknowledge legal and administrative difficulties associated with handing back of land, yet consider it fundamentally important to move forward in this direction).
    ii. Health Provision: we need to work harder and commit more resources to providing more effective health care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples;
    iii. Employment: we need to promote employment opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples. Perhaps provide subsidies to employers (as with Keating Govt. subsidies for long-tern unemployed). ·

  • "We need to combine attitudinal and legislative reform."
    i. These two aspects of reform mutually reinforce each other. When one is lacking, the other may be rendered less effective or have unwanted side-effects. For example, policy changes which raise the minimum material condition of Aboriginal people, can lead to a "backlash" against perceived unfair benefits, and fuel racist sentiments - unless there are simultaneously strong campaigns to raise awareness of the seriousness of Aboriginal problems, and understanding of how these problems have come about, ie. primarily invasion and slaughter by the British, and subsequent marginalisation, dispossession and historical/cultural whitewashing.


    2. How could we achieve these goals?

  • Governments need to commit themselves to legislative reform;
  • Education reform: the education system needs to be more flexible for all Australians. In particular, we need to be more flexible about including Aboriginal languages, history, cultural studies in the curriculum; iii. Media Campaign: the Government could commit itself to promoting more positive relations between Australians, as they have done re. promoting a 'Multicultural Australia.' Governments use public campaigns to try to get people to stop drink-driving, to 'fight the war on drugs,' to prevent violence against women, etc. Why not start a campaign to promote partnerships between Indigenous and non-indigenous Australians, to foster greater understanding and appreciation between these groups? Get Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people together with other Australians - break down perceptions and prjudices. "…one significant, positive experience can change generations of prejudice…"




    3. Why do governments not take these steps?

    i. Electoral politics (ie. may not be an electorally popular mode of action) the government is bowing to a perceived prejudice in the community against Indigenous Australians and against reconciliation;
    ii. Legal repercussions (eg. Land claims, law suits, etc.)



    4. How could governments overcome these blocks?


    i. To overcome the electoral concerns, the Government could take a non-controversial approach to a media campaign. Highlighting the social, economic, historical, cultural disadvantage of Indigenous Australians, with a view to promoting understanding in the wider community and looking towards forming partnerships between Indigenous and non-indigenous Australians. Pushing the idea that we're all 'Aussie battlers," that we all have our obstacles to overcome. Highlighting the intersection and correlation of disadvantage as experienced by both Indigenous and non-indigenous Australians;
    ii. We did not discuss in detail how to overcome legal concerns.


    5. What about self-determination?


  • "What does self-determination mean?" Is it about customary law; being able to make decisions about the direction of funding for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples?

  • Can room be made within existing legal structures to be more flexible and accommodate customary law?

  • How does self-determination gel with globalism (ie. promoting heterogeneity within Australia in the context of an increasingly homogeneous world)?