In the West Australian newspaper of the weekend of 2 and 3 July 2016, Andrew Forrest made a plea for more widespread use of welfare monies being available through a card and not in cash. He cited locations where this has been tried and how the drug buying dropped and even one case where the major dealer left the area. It seems the women feel they have more control using this card such that their men cannot get the cash and go off and buy drugs and/or alcohol.
My pragmatic streak finds me agreeing with Mr Forrest. If his suggestion contributes to breaking the poverty cycle of indigenous communities where poverty abounds then well and good. My altruistic streak bemoans that it has come to this when in a democracy where individuals make choices within the law the freedom to have cash and spend it how one likes is denied.
Andrew Forrest also tries to employ indigenous persons with his capacity to make a difference in this area. As a retired educator who as part of his career visited almost every remote indigenous community in WA I worried on each visit about how much education we were really getting done. Low attendance rates were the worst feature with the teachers making enormous efforts to provide a relevant education culturally tweaked to be appropriate to the location. Even if we were winning on the struggle to sheet home the education I feared that for this who felt the ties of the community so strongly that they wanted to live out their lives at that location, what were they to do each day?
Of course they could hunt for traditional food as they used to in times gone by. They could teach their young the ways of the traditional culture including the local language. This would be ideal giving purpose to life each day. Unfortunately such ambitions were usually contaminated by the worst features of the non-indigenous society that had annexed the traditional lands. Poor food choices, poor health facilities, the scourge of alcohol and other drugs were mostly too strong and overpowered the desire to live the traditional life enhanced by the best that could be taken from the indigenous cultures.
Some communities adapted and have pastoral, mining and land care involvement and can be self sufficient and be free to make decisions about their lives. Unfortunately many communities do not have these situations and domestic violence, youth suicide and seriously high rates of incarceration exist.
The federal parliament of our country needs a direct avenue whereby they can listen to the communities, tune into their needs and suggest self determined solutions, then through bipartisan action work to put those solutions into place. This direct avenue is an honorary body of revered indigenous leaders from the local areas meeting with the parliament at least twice per year. Normal parliamentary business would be suspended to provide a serious and respectful act of listening by the parliamentarians. They must be open minded and not expect one size fits all solutions. The revered leaders like the Dodson brothers, Noel Pearson, Rosalie Kunoth-Monks are the great persons of whom I write. They are the Philosopher Kings and Queens of our diverse indigenous nation and as in Plato's day are to be listened to with respect and reverence.
I am like a cracked record on this matter and will continue to push for this group as described. We see signs of such in the group reviewing and commenting on constitutional recognition for indigenous persons.
I am a technological novice who doesn't know how to work the hustings to get support for my suggestion. I am aware of Facebook and Twitter but am nervous about committing to these social media behomoths. There are smart technical savvy people out there who could lead the way.
GD
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