The WA State government is about to launch a new plan to assist regional remote indigenous communities to survive and prosper (See several relevant articles in the West Australian newspaper of 14 July 2016.).
The plan is a step away from the Barnett government's statement of some months ago that foreshadowed the closing down of many of the remote communities. This came as a result of the Federal government indicating that it would cease to fund the states for these communities to the tune of many millions of dollars.
The new plan is for some $200 million plus of state government money to be available over several years to assist communities in housing, education, jobs and health. Remote communities that want to survive must show that they have a high school attendance rate and at least one member of each of its families in a job in order to tap into this funding. The planners are using models from communities that already meet these sorts of criteria and hope that the model will be taken up by other communities. I fear that very remote communities will disappear.
Only time will tell if this plan works. Having visited almost every remote community in WA as an educator with the Education Department of WA I worry that the criterion of job availability may be very hard for some communities to meet. If a very remote community does not have access to job opportunities will it fail to survive? I feel for the old people who understandably cling to their land and don't want to see their community numbers depleted with the young moving off to find work.
Is there some way to transition the elders so that they don't become broken hearted if their community fails to survive as such? They have suffered enough from the cultural disruption of white settlement.
I can't even bring myself to think of a community shutting down and leaving the elders in limbo.
GD
Wednesday, July 13, 2016
Wednesday, July 6, 2016
NAIDOC WEEK
NAIDOC Week is here again. I watch with joy the various celebrations of indigenous culture. I trust it will be a good NAIDOC week for all indigenous Aussies and an informative one for all non-indigenous Aussies.
GD
GD
Saturday, July 2, 2016
Welfare card - no cash
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
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
Tuesday, June 28, 2016
Soaring Kimberley youth suicide rate
I am saddened to read the article: Chapman Murray, "Soaring Kimberley youth suicide rate demands attention," The West Australian, 28 June 2016, p19. To quote:
"Rates of indigenous suicide in the Kimberley over the past 10 years were seven times the national average." The national rate is 12 suicides per 100,000 people while rates in the Kimberley are 74 people per 100,000.
Professor Chapman indicates that "Indigenous suicide may be considered one of the 'downstream effects of the processes involved in colonisation followed by further cultural disruption in the wake of the efforts to recolonise." Against this scenario he writes: "....suicide appears to have been unknown in traditional indigenous society." He cites indigenous youth being the group most at risk. On top of this Professor Chapman indicates high rates of suicidality behaviours such as self harm among indigenous populations at 10 times those experienced by the non-indigenous population.
To read this on the eve of a Federal election almost devoid of any voiced commitments to indigenous affairs is a dreadful irony. Bill Shorten did indicate that he is proud that there are more indigenous Labor candidates for this election than ever before. If elected they face a massive challenge to address problems such as Professor Chapman's article reveals.
I still hold to my position that the Federal Parliament should have an honorary body of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander prominent persons representing the various indigenous communities across Australia. These leaders should be allowed to sit with the House of Representatives at least twice each year and be able to state their problems to the whole parliament which must listen then act in a bipartisan way. The normal business of the House would be suspended for the period of these meetings as a sign of respect that the whole nation is listening and is prepared to act together to right the wrongs for indigenous Australians. I ask for such a revered group with its members not restricted by political party affiliations even though some of its members might happen to be elected state or federal politicians for example Pat Dodson a senator in the WA upper house. These respected persons are the Philosopher Kings and Queens of their people and parliament must listen.
My plan is radical but nothing ventured nothing gained. We are not winning at the moment and indigenous persons are dying by their own hand or earlier than would be expected and indigenous youth is being incarcerated at an alarming rate. We must get the local community views directly into the parliament not have them filtered/trickled in through layers of people.
Help me gather momentum for what I have suggested.
GD
"Rates of indigenous suicide in the Kimberley over the past 10 years were seven times the national average." The national rate is 12 suicides per 100,000 people while rates in the Kimberley are 74 people per 100,000.
Professor Chapman indicates that "Indigenous suicide may be considered one of the 'downstream effects of the processes involved in colonisation followed by further cultural disruption in the wake of the efforts to recolonise." Against this scenario he writes: "....suicide appears to have been unknown in traditional indigenous society." He cites indigenous youth being the group most at risk. On top of this Professor Chapman indicates high rates of suicidality behaviours such as self harm among indigenous populations at 10 times those experienced by the non-indigenous population.
To read this on the eve of a Federal election almost devoid of any voiced commitments to indigenous affairs is a dreadful irony. Bill Shorten did indicate that he is proud that there are more indigenous Labor candidates for this election than ever before. If elected they face a massive challenge to address problems such as Professor Chapman's article reveals.
I still hold to my position that the Federal Parliament should have an honorary body of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander prominent persons representing the various indigenous communities across Australia. These leaders should be allowed to sit with the House of Representatives at least twice each year and be able to state their problems to the whole parliament which must listen then act in a bipartisan way. The normal business of the House would be suspended for the period of these meetings as a sign of respect that the whole nation is listening and is prepared to act together to right the wrongs for indigenous Australians. I ask for such a revered group with its members not restricted by political party affiliations even though some of its members might happen to be elected state or federal politicians for example Pat Dodson a senator in the WA upper house. These respected persons are the Philosopher Kings and Queens of their people and parliament must listen.
My plan is radical but nothing ventured nothing gained. We are not winning at the moment and indigenous persons are dying by their own hand or earlier than would be expected and indigenous youth is being incarcerated at an alarming rate. We must get the local community views directly into the parliament not have them filtered/trickled in through layers of people.
Help me gather momentum for what I have suggested.
GD
Sunday, June 26, 2016
Sydney : 1788/2016
More poetry. Another sonnet. I can't help myself and once again apologies to all good poets.
Sydney
: 1788/2016
Wind sighing in
that quiet green place
|
Waves lapping on
white sand shore
|
Tribes living free
by ancient law
|
Furtive dark
eyes from craggy face
|
Peer bemused at
that urgent race
|
That grunts and
pulls as it seeks ever more
|
From that unblemished
pristine shore
|
I am silent,
still, as a city gathers pace
|
The bridge, the
bustle, about to gush
|
White, brown and
black for life do claw
|
Towards their
goals amid the rush
|
Of the awakening
giant with greedy maw
|
Hopes won, hopes
dashed in the selfish push
|
For
understanding, love, amid traffic’s roar
Enough already!
GD
|
Wednesday, June 22, 2016
1788
I humbly offer this sonnet I penned some time ago with apologies to all good poets:
Australia Day - The Terra Nullius Excuse
Webs
shimmering in the dewy morning air
Wisps
of smoke from dwindled fires
Bird
calls from leafy lofty spires
He
stands tall, lean, one-legged there
On
rocky headland salt-sprayed bare
What
strange craft on sea swell mires
The
calmness of these homeland shires
They
come these harbingers of despair
Strange
ways and customs do they bring
Taking
anything and all they need
No
talk or bargain was there made
They
must away their death we sing
Tithing our land with evil greed
Mysterious arrogant force displayed
Enough already!
GD
Tuesday, June 14, 2016
A Treaty
Heard Bill Shorten say today that he would support a Treaty once the constitutional recognition of Australia's First Peoples has occurred.
This is good news but the bad news is the fighting and unrest in the Aurukun community in the north east of Queensland. The teachers have been pulled out and the schooling has gone over to distance education offerings. A report stated: "Twenty-five teachers and staff are leaving Aurukun after the principal of Noel Pearson's Cape York Academy had his car stolen by a group of youths, one who was brandishing an axe." It's a major worry.
GD
This is good news but the bad news is the fighting and unrest in the Aurukun community in the north east of Queensland. The teachers have been pulled out and the schooling has gone over to distance education offerings. A report stated: "Twenty-five teachers and staff are leaving Aurukun after the principal of Noel Pearson's Cape York Academy had his car stolen by a group of youths, one who was brandishing an axe." It's a major worry.
GD
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