Suicide in the Kimberleys of Western Australia

Another report of 13 suicides of indigenous youth in the Kimberley region.  One who took their  life was age 10.  This still occurring after many inquests and reports over the years into this very problem.

Come on indigenous leaders I believe you can reduce this scourge on your people.  This is a crucial issue for self determination to come strongly into play.

Youth suicide happens in the non indigenous population so don't feel that the focus is especially on the indigenous communities.  It is an issue for you, so whatever has happened to indigenous people since 1788, while exceptionally relevant, the reality today is desperate youth taking their own lives : your youth.

(See Clarke Tim, "Answers sought over suicides",  The West Australian, 27 June 2017, p16)

If you or someone you know is thinking about suicide phone Lifeline on 13 11 14.

May the Force be with you!


GD

The Northern territory intervention has its 10th anniversary

Ten years ago the Federal conservative Australian government took over 73 aboriginal communities suspending land rights legislation in order to do so.  Their reason was the evidence of appalling abuse of children in this communities.  It was about saving children, about giving then security and not having to live in fear of abuse.  The Labor Federal government that followed agreed with the intervention and continued it.

Today on TV there is a call by aboriginal communities for an apology from the current Federal government for this intervention.  The cry is that the intervention had over ridden self determination for the Aboriginal peoples of Australia.  I am a great believer in the self determination argument and am mortified to hear 10 years down the track that reported child abuse has doubled despite the intervention.  A note of caution is that the intervention may have triggered more reporting of abuse but the lack of overall success of the intervention stands.

The intervention also saw less houses available as more old ones were pulled down than new ones built.

Another aspect of the intervention was the taking over of the government social security payments such that they were not to be in cash but quarantined in a welfare card to stop spending on alcohol and drugs instead of the essentials for living.  The jury is out on the success of the welfare card but it is now applied to non aboriginal as well as aboriginal communities and many swear by its positive effects.  However the welfare card system caused some aborigines to lose their work for the dole jobs.

Standing back 10 years down the track any thinking human has to support activity that stops children being abused aboriginal or non aboriginal.  Maybe a brief and temporary intervention would have been better to allow a stronger self determination to take its place.  Very complicated.

Even with my support for self determination by the aboriginal people I don't think anything is to be achieved by the I told you so approach of a government apology.  This is especially the case as we wait for the aboriginal referendum decision that if not watered down constitutionally supports self determination.  We should be impatient for this and at the same time aboriginal communities should be doing everything they can to nurture their children in a safe and happy environment as should also non aboriginal persons.

May the Force be with us for understanding and tolerance!

GD


25 June 2017

Today nn TV I heard a young female aboriginal community worker from Alice Springs in central Australia speak positively about the effects of the intervention particularly from the point of view of women, children and those men who resist violent behaviour in their communities.  She felt it raised awareness and resulted in aboriginal communities working to eliminate violence in aboriginal communities.


May the Force be with all aboriginal Australians!


GD

Makarata - a Treaty or Treaties

On the Q&A program last night we heard from a distinguished panel of indigenous persons about the outcomes of the Uluru discussions.

The key first step is to put to the Referendum Committee the proposal for a voice in the federal parliament with the body carrying that voice to be enshrined in the Constitution.  This body is to be consulted by the government of the day on any legislative matters pertaining to indigenous Australians.  The Referendum Committee will make the detailed recommendation to the government about the structure and functions of the Voice body.

The next step is to look at the idea of a Treaty or Treaties.  It seems that the latter is the likely recommendation such that a Treaty will be negotiated with each of the indigenous nations within Australia.  We were reminded of the major land rights decision for the Noongar peoples of the South West of WA as negotiated with the Western Australian government as a sort of model for this Treaty process.  The difficulty it was felt would be to identify the various indigenous nations especially those which disappeared as such over the years.

As the Q&A TV show progressed I was surprisingly taken aback by the complications of the whole situation.  I hope it is not so complicated that the Australian people as a whole will shrug and give up on what is a momentous occasion in our history.

May the Force be with us!


GD

Finding a way forward

It is hoped that the various groups representing indigenous Australians can find agreement on what they advise the Federal Government to do as a result of the Uluru gathering.

It is also hoped that the Federal government puts in place a mechanism whereby a body that truly represents the various groups of indigenous persons across our wonderful nation becomes a powerful voice in advising the government of the day on indigenous affairs.

Across Australia there are so many great indigenous leaders who can represent the various indigenous groups.  I regard these indigenous leaders as the Philosopher Queens and Kings of their peoples.  I dream of a body that comes together as honorary members of the Federal House of Representatives to advise the government of the day on indigenous self-determined directions when indigenous affairs are on the table. Some of these leaders may already be parliamentarians and this is even better.

Any decisions by the parliament must be bipartisan as this area of concern is no place for party politics.

Over the next 5 years if we don't see marked change to 'reduce the gap' then we have failed once again as a nation.


May the Force be with us in moving forward!


GD

Recommendations from ULURU

It appears that those present at Uluru found that practical matters needing to be dealt with are more important than constitutional recognition of Australia's indigenous peoples.

Good on them!  This is a self-determined position and self determination is the ideal way to go. We wait now to see what the Federal Government will do in respect of the recommendations.

A watershed time for all Australians.


May the Force be with Australians all!



GD

Uluru and the Australian Constitution

The big Uluru meeting of a wide representation of indigenous Australians about recognition of Australia's First Peoples is almost upon us.  Today I saw Andrew Forrest and Jack Thompson, two champions of the cause of the rights of indigenous Australians, beseech the participants to speak as one during this momentous meeting so that the referendum on recognition can happen with a positive outcome.  They were confident the referendum will be carried in the affirmative for recognition and so am I.  There would be only a small minority of Australians who would vote against this outcome and hopefully this small minority represent those who have not taken the time to follow the progress towards this referendum.

May the Force be with all Australians on this watershed historical occasion.


GD

Northern Territory petrol sniffing crisis

It was reported on the TV news today that there is a serious aviation fuel sniffing problem with some 70 indigenous youth in Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory (NT).  The local adults are on to it and measures have been taken to stop access to the fuel.  I am sure the responsible adults will now look to the underlying cause(s) for such behaviour and take remedial steps.  Sadly the sniffing has led to high levels of lead in the bodies of the perpetrators as aviation fuel contains lead.

Unfortunately the TV footage shows young indigenous persons in the dark of night milking the aviation fuel from charter aircraft parked at the local airport run by the Aboriginal community.  The NT government has now provided security personnel and a guard dog and it is reported that this has stopped the nightly incursions.  The cost of this is some $70,000 per quarter.  A small price to pay to bring this situation under control.

It is all a very bad look for those northern communities and the critics of the behaviour of Aboriginal Australians will have a field day.  What they need to remember is that in communities all across Australia, indigenous and non indigenous, dozens of ice and meth users are using with drastic consequences for their physical and mental health.

I am very sad that the focus has once again been on indigenous communities, especially the remote ones whose continuing existence is often threatened for a set of complex reasons like governments refusing to continue to support essential infrastructure.

I urge my fellow Australians to keep a balanced view and not let such isolated incidents however serious get in the way of building a healthy respect for our indigenous brothers and sisters.


May the Force be with you!


GD