...Is the Australian government effectively making alterations within the Australian Legal System for the benefit of Indigenous Australians? Introduction The Indigenous Australian population consists of people of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander descent. Prior to European settlement in 1788, Australia was occupied by over 750, 000 Indigenous Australians who spoke 700 languages between them. However, the number of Indigenous people in Australia has transformed since the devastating impact the European settlers had on Australia’s indigenous Australians. They were exposed to new diseases and violent conflicts resulting in a significant number of deaths. Consequently, today Indigenous Australians make up only 2% of the entire Australian population. In 1788, the European colonists settled into Australia as James Cook enforced the doctrine of terra nullius because he believed that it was, ‘no one’s land’ during his journey around Australia in 1770. The cultures of the Indigenous Australians have changed over the past 227 years, as the European colonists of Australia caused very prompt changes to the Aboriginal society and the ways in which they lived. Whilst a number of alterations have been made to the Australian Legal System for the benefit of the Indigenous Australians, they continue to fight to have their rights documented and acknowledged by the Government and the people of Australia. This paper will evaluate the arguments...
Words: 1814 - Pages: 8
...health of Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. There are limited similarities between these two policies, however many differences, including the involvement of the Indigenous community in the creation and management of the policies and the aims of the policies; the effectiveness of these policies has been attributed to the level of involvement within the Indigenous community. The Northern Territory Emergency Response The Northern Territory Intervention was implemented in June 2007 in order to protect Aboriginal children from sexual abuse; this involved heavy regulation of the community member’s lives, and many people did not approve. The Intervention program was initiated in response to allegations of sexual abuse in Aboriginal communities during August 2006; this prompted an enquiry into methods to protect children, and on the 15th of June 2007, the “Little Children are Sacred” report was released (Calma, 2008). Following this, the federal government created a policy in the Northern Territory on the 23rd June 2007 called the Northern Territory Emergency Response, also labelled as “The Intervention” (Calma, 2008). The changes that were implemented in this Intervention policy include the removal of the permit system for access to Indigenous land, 50% of welfare payments were confined, the abolishment of government-funded Community Development Employment Projects, Aboriginal children were subjected to language changes in schools, the government expected Indigenous people...
Words: 2287 - Pages: 10
...Belonging This essay discusses defines belonging. It identifies some elements of belonging, and focuses on selected few. It discussed concept of belonging from my perspective and looks at the significant of that from Aboriginals perspective based on research. It gives a brief history of the cruel nature of colonisation, its impact on Aboriginals and how this colonial mentality is perpetuated through discrimination to the Indigenous Australian disadvantage. It states why the policy introduced by the government does not sound promising, what the Aboriginals wants and human rights implications in the issues facing the Aboriginals. Definition of belonging Belonging is the connection and relationship of individual with the world around him/her. (Jacques Dufresne….) Even though belonging has physical components, it can be felt individually, and develops to diverse stages with time and circumstances. This means that human state of belonging is not permanent. The status of belonging can be explicated by the choices that people make. The concept of belonging Analysing and reviewing sense of belonging I approached it by applying to my own being-that I belong to a family, my mother and fatherland, an ethnic/cultural group, a religious, professional and community groups. Within these groups I have forged good relations. The thrives that keep this profound affiliation going for me is the values we share, that include honesty, caring, sharing, participation, inclusion and respect...
Words: 4541 - Pages: 19
...The Australian legal system has not given the first land owners fair and just human rights but recently Indigenous Australian customary laws have started to be acknowledged. When the British Empire colonised Australia, the sovereignty of Native Australians were not recognised (Mabo v Queensland [1992]). Along with land rights, their right to hunt and fish have also been restricted which could account for the overrepresentation of Indigenous Australians in prison. “[Their] right to pursue a traditional lifestyle, a right recognised by the Commission’s Term of Reference, [which] implies a right to use the land to forage and gather food for consumption,” (Recognition of Aboriginal Customary Laws, 1986) has been overlooked. Aboriginal Australians...
Words: 1486 - Pages: 6
...This assessment focuses on the issue of Hotel Laeta’s corporate social responsibility and its duty of care towards the Indigenous Australian people. Background Aboriginals Australians are technically the first people who lived in Australia. Australian Aboriginals were basically the hunters who used to eat the animals they caught and were also considered as gatherers of plants which could be eaten. Some of these groups then settled on the islands and are now called as Torres Strait Islander People. 1. Foundational Aspects of Indigenous Australian Cultures (the dreaming and economic organisation) The term dreaming is a spiritual or a regional perception which not only goes back to the creation of the events but it also grasps the present...
Words: 1557 - Pages: 7
...colonisation of Australia, many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are wary of white institutions and social welfare’ (Chenoweth & McAuliffe 2012, p.274). Identify and discuss one or two of the historical events that have impacted on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and how the effects can be seen today. This paper aims to discuss how the assimilation policy and forced separation of Indigenous children from their families and culture has affected the mental health and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. A significant undertone of the assimilation policy is racial discrimination (Haebich 2001), which is an additional theme explored in this discussion. Racial discrimination is built on a belief of superiority that one race is better than the other (Khalafzai 2009, p.10), which is relevant to the actions of the assimilation policy; the Aboriginal culture was devalued and considered barbaric and inappropriate to the modern colonist nation (Haebich 2001). Victims of the forced separation suffered severe psychological consequences (Petchkovsky et al. 2004), which to this day, haunt and affect the lives of many Indigenous Australians (Koolmatrie & Williams 2000). Furthermore, remnants of the past are still seen present time, through the discriminating treatment of Indigenous Australians, adversely impacting on their health, mentally and physically (Khalafzai 2009, pp.10-11). The forced removal of Aboriginal children from their families...
Words: 2088 - Pages: 9
...that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have a much lower life expectancy than the general Australian population. Indigenous Australians born in the period 1996-2001 are estimated to have a life expectancy at birth of 59.4 years for males, and 64.8 years for females. This is approximately 16-17 years less than the overall Australian population born over the same period. (AIWH, 2011) The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (2011) has identified narrowing this differential in life expectancy as a priority in health policy. Primary health care is based on the central premise that prevention is better than cure. The primary health care sector is the most vital in early detection of disease and its risk factors, and preventing disease complications, thus minimizing the cost of health care provisions downstream. (Couzos & Murray, 2008, p29) Sutherland and St George Hospitals are working hard with the local Aboriginal community to promote and improve the health of Indigenous people. The Aboriginal Early Childhood Service – operating out of Menai – is available to mothers (Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal) of Aboriginal children from birth to five years of age. The service announced, by Maxine Brennan (2011) is called Narrangy-Booris, meaning ‘Little Children’ in the local Dharawal language. Since the commencement of the service 12 months ago, Narrangy-Booris has made exceptional inroads in ‘closing the gap’ to health services by helping connect Aboriginal families...
Words: 2403 - Pages: 10
...difficult to disagree that for one of the smaller representing populations in Australia, Indigenous Australians are at disadvantage in many areas. Areas ranging from employment, housing, justice and education among many more. There have been innumerable efforts at overcoming the disadvantages Aboriginal people have to face. For the purposes of this Essay, literature will be discussed in addressing the social inequality and disadvantage of indigenous people in relation to refining the gap in life expectancy (as a social-economic indicator) and what essential elements need to be considered for the process to work successfully. There are contending ideas in relevant literature as to what is the cause for the life expectancy gap between Indigenous and non-indigenous Australians, which also gives dissimilar arguments as to how to address the issue, with one side taking a view of longevity and the other a holistic method. It is argued that Indigenous Australians health inequalities could be narrowed with the improvement of the differences in health service access, provision and use. As the inabilities gain adequate health care due to, distance, cultural and availability barriers, thus leading to indigenous health problems being constant and prolonged (Healey 2002). However Eades of the of the Indigenous health research unit (2000, p.468) argues ‘that a complete tactic to improving the health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders involves understanding the close relationships between...
Words: 1446 - Pages: 6
...Gurindji house servants, stockmen and their families at Wave Hill cattle station in the Northern Territory on August 1966. The Aboriginal pastoral workers first conveyed their misery with the poor working conditions and the disrespectful treatment. The next year the group moved to a significance place to the Gurindji people, Wattie Creek. Vincent Lingiari and Mick Rangiari asked Frank Hardy to make a sign which had the word “Gurindji” across it. This showed that their animosity was much deeper than the wages and working conditions. Despite that these people could not read, they understood the significance and power of the sign. 1967 – Referendum On the 27th of May 1967, the Holt Government approved two modifications to the Australian constitution associating to the Indigenous Australians. Australians voted to change the constitution to permit the commonwealth to construct respectful laws for the Indigenous people anywhere they lived in Australia. It also allowed them to include Aboriginal people and incorporate them in the national census. The results for the referendum vote was 94 per cent of Australians voted a strong yes, with an outstanding majority of votes in all 6...
Words: 1226 - Pages: 5
...outbreak. Unfortunately the Indigenous Australians were not able to quarantine the European colonists arriving on the first fleet in 1788 and there was no immunisation injections available to protect them from the colds, flus and other infectious disease that arrived with the colonist. In 2015 there are vaccines available to assist people develop a stronger immune system to help prevent some disease and medical technology has progress and people can now live longer than they ever had before. Unfortunately there is still a gap between the life expectancy of an Aboriginal Australian and a non-Aboriginal Australian. In 2010-2012 the average life expectancy for Indigenous Australian male and females were 69.1 and 73.7 while for non-indigenous Australians it was higher, 79.7 for males and 83.1 for females (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2013). This is similar in other indigenous cultures across the world, the United Nations declaration on the rights of Indigenous Peoples makes mention of the health of Indigenous Peoples right to health care “Indigenous individuals have an equal right to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health. States shall take the necessary steps with a view to achieving progressively the full realization of this right” (United Nations, 2007). What is the Australian government doing to assist the Indigenous Australian population to achieve and attain a longer life expectancy like the non-indigenous population? In 2008 the Council...
Words: 910 - Pages: 4
...what it means to have ‘good health.’ One community group whose culture strongly impacts on individual’s perception of illness and health is the Australian Aboriginal community. Aboriginal Australians have a shorter life expectancy than others (ABS 2008, Shaouli et al 2011) which threatens Aboriginal culture as ‘elders’are the transmitters of Aboriginal culture. Aboriginal people experience worse health and more disease with the latter being three times more than that for the total Australian population (NATSIS 2008 cited by ABS 2008). Culture is one of the many social determinants of health and affects health (Carson, Dunbar, Chenhall and Bailie, 2007). Some indigenous people are fatalistic about their health (Thackrah and Scott 2011) although most can access medical help when needed providing they trusted their medical practitioners (ABS 2008, DATSIPD 2009). Other obstacles include language, lack of public transport and telecommunications (Shaouli et al 2011). Therefore, the impact of culture on individuals’ health is crucial to investigate as Aboriginal culture impacts strongly on individuals’ health in the areas of remedies, causation and readiness to seek help when needed. However, before, one explores these issues they must first define what ‘health’ means to indigenous people from a cultural perspective. | Firstly, Aboriginal culture impacts strongly on individuals’ perception of health. According to...
Words: 1621 - Pages: 7
...Health of Indigenous Australians Name University Details Date of Submission Aboriginal and Torres Strait islanders in Australia suffers from poor health. The poor health is associated with poverty, malnutrition, overcrowding, poor hygiene, environmental contamination, and prevalent infections. Inadequate clinical care and health promotion, and poor disease prevention services aggravate this situation (Gracey & King, 2009). Indigenous Australian women have poor maternal health; higher rates of chronic diseases, poor nutrition and high level of urinary tract infection that contribute to pregnancy complications. Moreover, Mellor, et al., (2015) felt that, these people are facing a challenge to access primary health care because of distance and most of them live in remote areas. They also have a problem of chronic health conditions that require a range of services but not affordable. Lastly, culture contributes to poor access of healthcare services through language barrier; gender based cultural practices and ideals. The health burden among Indigenous people arises in non-remote areas since majority of them reside in non-remote areas (Vos, et al., 2009). Social and emotional wellbeing among indigenous Australians is demonstrated by a number of ways. They are traumatized by abuse, domestic violence family breakdown, cultural dislocation, racism and discrimination, rejection by family social disadvantages and drug and substance abuse. They also have psychological distress, a problem...
Words: 718 - Pages: 3
...Name Course Instructor Date of Submission The Great Divide Indigenous Health and Federal Government Policy Closing the Gap The ‘closing the gap’ is a strategy whose aims are to give a boost to the indigenous people life expectancy rates. This policy was made in reference to the sensitive areas of child mortality, life expectancy, early childhood education, achievements in education and the employment opportunities of the indigenous communities of Australia. It was endorsed by the Australian government in 2008 to close the formal gap between the indigenous communities of Australia and the ‘white’ communities and bring a sense of social justice to all communities in Australia; most especially boost the health system of the indigenous. The Council of Australian Governments (COAG), in the Closing the Gap initiative has set certain targets that seek to improve the healthcare system of the indigenous population. The targets of the ‘Closing the Gap’ initiative include: education, economic participation, early childhood, housing, health and remote service delivery. The subsequent achievement of this particular set system to cope with the problems facing the indigenous will hugely depend on an effective implementation of the set policy targets. This is because the set targets are as of today some of the common disadvantages that the indigenous people face (Ryan 2009). The government clearly understands the enormous task that faces...
Words: 2242 - Pages: 9
...The book ‘’Maybe Tomorrow’’ tells the story of Boori Monty Pryor. It describes the career path and life story of an Aboriginal in Australia. From being a model to eventually becoming a writer or like it is called in the aboriginal cultural, a storyteller. The book is not a typical biography, because it has been written as a one-way conversation between Boori and the reader. Personally I find this somewhat confusing; jumping from one topic to the other does not feel comfortable to read. What it definitely does deliver on is giving a better understanding about the aboriginal culture, the difficulties they face from white Australians in this country and how every person in this culture needs to adapt to the way of the ‘white men’. There are many consequences to this manifestation. For example, the fact that alcoholism and suicide is a common factor in the aboriginal culture. It is very sad that several aboriginals try to cope with the struggles they face by consuming excessive alcohol or taking their own life. This transpires very much so in Boori’s life. Three of his siblings committed suicide and alcoholism was around him when growing up. It is very unfortunate that the book does not describe the personal story of his siblings. It would have giving the book a different aspect of why his siblings would decide to take their own life. Boori gives a good description what the most likely reason was but only his siblings truly know. Nobody will ever know what their personal experiences...
Words: 1151 - Pages: 5
...existed two types of world, the majority and the indigenous minority. In the period following the Second World War, majority of Australians lived in a place where laws ensured order, having enough resources to have a sustainable standard of living. If they didn’t possess or had access to resources, the government benefits and services helped them. The other world was occupied by indigenous Australians whose ancestors had lived in Australia for more than 40 000 years. By the 1950s they lost their land and way of living, living on the edge of town rubbish dumps and sometimes earning money as fruit pickers. State laws didn’t give them any benefits, told where they were allowed to live, stole their children and also had control over who could they marry. Contact between the inhabitants of these worlds was little, the non-indigenous didn’t care or know about the sufferings of the minority. However, in the late 1950s, aboriginal disadvantages became aware in the eyes of some of the majority and what they could do to address it. They recognised the potential to form a grassroots reform movement to bring the rights and protection of Australian citizenship to the dispossessed aboriginal population. From the late 1950s, aboriginal and non-aboriginal activist came together to campaign for equal rights for indigenous Australians and to bring about the dismantle of laws which deprived the indigenous Australians of civil rights. The Australian civil rights movement held series of events before...
Words: 1394 - Pages: 6
