First published in Eureka Street on 7 July 2010.
NAIDOC week is about celebrating Aboriginal people, their cultures, history and achievements. The 2010 theme is 'Unsung Heroes — Closing the Gap by Leading the Way'. According to the NAIDOC website, this theme 'asserts Indigenous ownership of 'closing the gap'', including the life expectancy difference and other 'gaps' between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians.
It's true that achievements are being made in the arts, sport, education, employment and other areas, some undoubtedly facilitated by 'unsung heroes' at local and regional levels. But as far as 'closing the gap' goes, the trends overall are not encouraging. Indeed, it is impossible to focus entirely on celebration when considering the conditions prevailing among Indigenous Australians.
Last week an ostensibly positive report emerged of a study by Access Economics, which examined the status of the Aboriginal population in the Goulburn Valley. Their modelling suggests closing the gap in life expectancy, education and workforce participation would result in everyone in the region being $2260 better off in 20 years.
The report notes that the 'outcomes are predicated on the many facets of Aboriginal disadvantage that contribute to their poorer health and labour market outcomes being addressed'. It suggests the exercise 'could facilitate discussion about how much governments can afford to spend to alleviate Indigenous disadvantage'.
So, governments could justify investing in closing the gap by pointing to projected longer-term economic benefits. But at this stage it is all highly speculative, and rejoicing would be premature.
Minister for Indigenous Affairs, Jenny Macklin, meanwhile, has attempted to put a positive construction on the fact that, in the Northern Territory, reports of child abuse and neglect have more than doubled since the Intervention began. Macklin attributed the increase in reports to a greater police presence in remote communities, and to better relations between police and Aboriginal people.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner Mick Gooda concurred, but stressed the need for better support services for victims and for improvements in education and other areas — school attendance has not improved. On most measures, the Intervention offers little to applaud.
Minister Macklin has announced the extension of the income management scheme to non-Indigenous welfare recipients in the Northern Territory — dismissing questions raised by experts on its efficacy — having already extended it to selected areas outside the NT.
Many welfare recipients could benefit from assistance in managing their meagre incomes, but they remain poor, and eliminating