It is heartening to learn that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner Tom Calma is more hopeful about Indigenous affairs.
When he launched this year's Social Justice and Native Title reports, he cited the Government's decision to recognise the UN declaration on the rights of Indigenous peoples, the establishment of a national healing body, and Kevin Rudd's apology as grounds to hope that the lives of Indigenous Australians will improve.
But Mr Calma also warned that the current dire economic climate could stall progress, especially in the unemployment of Indigenous people.
The Budget will show how determined the Government is to 'close the gap' between Indigenous Australians and the rest of the population. Although there have been many leaks about Budget items and warnings that some previous commitments may have to be cut or abandoned, I have seen none referring to Indigenous affairs.
Any budget cuts must exclude items aimed at improving conditions for Indigenous Australians. They live in extreme inequality and with a legion of needs, all of great urgency. Among them health, education, and housing require attention of heroic proportions.
The first Rudd Government Budget included increased funding of $250 million, and a commitment to increases totalling more than $1 billion over five years. New measures aim to improve areas where 'the gap' is wide. (The Greens and others have questioned the disproportionate allocation of funds to continuing the Intervention.)
Education is a priority because it falls within at least three of the Rudd Government's major foci: the Government is committed to 'close the gap', to tackle the educational disadvantage of Indigenous Australians as a key goal of its Education Revolution, and to promote social inclusion.
Funding was needed to meet these goals in education. Among other measures it was given to increase the number of teachers, to develop programs to improve literacy and numeracy, and to build three new Indigenous boarding facilities in the Northern Territory.
Although it is too soon to assess the effects of these measures, the task is immense. Government ministers and many others have named goals, there is much good will, but to close the gap will require innovation and hard work on many fronts simultaneously.
Many prominent Indigenous spokespeople are shining examples of educational achievement. Perhaps careful study of the trajectories of these high achievers may provide useful models for educational success.
Professor Mick Dodson has issued a challenge, that 'every Australian child next Australia Day be geared up for