Comments on: Closing the Gap between rhetoric and reality http://blogs.crikey.com.au/thestump/2009/04/02/closing-the-gap-between-rhetoric-and-reality/ The world of politics, policy and public life Fri, 20 Nov 2009 14:09:14 +1100 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: tilso http://blogs.crikey.com.au/thestump/2009/04/02/closing-the-gap-between-rhetoric-and-reality/#comment-512 tilso Fri, 03 Apr 2009 00:23:43 +0000 http://blogs.crikey.com.au/bartlett/?p=422#comment-512 The difference between success and failure of quarantining programs, alchohol prohibitions and 'rights' restricting programs is whether the order comes from a local Indigenous controlled authority, or a centralised 'top down' whitefella authority. If the prohibition is instigated by the community leaders, that decision has more legitimacy in the eyes of the community than if it comes from blow ins or outsiders, whose authority lacks legitimacy in the eyes of the colonised. My hope is that this new representative body being discussed by HREOC will have a multiplicity of jurisdictions with strong delegated powers to make binding decisions on local issues, and a weak peak body whose purpose is to front the media and lobby governments - but does not give them decision making power to avoid nepotism. Each community is different. No one size fits all approach as Rudd promised in his apology. The difference between success and failure of quarantining programs, alchohol prohibitions and ‘rights’ restricting programs is whether the order comes from a local Indigenous controlled authority, or a centralised ‘top down’ whitefella authority.

If the prohibition is instigated by the community leaders, that decision has more legitimacy in the eyes of the community than if it comes from blow ins or outsiders, whose authority lacks legitimacy in the eyes of the colonised.

My hope is that this new representative body being discussed by HREOC will have a multiplicity of jurisdictions with strong delegated powers to make binding decisions on local issues, and a weak peak body whose purpose is to front the media and lobby governments – but does not give them decision making power to avoid nepotism.

Each community is different. No one size fits all approach as Rudd promised in his apology.

]]> By: Jon Hunt http://blogs.crikey.com.au/thestump/2009/04/02/closing-the-gap-between-rhetoric-and-reality/#comment-511 Jon Hunt Thu, 02 Apr 2009 06:25:17 +0000 http://blogs.crikey.com.au/bartlett/?p=422#comment-511 I can't see how it can work. Governments have proven over and over they have no idea what to do about the problems in Aboriginal communities, yet they continue to refuse to involve the people most qualified to know. The communities themselves. I can’t see how it can work. Governments have proven over and over they have no idea what to do about the problems in Aboriginal communities, yet they continue to refuse to involve the people most qualified to know. The communities themselves.

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