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Category Archives: Indigenous issues

Symbolism triumphs over substance in attacks on NT intervention report

October 14, 2008 – 12:31 pm

The report from independent review of the federal Intervention into Northern Territory Aboriginal communities is being attacked before the ink is dry.  Yet almost all the attacks seem to be ignoring the evidence about what has been happening on the ground, and the views of the people that live there, instead treating policies such as [...]

By Andrew Bartlett | Tagged | Comments (2)

Will Indigenous communities see any of the 'Building Australia' Fund?

October 5, 2008 – 11:10 am

The federal government has indicated they are looking at spending up to twenty billion dollars, currently sitting in a bucket labelled “The Building Australia Fund”, to assist in combating the looming economic downturn.  The notion of pump priming the economy for this purpose is reasonable enough in theory.  However, there are plenty of reasons to justify [...]

By Andrew Bartlett | Also posted in economic issues | Tagged , | Comments (5)

What's in it for me? The self-interested reasons for spending more on Indigenous health

September 30, 2008 – 10:45 am

There is an old saying, attributed to former NSW Labor Premier and firebrand Jack Lang, that a politician should always back the horse called self-interest, as it will be the only one really trying. This quote is often used to portray politics as an activity that is ultimately driven by cynicism, but it can also [...]

By Andrew Bartlett | Tagged | Comments (2)