For Genuine Partnerships to Overcome Disadvantage

4 February 2005

Dear Parliamentarian

Please accept this small calendar with our compliments.

We hope that the naturalness and grace of these children will appeal to you. They aren’t responsible for the past and the present that bedevils their future in northern Australia.

But what’s the future for Victorian Aboriginal kids?

Research statistics continue to show no consistent improvement in the well-being of Indigenous Australians, and a similar failure to reduce the alarming disparity between the lives of Indigenous and non-indigenous Australians. These facts apply to Victoria’s Indigenous population too. On a majority of indicators – in health, housing, education and employment - their disadvantage is similar to, or worse than, that for the national Indigenous population.

The Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Gavin Jennings, in his statement to Parliament on 16 September 2004 linked the social well-being of Indigenous people to their "historical fate", and re-iterated the Government’s commitment to healing "the hurt of past injustices" and addressing "the dispossession and disadvantage experienced by Indigenous people."

At ANTaR Victoria we agree that Indigenous Victorians’ cultural and spiritual needs, and historical experience (including family dispersal, loss of land and resources) impact on practical outcomes for them today.

But, while we commend the Minister for his 2004 program of wide consultation with Indigenous Victorians, and the Constitutional changes made, the Bracks Government remains long on words, and far too slow to implement most plans.

Yes, the Yorta Yorta people are involved in real decision-making, but the Wotjobaluck land use agreement remains unimplemented. Yes, the Koorie courts show real promise, but when will we see the new Cultural Heritage legislation, and the budgeted Land and Resources development Strategy at work?

The Minister supports “genuine partnerships” with Aboriginal Victorians, but Shepparton region’s COAG pilot, whole-of-government initiative has failed to ensure the partners met on equal terms, and to extend genuine responsibility to Indigenous people. Such whole-of –government programs require Ministers’ involvement beyond the launch publicity.

With vacation time behind us, we appeal to you to work in Parliament this year for Indigenous Victorian kids!

Jill Webb

Chairperson

ANTaR Victoria

References

Monitoring ‘Practical’ Reconciliation: Evidence from the Reconciliation Decade 1991 - 2001, Hunter & Altman, ANU 2003 P. 14 - 18.

Social Justice Report 2003 , Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner, P. 17.

Overcoming Indigenous Disadvantage: Key Indicators 2003 Report by the Steering Committee for the Review of Government Service Provision – Analysis of Victorian Content by the Victorian State Office, ATSIS, May 2004.