Indigenous Communities and Australian Government Policies

The essay explores the historical context of indigenous Australians, including their treatment as inferior by non-indigenous communities before 1967. It examines how government policies and laws have improved their conditions, rights, and participation in decision-making. The essay also discusses the establishment of community-controlled organizations and the reduction of racial discrimination.

INTRODUCTION
Indigenous Australians are the people and communities of Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander people living in Australia. Indigenous Australians are perceived as a part of Australoid
race and there are significant differences in social, culture and linguistic customs of indigenous
communities. Due to difference in skin, culture and language, aboriginal people living in
Australia faced ample of difficulties and racial discriminations. Due to which there population
within the country kept on decreasing. Though, government of Australia formulated and
implemented various policies in order to provide protection and preservation to them. In this
context, the following essay will focus on the core policies and regulations the government of
Australia formulated in order to enhance protection and boost up their motivation. The position
of indigenous Australians will be assessed in this assignment and eventually the similarities and
difference evident in goals, position of Indigenous Australians and implied relationship between
Indigenous Australians and wider Australian society will be assessed in this assignment.
MAIN BODY
Almost from the beginning of colonisation, Aboriginal populations were devastated by
introduced diseases and the loss of land and livelihood. Despite the high loss of life and
widespread ill health, little was done to provide medical aid. It was not until 1837 that a policy of
“protection” was enacted, after decades of frontier violence. Before 1967, the policies developed
by Australian government for Aboriginal and Indigenous people were not efficient. In 1909 to
1920, many acts and policies such as NSW Aborigines Act, The Victorian Aborigines Act, The
Aborigines Protection Board Act and The Northern Territory Aboriginal Ordinance Act has been
passed in order to provide protection and basic amenities to community of Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander Community. Though these acts and policies were not robust as throughout this era
the prevailing attitude was that Aboriginal peoples were inferior to white races and would
unavoidably die out. Non indigenous Australians does not treat the Aboriginal communities well
and often practice racial discrimination at work place or in society. This degrades the value of
Aboriginal communities. Furthermore, the governmental interventions were not adequate in this
period as basic amenities such as food, shelter, employment, eduction and health were not
adequately provided to people of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
The Australian referendum of 27 May 1967, called by the Holt Government, approved
two amendments to the Australian constitution relating to Indigenous Australians. More than 95
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per cent of Australians voters agreed to consider Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to
count them in census. As the federal constitution proposed in 1900 stated that Aboriginal would
not be counted in any state or federal census. Thus, in order to protect the indigenous rights, non
indigenous Australians protests and asked for referendum for indigenous rights in Australia. In
1969, Aborigines Welfare Board in NSW is abolished. By 1969 all states have repealed the
legislation allowing for the removal of Aboriginal children under the policy of ‘protection’.
Many Aboriginal Child Care agencies have been established in order to protect children of
indigenous people from slavery. In 1972, Aboriginal Heritage Protection Act has initiated in
Western Australia. In similar trends, many acts such as Aboriginal Land Rights Act 1976,
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission Act 1989, Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act
2003 (Qld), etc. has proposed by Australian Government in order to enhance the protection and
preservation of Australian indigenous communities. The relationship between indigenous and
non indigenous Australians been significantly improved. Earlier where indigenous people were
not allowed in non indigenous societies, now people of aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders are
working in many small and large scale multinational organisations. Non indigenous communities
are respecting the thoughts, beliefs and culture of indigenous communities of Australia.
Aboriginal people have a unique position in Australian societies. Before the referendum
of 1967, non indigenous treated indigenous communities as inferior. They have not been
provided with any facilities such as access to health care, eduction and employment. Moreover,
the children of Aboriginal people were taken away by the government and given to foster
families in order to protect them. The children then were treated as slaves of foster families
which negatively affect their psychology. After 1967 referendum, the condition and position of
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people has drastically transformed. Due to abundance of
policies, laws, regulations and practices, the condition of indigenous communities are now
improving. Schools, employment, health facilities and other amenities has been provided to them
in order to enhance their protection and preservation. In organisations, many indigenous people
have been found on senior positions where they are allowed to take decisions. This implied that
the aboriginal people are now taking part in the society and cultural events along with non
indigenous people in order to create harmony and peace within the country. Organisations have
developed strict policies such as prohibiting racial discrimination within the organisation,
providing equal opportunities to employees, etc. so that Indigenous people can work within the
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organisation with full confidence and motivation. Before 1967, the condition of indigenous
communities was not good. They were not treated as Australians and faced many challenges and
adversities. During colonisation, Britishers practised ethnocide where they brutally murdered and
tortured indigenous people living in Australia. As an end result, the population of Aboriginal
people started decreasing and came to verge of extinction. In 1937, protection created way for
an official policy of “assimilation” especially of mixed race Aboriginal people. With this effect,
many indigenous people expected to live life like non indigenous Australians. Yet, the
discriminatory practices controlled some aspects of indigenous peoples lives. These practise
include inequality in wages, poor employment conditions, unfair treatment at workplace and
social welfare was not provided to the indigenous people. Since, 1970s many indigenous
communities developed their own organisation where they provide employment to their people
in order to raise their standards of living. These organisations include independent community
controlled health services, schools, etc. Australia is one of the biggest multi cultural country in
the world. Due to so many cultures exists in Australia, it is difficult to identify the specific
culture of country. The cultural norms in Australia dominates indigenous people before 1967.
Racial discrimination and cultural discrimination practices followed widely by non indigenous
dominant cultural norms. The differences in cultural norms affects the psychology of indigenous
communities. Since 1970, there has been significant transformations in Australian's cultural
norms and policies. Now indigenous communities and peoples can have specific rights to
celebrate their festival with non indigenous communities. From this it can be understood that the
cultural norms proposed by Australian government helps in constructing indigenous
communities. In order to enhance their motivation and reduce the issues faced by communities of
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, government of Australia have formulated various
policies and norms. The cultural difference between aboriginal and non indigenous people are
clearly attributable to poverty, unemployment and lack of education. The present and previous
government of Australia have formulated various norms and policies in order to enhance the
protection and preservation of Indigenous communities of Australia. Now the people of these
communities have rights to participate in decision making and are treated equally with non
indigenous communities. The conditions of indigenous population has been improving in the
country after 1967. The population is increasing due to effective norms, policies and legislations.
Since 1970, many indigenous communities established their own corporations in order to provide
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livelihood to their own community members. With effective organisational policies and laws,
cases of racial discrimination has been minimised and eliminated in most of the areas of
countries. Government have implemented various measures and allowed indigenous Australian
to take the podium so that they can feel more motivated. In order to enhance the harmony
between non-indigenous and indigenous Australians, government have developed polices and
procedures which are mandatory to be followed in the country.
CONCLUSION
In the above essay it was identified that the conditions of indigenous communities have
been significantly improved after 1967. It was further discovered that before the referendum of
1967, people of Aboriginal and Torres Islander were not counted in census. In this context, it
was identified that from the beginning of colonisation, Australian indigenous people were died
due to lack of health care, prolonged disease and murder. In the essay it was discovered that
Aboriginal people have a unique position in Australian societies. Before the referendum of 1967,
non indigenous treated indigenous communities as inferior. They have not been provided with
any facilities such as access to health care, eduction and employment. Thus, in the above essay,
the position of indigenous people have been identified from pre and post 1967.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
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