Modern Colonialism in Australia: Imbalanced Power and Racial Discrimination

This article discusses modern colonialism in Australia, focusing on the imbalanced power and racial discrimination faced by the indigenous population in the country. It covers topics such as economic inequality, political representation, media bias, and workplace discrimination.

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INTRODUCTION
Notably, colonialism implies the subjugation of persons to other people .Colonialism
stems from, “colonus” whose latin translation is farmers (Stanford encyclopedia of philosophy
2006).In the recent past, claims have been made as the existence of modern forms of colonialism
in the Australian employment, education, social, political and economic spheres of life.
Primarily, colonialism in Australia has encompassed racism and power imbalances between the
non-indigenous and indigenous Australian groups of people. Sadly, there is proof of modern
colonialist practices in the modern Australian social, economic and political spheres of life.
Economically, less indigenous population are employed in senior management positions, low
wages for indigenous university staff, low scholarship funding for indigenous university
scholarships and homelessness .On the political front, few indigenous persons have been elected
to higher political positions in the country. Socially, most indigenous children grow away from
their parents non –consensually .All these factors go to show the imbalanced power, colonist and
racist practices facing the indigenous Australian population.
Notably, the Australian aboriginal population still face challenges not so different
from the past. The right to vote for the aboriginal population was accented to 5 decades ago.
Also, despite the various deadly massacres of the aboriginal community, most of them are never
remembered as national days of tragedy at all. Similar to the past, some aboriginal land is being
taken away from them thus a modern display of colonialism (Pearson 2016).In addition, most
aboriginal offspring are separated from their families at a young ages as the case was in the past.
The fact that most of the aboriginal children grow up away from the families like they did years
before independence goes to show unequal and racial profiling of the aboriginal population in
Australia. Also, despite the current consultations between the indigenous Australian population

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and the Turn ball administration as to recognition rights in the constitution of the
commonwealth, no tangible results came out of it(Daley 2017).It is believed that the consultation
did nothing more to improve the current indifferent treatment of the indigenous population thus a
show of modern colonialism. The fact that the indigenous Australian population do not actively
participate in the laws and institutions that determine their fate, is proof of a contemporary mode
of colonialism.
Unfortunately, there is racial discrimination and violence in Australia (McGlade
2017).Predominantly, migrants and indigenous Australian population are at the receiving end of
this racial violence and discrimination despite the laws and institution set up to address the
inequality. Racism refers to any forms of prejudistic, antagonistic or discriminative behavior by
virtue of belonging to a particular race. According to who watches the media report, 2017, 62 out
of 124 published opinion news were racially motivated (Ho 2017).This goes to show how race
plays a role in the media industry .Despite the Australia media laws that prohibit racial
considerations as the basis for new reporting, this has not prevented the violation of the media
code of conduct on racial content. Specifically ,racial based stories are aired on publications such
as the Australian ,Herald sun among other national broadcast platforms .Following the physical
assault of an Indian student in Australia, speculations rose as to the racial profile and
discrimination of international students in the country(Gandhi et.al 2011).The judicial process in
the Indian student case unraveled a racial link to the physical attacks which goes to show that
racism is still alive in the Australian education sectors towards foreign students by nature of their
race.
Also, it is alleged that Australian higher education laws are not favorable towards
indigenous learners and their support system (Liddle 2014).Particularly, indigenous learners and

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staff in higher education institutions comprise 2 percent of the total 3 percent nationally which
fact goes to show the inequality in enrolment and employment in Australian universities for
indigenous population. Also, despite the high living standards, the payment system for
indigenous workers in in universities has gone un-reviewed for years which is considered unfair
considering other labor force pays have increased over the years .Usually, fair labor practices
dictate that there be equal wage and salaries system among workers despite their racial, religious,
color or any other distinct characteristics .However, most aboriginals are the subject of lower
wages due to the fact that most of them are eligible for low paying jobs by virtue of limited
educational and other factors. Typically, non- indigenous Australian have better opportunities at
education and other social institutions which makes them better qualified for high paying jobs as
compared to indigenous population. Also, following the government‘s budgetary cuts on
scholarships, indigenous learners are at the suffering end of this financial cut.
(Ho 2017).

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In addition to education discriminatory practices in Australia, there is workplace
discrimination. The Australian employment spectrum does not reflect cultural and ethnical
diversity(World economic forum 2017).Specifically ,the ASX 100,200 & 500 indicate that only
¼ of the management post in the ASX list reflected cultural diversity (World economic forum
2017).This fact goes to show the ethnic and cultural gap between the various groups of people in
the Australian population. The Australian health care sector has had instances of suspected
racially motivated declined medical practice applications (Thornton & Luker N .d).There is lack
of a cultural diversity in most Australian skilled and unskilled labor industry. The lack of a
culturally diversified Australian employment spectrum goes to show the racial inclinations plays
an important role in the employment of indigenous and migrant population in the county.
Regarding power, the white populations seem to control most of the Australian economic, social
and political spheres of life (Cave 2018).Largely, the white Australian population of European
heritage are in charge of the political and economic ways of life as compared to the indigenous
Australian population.
Specifically, 5 % of the indigenous population hold senior offices in Australia whereas the
remaining 95% of non-indigenous population hold the rest of the senior management posts.
Subsequently, this is clear indication of modern day colonialism and racial discrimination .Also,
the fact that some of the indigenous Australian population are refugees points to the imbalanced
shift of power between the indigenous and the non-indigenous population in Australia (Shannon
2016).Intergenerational injustices have been committed against the indigenous population from
land dispossession to separation of their families. The fact that some of the aboriginal inhabitants
are refuges in their own country years after independence is a clear indication of modern day
colonialism. The land dispossession is viewed as a denial of their ancestral land which belongs to

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the indigenous communities. It is important that the Australian government resettle displace
indigenous community in the case of justified land dispossession. Most aboriginal children are
separated from their families by virtue of an intervention directive instituted in the year
2007.This directive might be justified in the interest of the child in certain circumstances.
However, there is a general application of this intervention in all aboriginal families without
taking into account specific and special circumstances.
In addition, the non-consensual nature of the indigenous community views, makes it
modern day colonialism. Particularly, the intervention response of 2007 by the Australian
government on indigenous groups of people negatively impacts the social wellbeing of the
aboriginal population due to the lack of consent from the indigenous group. This further shows
how the indigenous population lack a say in what directly affects them. Australian aboriginals
are still experiencing colonial injustices in the form of unjustified land dispossession and non-
consensual separation of children from their families. Due to the fact that Australia is an
independent nations, all its citizens are entitled to similar application of the law, similar
education and public infrastructure ,equal access in political representation and other spheres of
life. Despite the non-discriminatory laws in the country, the practicality of it all is still a dream
thus modern forms of colonialism are being perpetrated against the indigenous Australian groups
of people.
CONCLUSION
Undoubtedly, there is modern colonialism in Australia .Due to the political,
economic and social imbalances between the indigenous and non-indigenous population in the
country. There is less political representation by the indigenous population in national matters of
states that directly impacts theirs lives. The economic livelihoods, wages and employment

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opportunities for the non-indigenous population is higher as opposed to the indigenous
population. This are clear show of the imbalanced power between the two groups of the
Australian population. Despite the existence of non-discriminatory practices against the
indigenous population when it’s comes to educational opportunities, employment opportunities
and political representation, the participation of the indigenous population is still low despite the
independence of the Australian state decades ago. There is racial consideration in media related
information and the social context thus the assertion of modern colonialism. Australian
indigenous persons are dispossessed of their lands, children in non-consensual ways that is
definitely modern day colonialism.

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References
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