Report: Impact of Colonisation on Indigenous Australians in Australia

This report meticulously examines the devastating impact of colonisation on Indigenous Australians. It delves into historical atrocities, including massacres and the Stolen Generations, and analyses how these events have profoundly affected the mental and physical health of Aboriginal communities. The report references multiple media items to illustrate the ongoing challenges faced by Indigenous Australians, such as health disparities, inadequate mental health services, and the failure of government initiatives like 'Closing the Gap' to achieve their objectives. It explores the lasting consequences of historical injustices, the erosion of culture, and the persistent mistrust between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. The report emphasizes the need for increased government efforts, greater understanding, and reconciliation to address the complex issues and promote equality and well-being within Indigenous communities. Various models and approaches are used to analyze the media reports and to understand the issues.

Running Head: THE IMPACT OF COLONISATION FOR INDINGENOUS AUSTRALIANS
THE IMPACT OF COLONISATION FOR INDINGENOUS AUSTRALIANS
NAME OF THE STUDENT
NAME OF THE UNIVERSITY
AUTHOR’S NOTE

1THE IMPACT OF COLONISATION FOR INDINGENOUS AUSTRALIANS
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The atrocities committed by the Colonial masters against the Aboriginal people have
impacted them to a great extent. History is testimony to the fact that the history of imperialism in
Australia is filled with instances wherein the Aboriginal community have been massacred by the
Imperial rulers. The generations of the Aboriginals were killed in plain sight and for centuries,
the atrocities and the discrimination continued. The policy of Stolen Generations created a rift
amongst the indigenous population, such that the friction among the aboriginal and the white
community is still not resolved to this day. The purpose of this report is to analyze the impact of
colonization on the indigenous communities in Australia and how these impacts are affecting
their mental and physical health. The reports of the Government reveal the fact that despite the
best intentions of the government to improve the conditions of the indigenous communities, there
still needs to be a lot of work to be done in order to uplift the conditions of the Aboriginal
people. The efforts of the Government of Australia are not reaping dividends as the Aboriginal
people are not able to get access to the most fundamental of human rights such as right to
education, health and employment opportunities. The Government Of Australia must make sure
that the Indigenous people of Australia are taken into consideration and provided the platform so
that they are able to realize their self actualization goals.

2THE IMPACT OF COLONISATION FOR INDINGENOUS AUSTRALIANS
Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................................3
DISCUSSION.................................................................................................................................................4
MEDIA ITEM 1..........................................................................................................................................4
SUMMARY AND KEY POINTS....................................................................................................................4
LINKS TO MODELS, APPROACHES AND CURRENT DEBATES....................................................................5
REFLECTION.............................................................................................................................................5
MEDIA ITEM 2..........................................................................................................................................6
SUMMARY AND KEY POINTS....................................................................................................................6
LINKS TO MODELS, APPROACHES AND CURRENT DEBATES....................................................................7
REFLECTION.............................................................................................................................................8
MEDIA ITEM 3..........................................................................................................................................8
SUMMARY AND KEY POINTS....................................................................................................................8
LINKS TO MODELS, APPROACHES AND CURRENT DEBATES....................................................................9
REFLECTION...........................................................................................................................................10
MEDIA ITEM 4........................................................................................................................................10
SUMMARY AND KEY POINTS..................................................................................................................10
LINKS TO MODELS, APPROACHES AND CURRENT DEBATES..................................................................11
REFLECTION...........................................................................................................................................12
CONCLUSION.............................................................................................................................................13
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................................15

3THE IMPACT OF COLONISATION FOR INDINGENOUS AUSTRALIANS
INTRODUCTION
The Aboriginals and the Torres Strait Islander people are considered as the Indigenous
people of Australia. They were native to what is now, the present continent of Australia. With
the advent of the European Colonial Expansion and Imperialist Policies, especially those of the
British Empire, the Aboriginals were exposed to the outside world. The Colonial Masters
unleashed a series of atrocities and hardships upon the Australian Aboriginal people. This
resulted in the massacre of a large number of Aboriginal. The Aboriginals were denied the basic
human rights, were subjected to the worst of human trauma and discrimination. Years of
exploitation and discrimination resulted in the prevalence of a feeling of fear and depression
amongst the Aboriginal community members. There exists a feeling of hatred and animosity
amongst the Aboriginal community and the White Australian community. The Period wherein
the stolen children episode happened became the worst experience for the Aboriginal
community. The imprints and impacts of the episode can still be felt amongst the Aboriginal
community. The Government of Australia has implemented a number of policies to promote and
improve the conditions of the Aboriginal people in Australia. The report analyzes the conditions
of the Australian Aboriginal people from the 4 media reports which were published by different
media outlets. The analysis is done by using various models and approaches. The analysis is
formulated by using the media reports of different organizations

4THE IMPACT OF COLONISATION FOR INDINGENOUS AUSTRALIANS
DISCUSSION
MEDIA ITEM 1
Wahlquist, C. (2018). Map of massacres of Indigenous people reveals untold history of
Australia, painted in blood. Retrieved from
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2017/jul/05/map-of-massacres-of-indigenous-
people-reveal-untold-history-of-australia-painted-in-blood
SUMMARY AND KEY POINTS
The crimes and atrocities against the aborigines in Australia are a significant aspect of
Australian history. Since the advent of colonial dominance in the Australian continent, the
colonial masters were indulging in atrocious killings of the aboriginal community, which
resulted in massive massacres. The aboriginals were subjected to mass execution and inhuman
atrocities, which resulted in the genocide of millions of people. The aboriginal community was
aware of these atrocities, but evidence revealed the exact number of people killed in these
crimes. Although, research is yet to reveal more facts and the details are scant. The research
revealed that the aboriginal community of Bediagal was the most affected as many people
belonging to the Bediagal community were killed by the foreign settlers. The Bediagal or the
Bidgigal as they are referred to are an indeginous community of indigenous Australians who are
the original inhabitants in the area which now comes under the New South Wales province in
Australia. The lack of harmony amongst any two or more than two communities in any part of
the world becomes a distressing and worrying factor for the internal affairs of the country. Any
form of friction amongst the two communities might result in the escalation of conflict in the
country. Similarly, in Australia, the indigenous community has suffered because the mainstream

5THE IMPACT OF COLONISATION FOR INDINGENOUS AUSTRALIANS
Australian community has subjected the aboriginal community to alienation and negligence. The
negligence faced by the Aboriginal community has made them withdrawn and aloof from the rest
of the Australian population.
LINKS TO MODELS, APPROACHES AND CURRENT DEBATES
The impact of colonialization on the Aboriginal Australian population was immense. To
this day, the history acts as a barrier towards the cordial and reconciliation efforts made by the
Government of Australia and the White Australians to assimilate and include the Aboriginal
Communities into the Australian Mainstream population (Elder, 2017). The colonial masters
committed a number of heinous crimes and massacred the ethnic populations of the Aboriginals
in the colonial period. This germinated the seeds of mistrust and animosity amongst the
Aboriginal people regarding the White people of Australia. The Aboriginals are somewhat
segregated and remain indifferent to the issues affecting the White Australians. This exclusivity
is detrimental not only for the Aboriginals, but also for the nation of Australia as a whole. The
Australian Aboriginals are unable to gain access to some of the most fundamental of human
rights such as education and health care. This is due to the fact that they are segregated and live
away from the major Australian cities (Hempel, 2016). As a result, they are outside the periphery
of the health care services. The most common fear among the Aboriginal people is that they fear
that mixing with the culture of White Australians will lead them to lose their values and culture
(O’Bryan, 2015). This mistrust has been implanted by the centuries of atrocities committed by
the White colonial masters against the Native Australian Aboriginals.
REFLECTION
The long period of atrocities committed against the Aboriginal people has made them
victims of racism and discrimination. Therefore, in my opinion, the Government of Australia

6THE IMPACT OF COLONISATION FOR INDINGENOUS AUSTRALIANS
must incorporate the policy to make the Aboriginals feel as a part of the Mainstream Australian
Politics (Reading & de Leeuw, 2014).
MEDIA ITEM 2
This is our national shame, but it can be fixed. (2018). Retrieved from
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-02-08/closing-the-gap/9407824
SUMMARY AND KEY POINTS
A decade ago, the Government of Australia decided to improve the conditions of the
Australian indigenous communities by introducing the policy of Closing the Gap. Closing the
Gap is a Government strategy, which attempts to improve the figures of the Aboriginal
communities in the aspects of life expectancy, child mortality, access to early childhood
education and employment outcomes. The decision to improve the conditions of the Aboriginal
communities was agreed upon by both the government of Australia as well as the people of the
Aboriginal Community. Even after implementing the strategy with an honest intent, the strategy
has failed on some aspects to deliver the desired outcomes. The life expectancy gap amongst the
indigenous communities as well as the mainstream Australian population has widened. The
Australian leadership admitted to the fact that six out of the seven Closing the Gap objectives
have not been achieved ("Close the Gap: Indigenous Health Campaign | Australian Human
Rights Commission", 2018). The schemes and policies launched by the Government of Australia
failed to achieve some of the targets because of the fact that the Australian Aboriginals were not
actively participating in the development initiatives. The reason ranged from the dark episodes of
atrocities and discrimination, racial prejudices as well as feeling of being left out from the
mainstream population (Das, 2016). The Government of Australia needs to implement the
policies to improve the conditions of the Aboriginal people as well as uplift the socio-economic

7THE IMPACT OF COLONISATION FOR INDINGENOUS AUSTRALIANS
conditions of them. Doing so will be beneficial for not just the Aboriginal people, but for the
Australian country as a whole.
LINKS TO MODELS, APPROACHES AND CURRENT DEBATES
The health of the Aboriginal people in Australia has been a concern for the Government
of Australia primarily because there exists large gaps in the life expectancy along with increased
rates of diabetes, kidney diseases and asthma. The Government of Australia termed the last
decade as a Wasted Decade due to the negligible improvement in the lives of the Australian
Aboriginals. The Statistics from the Government plans reveal that the majority of the indexes
involving the Aboriginals are on a downward slope. This is because the majority of the
Aboriginal people are not availing the services of the Australian Health facilities as they are
outside the periphery of the Australian healthcare facilities (Hart, 2014). The inability to
assimilate and incorporate the Aboriginals into the mainstream Australian community also
affects them in a negative way. One of the causes for which the Aborigines keep to themselves
and avoid mixing with the White Australians is due to the history of the stolen generations. The
Stolen Generations is a term, which is used to refer to the children from the Aboriginal families
who were snatched away from their families and placed under the protection of the Australian
Federal and State Government Agencies as well as the Church Missions. This phase of the Stolen
Generation has made the Aboriginal Community skeptical about the intentions of the White
members of the Australian society (Hughes, 2014). The Australian Government despite taking
steps to improve the conditions of the Aboriginals ,are not able to win the trust of the
Aboriginals. It will take many more dedicated efforts to incorporate and assimilate the
Aboriginal community into the fold of the Mainstream Australian population.

8THE IMPACT OF COLONISATION FOR INDINGENOUS AUSTRALIANS
REFLECTION
In my opinion, the Government of Australia needs to undertake more dedicated efforts to
improve the health conditions of the Aboriginal community. The Australian Government must
clarify and address the fear regarding the past atrocities. The fear which is instilled in the minds
and hearts of the Aboriginals need to be removed in order to make them participate more actively
in the running of the country (McCallum & Waller, 2014) .The Aboriginals are an essential part
of Australia and they must be made to feel important and worthy in order to foster a feeling of
trust and harmony in them. The Australian establishment needs to take more steps to uplift the
conditions of the Aboriginal people so that they are able to join the mainstream population. The
Aboriginal people are also an integral part of Australia and it is important to include them in the
decision making process.
MEDIA ITEM 3
Mental health services for Aboriginal Australians 'inadequate, inappropriate'. (2018).
Retrieved from http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-11-06/mental-health-services-aboriginal-
australians-called-inadequate/5873124
SUMMARY AND KEY POINTS
The Close the Gap initiative reveals the fact that the Aboriginal communities fare worse
when it comes to mental health and mental health remains inadequate and inappropriate for the
Aboriginal community members. The poor showing in the mental health of the Aboriginal
Communities has led to an increased prevalence of mental health issues, increased rates of
suicide, anxiety and depression, decreased cognitive ability and mental health disorders (Parker
& Milroy, 2014). The Government of Australia despite, putting in their best efforts, failed to
improve the living conditions of the Australian Aboriginal community members. Mental Health

9THE IMPACT OF COLONISATION FOR INDINGENOUS AUSTRALIANS
being a very important issue in today’s world, therefore, the issue of mental health requires in-
depth understanding and prolific research. The Government has made it clear that the issue of
Mental Health among the Aboriginal Communities will be analyzed based on a holistic approach
such as viewing the problem from a social as well as cultural viewpoint. The determinants of
health such as overcrowding, unemployment and unavailability of education opportunities for the
Aboriginal communities will be taken into consideration.
LINKS TO MODELS, APPROACHES AND CURRENT DEBATES
Mental Health remains one of the major issues, which affects the Australian Aboriginal
community. The statistics regarding the Mental Health of the Aboriginals reveals horrifying data.
The Mental Health report in 2014 revealed that there has been increasing trends of youth
suicide,, anxiety and depression among the Australian Aboriginal community. Cognitive
disability and mental health also remains areas of concern for the Australian Aboriginal
community ("Our Reports | National Mental Health Commission", 2018). The reasons as for
which the mental health is at such a poor situation for the Aboriginals is because there is a
mutual feeling of grief and loss amongst the Aborigines. The episode of the Stolen Children has
traumatized the entire Aboriginal Community and it has left a painful impression amongst the
Aboriginals. Majority of the Aboriginals are traumatized and the reasons for these traumas are
still not resolved by the Australian Government (Parker et al., 2014). The Aborigines have been
victims of discrimination and racism, and as a result, the majority of the Aboriginals suffer from
depression and anxiety. The Aborigines are also subjected to being convicted and incarcerated.
Living in the fear of being incarcerated, increases the risk of suffering from mental disorder and
anxiety. The Aborigines have been subjected to feel culturally and socially inferior to the white
Australians. This inferiority feeling develops into depression and insensitivity among the

10THE IMPACT OF COLONISATION FOR INDINGENOUS AUSTRALIANS
Aboriginals (Atkinson et al., 2014). The poor mental health among the Aboriginals has also
made the problem of drug abuse and substance abuse prevalent among them. Research has
revealed that depression and drug abuse are correlated to each other.
REFLECTION
Mental Health of the Aboriginals can be improved by addressing the concerns of the
Aboriginal community. The Aboriginals need to be assured that no atrocity or discrimination
shall be tolerated against them. In my opinion, the Government of Australia needs to put in more
strict action against any offenders who commits discrimination against the Aboriginals. The
Aboriginals who have been wrongfully convicted must be released with due respect and justice
(Banki et al., 2016). There are numerous instances when women aboriginal members have been
discriminated and convicted on wrong charges. The perpetrators of such crime must be brought
to justice (Grant & Paddick, 2014). The Aboriginal people , especially the youth must be
provided ample opportunities for growth and development.
MEDIA ITEM 4
Indigenous health isn't all bad news. (2018). Retrieved from
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-12-11/jackson-pulver-indigenous-health/5150064
SUMMARY AND KEY POINTS
The Statistical reports from the analysis of the last decade revels that the prevalence of
diabetes, kidney disease, asthma and osteoporosis as higher among the indigenous community.
The indigenous community also has an 11-year gap in the life expectancy with the mainstream
communities (Watch, 2014). The last decade has been worse for the indigenous community as

11THE IMPACT OF COLONISATION FOR INDINGENOUS AUSTRALIANS
they have fared very poorly in the basic parameters of health and well-being. Despite these
setbacks, there are a number of positives as well which reveal the improvements in the health
related aspects amongst the indigenous communities. The new data reveals that the number of
indigenous people who prefer smoking is less as compared to members of the mainstream
population. The statistics also shows that the number of smokers is giving up smoking despite
nicotine being addictive in nature.
LINKS TO MODELS, APPROACHES AND CURRENT DEBATES
Smoking is often related to a feeling of sadness and depression. Often, it is observed that
people, in order to relieve themselves from stress, indulge in smoking (Keizer et al., 2016). The
earlier generations of the Aboriginals were actively participating in the act of smoking due to the
fact the colonial masters introduced them to smoking from a very early age. The sad realities of
living in extreme poverty, not being able to attend school and have any employment
opportunities made them to resort to smoking in order to overcome the ordeal. The Phase of
Stolen Children traumatized the entire Aboriginal Community therefore; there was a prevalent
mutual feeling of grief and loss amongst the Aboriginal Community. The Aboriginal community
believes in the culture of sharing therefore smoking became a widespread practice amongst the
Aboriginal community (Bond, Spurling & Askew, 2014). Despite, these factors, the recent data
reveals that the youth members of the Aboriginal community are restraining from smoking and
many of the active smokers from their community have quit smoking altogether. This is a
significant progress, considering the fact that addictions are difficult to let go of. The restraint
and the decision of not to indulge in the practice of smoking means that the Aboriginal
community has decided to let go of the worries of the past and look forward to a bright future
and prosperity. The Aboriginals knew that smoking is harmful for the health but were indulging

12THE IMPACT OF COLONISATION FOR INDINGENOUS AUSTRALIANS
in smoking due to the depressing past memories of the atrocities and turmoil (Thomas et al.,
2015).
REFLECTION
The Aboriginal people have been victims of crimes against humanity for ages. They have
faced a lot over the years. The members of the Aboriginal community are victims of trauma and
depression. Despite these facts, the aboriginal youths are showing signs of resilience and mental
strength by quitting smoking. This shows that the Aboriginal people are looking forward to
progress and development. In my opinion, the Government of Australia must ensure that the
Australian Aboriginals get access to basic education, health and employment opportunities
(Nielsen, 2014).

13THE IMPACT OF COLONISATION FOR INDINGENOUS AUSTRALIANS
CONCLUSION
From the above analysis, it becomes clear that the Aboriginal community have been
victims to a large number of atrocities and discrimination. The long period of colonial atrocity
and discrimination, followed by the racial and ethnic prejudices by the White people has instilled
a feeling of mistrust, hatred and animosity in the minds and hearts of the Aboriginal community
members. Harsh impacts of the episode of The Stolen Generations have further made the
Aboriginals skeptical about the motives of the Government of Australia. Because of which, any
policy that is passed by the Government of Australia in the best of intentions, is seen through the
prism of doubt and caution. The Aboriginal community are lacking behind in the aspect of
health and education. The majority of the members of the Aboriginal community are suffering
from the physical or mental diseases, and most of the members of the community are indulging
in substance abuse and drug abuse. Smoking remains a common feature among the Aboriginal
community, although recent date reveals that the youth are quitting smoking. The Australian
Government needs to implement more strategies and policies to improve the lives of the
Aboriginal people. A common feeling of goodwill, friendship and trust needs to be instilled
amongst the members of the Aboriginal community towards the White Australian community
members. The Government of Australia needs to take stern action against any offender of crime
against the members of the Aboriginal community. The Aboriginal community members must be
incorporated into the decision making process so that they feel represented and important in the
task of nation building. The incorporation of Aboriginals is also necessary for the proper running
and exercise of the Democratic Institutions in the country. The Government of Australia must
make sure that the Aboriginal community is given proper employment opportunities to prosper

14THE IMPACT OF COLONISATION FOR INDINGENOUS AUSTRALIANS
and flourish as a community. The Aborigins have been subjected to a lot of atrocities and crimes
against humanity. It would be better to organize events and festivals, which foster a spirit of
goodwill and friendship among the diverse ethnic communities of Australia. Doing so, will be
beneficial not just for the Aboriginal people, but for the entire country of Australia in the overall
long run. The countries which takes all the diverse ethnic communities forward in the process of
nation building prospers while those countries which promote exclusive growth are torn with
strife and conflict among the ethnic communities.

15THE IMPACT OF COLONISATION FOR INDINGENOUS AUSTRALIANS
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