Reflective Diary: Indigenous Politics and the State - Weeks 1-5

This reflective diary chronicles a student's learning journey through a course focused on indigenous politics and the state. The diary spans five weeks, beginning with an exploration of the Freedom Rides and speed brainstorming, highlighting the student's evolving understanding of racism and the role of student activism. Week 2 delves into the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody, examining the commission's findings and their impact on the student's perspectives on indigenous politics. Week 3 covers the Northern Territory intervention, analyzing the legislation and principles involved. Week 4 focuses on Aboriginal people's access to services and the complexities of proving indigenous heritage. Finally, Week 5 examines the indigenous relationship with Western law, exploring relevant acts and historical events. Throughout the diary, the student reflects on key events, changing ideas, and broader learning experiences related to indigenous issues and the state.

Running head: RELECTIVE DIARY
Reflective diary

REFLECTIVE DIARY 2
Reflective Journal
Week 1
In this week 1, I have developed my understanding about the freedom rides and speed
brainstorming. I have also learned the Commemorating the Freedom Ride. In this way, I have
observed that the 65 freedom ride exhibition introduces the country to take student action for
Aborigines organization. I have also perceived that how students from the University of Sydney
create national and international attention to the poor living circumstances of Aboriginal people.
I have identified the racism issue in this seminar that is related to indigenous politics and the
state. I have addressed that the event was initiated to develop the association amid Aboriginal
people and non-Aboriginal people in contemporary Australia (Chen, Yu, and Son, 2014).
I have also learned that when racism was identified by different Australians as issues
experienced by other nations like South Africa and southern states of the USA. I have also
increased my understanding of the student at the University of Sydney. It is analyzed that
students have decided to stimulate the society to the reality of racism in Australia and conditions
of life for Aboriginal people in nation i.e. new south Wales.
This week, I have also generated my knowledge about the speed brainstorming. In this way, I
have pointed out that the first half of class is going to be group work. This strategy is used by us
in the form of chat regarding the assignment and how we setting up to deal with them
(Snelgrove, Dhamoon, and Corntassel, 2014).
In a group, we have considered different points such as interest area of the topic, chosen topic,
things that are blocking, helpful resources we have discovered, and how lecture material might
inform our research. My idea is related to politics and state was wrong but, this seminar has

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changed my opinion and influenced positively about this idea. During this unit, I broadly learned
about the
https://aiatsis.gov.au/exhibitions/1965-freedom-ride
 What are the main ideas discussed?
 What are the key events?
 Have your ideas changed in terms of issues covered in seminars that relate to
Indigenous politics and the state?
 What have you learned during the unit more broadly?
Week 2
During this week, I have developed my understanding of the Royal Commission into Aboriginal
Deaths in Custody. In this way, I have learned that there were 5 commissioners was appointed to
the project. I have also gained my awareness that on the 16th October 1987, the royal commission
integrated into aboriginal death in custody and it was developed by Hawke government (Hall and
Fenelon, 2015). This seminar has changed my idea related to indigenous politics and the state. I
have learned during the unit more broadly about the indigenous politics and the state. In this
way, I have learned that the commission addressed the information of 99 cases of Aboriginal
death in custody that happened from January 1980 through to may 1989 and created a
progression of reports. During this unit, I have broadly developed the understanding regarding
royal commission into Aboriginal deaths in custody. In this week, I have developed my
awareness that commission is gathered about 200 shelf meter worth of information during the
course of research. This learning would be beneficial for making a career in politics (Laing,
2015). Through the seminar, I have perceived that 50 Aboriginal deaths in custody taken place in
the 2 years between 2013 and 2015. This learning has created a broad understanding regarding

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half of this would equal approximately 50 deaths in 5 years. Through the seminar, I have also
developed my knowledge about the total death in prison custody i.e. 115 and death in police
custody is 34. During the event, I have generated my knowledge that the national population is
increased by 1.6% in 1991 while 3.0% of the national population is gained in 2015. This event
has also created my experience regarding the prison population. In this way, 14.4% of the prison
population is increased in 1991 and 27.4% of the prison population is gained in 2015. This
learning has broadly gained my awareness about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
imprisonment rate (Tennant, 2017). In this way, I have learned that the imprisonment rate is
increasing over ten years. I have increased my understanding regarding tracking deaths in
custody. During the event, I have browsed via interactive information and address a couple of
cases that are interested in me. I have also developed my understanding of the Google related
policy process, legislation, and policy to help information regarding the discussion.
Week 3
During the process, I have created my knowledge of northern territory intervention. In this way, I
have generated my understanding regarding the NT intervention like the 1967 referendum is
extensively misinterpreted in Australian society. This event has created my knowledge that there
were just six days amid the public release of ‘Little Children are Sacred’ report together with
developed my experience about the government announcement of intervention measures
(Wildcat, et al., 2014). This learning was beneficial for me to deal with the challenges in the
future. I have also increased my understanding regarding a suite of legislation. In this way, I
have learned different suit of legislation such as northern territory national emergency response
act 2007, social security and other legislation amendment (welfare payment reform) act 2007
(Cth), families, community services and indigenous affairs and other legislation amendment

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(northern territory national emergency response and other measures) act 2007 (cth),
appropriation (northern territory national emergency response) act (no. 1) 2007-2008 (2007)
(cth), and appropriation (northern territory national emergency response) act (no. 1) 2007-2008
(2007) (cth). This event has also created my understanding regarding the federal government that
has the power to manage the northern territory when it sees fit. This learning would be beneficial
for me to take legislative control of territory. I have also increased my understanding that the
1967 referendum result gave power to the federal government to make laws particularly for
indigenous people (Borah, et al., 2017). This understanding could be practiced by me in the
future. During the event, I have gained my awareness of two principles of argument about the
Australian government such as the right to territorial administration and the right to make race-
specific laws. This event has developed my understanding that assaults on infants, young
children, and animals by young males may sometimes roam in gangs, and escalated after
consignments of pornographic videos. I have created my understanding about blaming the
terrible situation of alcohol and pornography. I have learned that there is a different reason for
northern territory intervention such as child neglect and abuse, sexual exploitation, excessive
drinking, and suicide and self-harm. This learning would be beneficial for performing in politics
in the future (Durkalec, et al., 2015).
Week 4
During this week, I have generated my understanding that aboriginal people are competent to
claim from a range of services that implement honestly and exclusively to them. In this way, I
have learned that students and pensioners can claim abridged pricing on different municipal
services. Furthermore, I have gained my experience that refugees can claim particular counseling
and interpretation facilities. I have also pointed out that tradespeople can assert exclusively tiered

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pricing on trade-related resources. I have also addressed that for people raised in a western
background, there is a cultural norm that people are identified and labeled by the certain
persuasive body in order to prove the identity and access services. This learning would be
beneficial for improving my personal and professional career (Agrawal, 2014). This event has
increased my knowledge regarding the AIATSIS has released a high amount of page document
entitled i.e. family history kit. In this way, I have observed that the kit is intended to assist people
in linking to their indigenous family. I have also pointed out that AIATSIS demonstrates 3 key
criteria that most indigenous specific service company requires from an individual claiming
aboriginal heritage. This learning would be beneficial for making a career in indigenous heritage
place (Leung, et al., 2014).
This seminar has developed my understanding that government agencies and community
companies accept three criteria of working because authentication of Aboriginal or Torres Strait
Islander heritage identifying as an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person. I have also
pointed out that Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander heritage being accepted as such by the
community where a person lives or previously lived. Moreover, government agencies, schools,
and universities will often supply customers with their particular guidelines and ask people to
complete a form or offer a letter of ‘proof’ and affirmation of Torres Strait heritage. I have also
observed that the New South Wales aboriginal land right act 1983 defines an individual wishing
to join a local New South Wales aboriginal council must demonstrate the documentation
identifying their family’s aboriginal descent (Short, 2016). It is observed that New South Wales
Aboriginal land must be accepted through the aboriginal community as an individual of
Aboriginal descent. I have also gained my awareness about the ALRC that entitled the protection
of human genetic information in Australia. This event has gained my awareness that the first

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census of population and housing is newly federated Australia that is occurred in 1911. I have
also pointed that a determination was made to keep out “full-blood” aboriginal people from the
final national summative count. This week has gained my knowledge regarding the topic of a
crackdown on aboriginality claims classifies the indigenous leaders. In this way, I have pointed
that the government chief indigenous advisor of Abbott wants a global database of Aboriginal
people in order to resolve the issue of proving aboriginality. This idea changed my perspectives
in terms of issues covered in seminars that relate to indigenous politics and the states (Hviding,
and Bayliss-Smith, 2018).
Week 5
During this week, I have gained my understanding regarding the indigenous relationship with the
western law. In this way, I have developed my understanding regarding different acts such as act
no 27 of 1985, northern territory national emergency response act 2007, native title amendment
act 1998 no. 97, and act no. 25, 1909. In this way, I have learned that governor Arthur
commissioned the boards in the year of 1830 and it is to be painted and hung in trees with the
intention of demonstrating the British regulation to the Aboriginal population. I have also created
my experience that indigenous relationship boards demonstrate the formal recognition of
equality between the British and the aboriginal people under the law. I have also pointed out that
the laws developed by commission assume it works to beneficial for aboriginal people (Whyte,
2016). I have also learned that the indigenous relationship was enacted without consultation with
the aboriginal people (Siddiqui, et al., 2016). I have also learned that there are few occasions that
indigenous societies have been consulted and actively engaged with the law-making procedure in
Australia. I have also pointed out that there are different acts of indigenous relationship with
western law such as the 1967 referendum, native title act 1993, and Aboriginal land rights act

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1976. I have also developed my awareness regarding the Queensland coast islands declaratory
act 1985. In this way, I have increased my experience that this act ensures that Queensland state
government and the Commonwealth were the only parties with a legitimate claim to the land by
regulation (Mott, 2016).
References
Agrawal, A., 2014. Indigenous and scientific knowledge: some critical comments. Antropologi
Indonesia.
Borah, S., Bhattacharjya, B.K., Saud, B.J., Yadav, A.K., Debnath, D., Yengkokpam, S., Das, P.,
Sharma, N., Singh, N.S. and Sarma, K.K., 2017. Length-weight relationship of six indigenous
fish species from Deepor Beel, a Ramsar site in Assam, India. Journal of Applied
Ichthyology, 33(3), pp.655-657.
Chen, Y., Yu, E. and Son, J., 2014. Beyond leader-member exchange (LMX) differentiation: An
indigenous approach to leader-member relationship differentiation. The Leadership Quarterly,
25(3), pp.611-627.
Durkalec, A., Furgal, C., Skinner, M.W., and Sheldon, T., 2015. Climate change influences on
the environment as a determinant of Indigenous health: Relationships to place, sea ice, and health
in an Inuit community. Social science & medicine, 136, pp.17-26.
Hall, T.D. and Fenelon, J.V., 2015. Indigenous peoples and Globalization: Resistance and
revitalization. Routledge.
Hviding, E. and Bayliss-Smith, T., 2018. Islands of the rainforest: agroforestry, logging, and
eco-tourism in the Solomon Islands. Routledge.

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Laing, A.F., 2015. Resource Sovereignties in Bolivia: Re‐Conceptualising the Relationship
between Indigenous Identities and the Environment during the TIPNIS Conflict. Bulletin of Latin
American Research, 34(2), pp.149-166
Leung, K., Chen, Z., Zhou, F. and Lim, K., 2014. The role of relational orientation as measured
by face and renqing in innovative behavior in China: An indigenous analysis. Asia Pacific
Journal of Management, 31(1), pp.105-126.
Mott, C., 2016. The activist polis: Topologies of conflict in indigenous solidarity
activism. Antipode, 48(1), pp.193-211.
Mott, C., 2016. The activist polis: Topologies of conflict in indigenous solidarity
activism. Antipode, 48(1), pp.193-211.
Short, D., 2016. Reconciliation and colonial power: Indigenous rights in Australia. Routledge.
Siddiqui, A., Shukla, S., Rastogi, A., Bhargava, A., Niranjan, A. and Lehri, A., 2016. The
relationship among phenotypic and quality traits in indigenous and exotic accessions of
linseed. Pesquisa Agropecuária Brasileira, 51(12), pp.1964-1972.
Snelgrove, C., Dhamoon, R.K. and Corntassel, J., 2014. Unsettling settler colonialism: The
discourse and politics of settlers, and solidarity with Indigenous nations. Decolonization:
Indigeneity, Education & Society, 3(2).
Tennant, C., 2017. Indigenous peoples, international institutions, and the international legal
literature from 1945–1993. In Indigenous Rights (pp. 63-119). Routledge.
Whyte, K.P., 2016. Is it colonial déjà vu? Indigenous peoples and climate injustice.
In Humanities for the Environment (pp. 102-119). Routledge.

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Wildcat, M., McDonald, M., Irlbacher-Fox, S. and Coulthard, G., 2014. Learning from the land:
Indigenous land-based pedagogy and decolonization. Decolonization: Indigeneity, Education &
Society, 3(3).