Reflective Essay on Engineering, Aboriginals, and Ethical Practices

This reflective essay delves into the historical and ongoing issues faced by Australian Aboriginal people and Torres Strait Islanders, focusing on the ethical responsibilities of engineers. It highlights the impact of racial discrimination, the deprivation of rights, and the need for technological advancement within these communities. The essay emphasizes the importance of ethical engineering practices, including competence, public safety, and truthful work, while also addressing the political and social context influencing the treatment of Aboriginals. It discusses the role of engineers in infrastructure development, such as hydropower, and their potential to contribute to the 'Closing the Gap' initiative. The author advocates for Aboriginal participation in engineering projects and suggests educational and infrastructure improvements to foster community development, emphasizing the Federal Government's role in supporting these efforts and the significance of ethical decision-making in engineering for the betterment of the Aboriginal society. The essay concludes by referencing several scholarly sources to support its arguments.

Running head: REFLECTIVE ESSAY
Reflective Essay
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

1REFLECTIVE ESSAY
In this essay, I will be highlighting on the various issues in the background of the
Australian aboriginal people and the Torres Strait Islanders. The treatment of the aboriginals has
not been the same over the past few years. The concepts have changed and I think it is very
important to recognize the importance of the aboriginals in the context of the engineering
practices. In the last century, I have gone through the proper research that the aboriginal people
have been going through several racial issues and they have been the serious victims of it. The
racial issues have been very important in the background of the indigenous history in Australia.
The government has been very much responsible about the treatment of the indigenous
Australians in the most proper way (Bainbridge et al., 2013). They believe that the Indigenous
Australians have the rights to live just like the common Australian people. I think they should be
treated well and this is their right. The Australian indigenous people have been deprived of their
proper rights and I think it is the proper time for them to provide the aboriginal people their
proper rights and make sure that they get all the essential things.
I will be highlighting upon the ethical practice ein engineering in the aboriginals
background. The ethics in the engineering practices is very significant since the Australians need
to cater to the needs of the aboriginal people. The engineers must comply to the ethical practices
indeed. The engineers must abide by some issues regarding the common public, their clients,
employees and his very profession. He must not commit any unjust activities that should degrade
his capacity as an engineer. I believe it is the duty of the engineers to abide by all these rules
indeed. Some of the areas in which they should be very ethical according to me are- they should
take up their services only in the areas in which they are very competent and holding the well
being of the public through the safety and welfare. These guidelines should always be met by the
engineers. They should always be very ethical and faithful about the works they do. They should

2REFLECTIVE ESSAY
always complete their works in a truthful manner. I also think that the engineers should focus on
building their reputation on their works especially on the ways of completing their projects
properly. This is why the engineers must perform their works with much attention and integrity.
I must mention in this context that the engineers must cater to the needs of the society.
Many resources are invested on the lives of the engineers. This is why the engineers must learn
to contribute to the causes of the society in a better way. Then only they can gain the global
reputation (Dominelli, 2017). However, I will be focusing on building the reputation of the
engineers as they cater to the betterment of the Australian aboriginal society. The political
condition of Australia is very largely impacted on the ways how the aboriginals are treated. This
is why most political parties intend to contribute to the betterment of Australia. The inter-racial
abuses and violence have been very significant issues in the current scenario. The indigenous
crisis has been looked into with much attention over the years (Ferdinand, Paradies and Kelaher
2013). The indigenous people have been deprived of several facilities in the society that they
should have got. Apart from that, the aspect of providing the technological development in the
realm of indigenous aboriginals has been hampered over the decades as well. The welfare of the
indigenous people has been put into the first priority by the Federal Government of Australia. I
have gone through several research studies and come to the conclusion that the indigenous
people have been suffering from the racial abuses over several decades and they have been dying
because of it as well (Herring et al., 2013). The white civilization has taken over the rights to live
for the indigenous aboriginal people. This is where the ethics of engineering can to place by
providing the opportunities for the needed technological advancement in the society of
indigenous people in Australia (Sudbury 2014).

3REFLECTIVE ESSAY
The engineers are aware of all the technological advancements and they have the ability
to incorporate all the things for the betterment of indigenous society. The indigenous society has
been lacking in several sectors. These people have to fight against several technological
disadvantages everyday so the new project launched by the Prime Minister named ‘Closing the
Gap’ has been a very important thing because the government has understood the importance of
engineering sector in the development of the Australian aboriginal people. The remote rural
aboriginal communities can be communicated through the engineering works. The use of the
hydropower among the aboriginals has not been implemented. The engineers are trying to use
the hydropower in the aboriginal regions to light up these sections with electricity and modern
technologies (Hersh 2015). The engineers are contributing their best efforts so they can make the
needed developments. The engineers have been deployed by the Federal Government of
Australia regarding the improvement of the region through undertaking many projects. At first,
the aboriginal people have to be confident about their technical abilities and come up to to be
engaged in the engineering profession so they could contribute to the betterment of the country
in most ways (Hollinsworth 2013). They should participate very confidently and increase their
skills. Apart from that, they should be able to increase the infrastructures in the aboriginal
regions. The aboriginal people should be able to cater to the improvement in several sectors like
the natural resource management and different projects related to mining and infrastructure. I
believe if I was an engineer I would have asked the aboriginal people to contribute to the
progress of the county by taking part in the engineering projects (Malaspinas et al., 2016). I
should have communicated with them to find out the problems they face in their regions and try
to overcome them by taking up several projects.

4REFLECTIVE ESSAY
I believe if the Federal Government can provide proper education in the engineering
sector, the young people in the indigenous aboriginal society can take up the engineering
profession and contribute very positively for the development of the country. They can be able to
find the employment in various sectors like mining, natural resource management, housing and
developing the community infrastructure and obviously transport system of the region. They can
cater to the development of agriculture as well (Montagu 2013). I think aboriginals will likely to
take the advantage of infrastructure development such as energy, communications, water supply,
transport and housing. Thus the Aboriginal people in Australia will become the one of the most
important sections of the population who will cater to the improvement of the organization
(Moreton-Robinson 2015). In my opinion, the Advisory Committee from the Federal
Government can set up the infrastructures in which the communities can take part in the process.
The engineers can communicate through their ethical decision making and helping the aboriginal
people to take part in the engineering projects. The support staffs can put in valuable advice for
the betterment in this process. The solutions will be very much helpful for the people in the
aboriginal regions in Australia. The engineers must take the leadership roles in communicating
with the indigenous people and catering to their overall development.

5REFLECTIVE ESSAY
References
Bainbridge, R., Tsey, K., Brown, C., McCalman, J., Cadet-James, Y., Margolis, S. and Ypinazar,
V., 2013. Coming to an ethics of research practice in a remote Aboriginal Australian
community. Contemporary nurse, 46(1), pp.18-27.
Dominelli, L., 2017. Anti-racist social work. Macmillan International Higher Education.
Ferdinand, A., Paradies, Y. and Kelaher, M., 2013. Mental health impacts of racial
discrimination in Victorian Aboriginal communities. Lowitja Institute.
Herring, S., Spangaro, J., Lauw, M. and McNamara, L., 2013. The intersection of trauma,
racism, and cultural competence in effective work with aboriginal people: Waiting for
trust. Australian Social Work, 66(1), pp.104-117.
Hersh, M. ed., 2015. Ethical Engineering for International Development and Environmental
Sustainability. Springer.
Hollinsworth, D., 2013. Decolonizing indigenous disability in Australia. Disability &
Society, 28(5), pp.601-615.
Malaspinas, A.S., Westaway, M.C., Muller, C., Sousa, V.C., Lao, O., Alves, I., Bergström, A.,
Athanasiadis, G., Cheng, J.Y., Crawford, J.E. and Heupink, T.H., 2016. A genomic history of
Aboriginal Australia. Nature, 538(7624), p.207.
Montagu, A., 2013. Coming into being among the Australian Aborigines: The procreative beliefs
of the Australian Aborigines. Routledge.

6REFLECTIVE ESSAY
Moreton-Robinson, A., 2015. The white possessive: Property, power, and indigenous
sovereignty. University of Minnesota Press.
Sudbury, J., 2014. Global lockdown: Race, gender, and the prison-industrial complex.
Routledge.