Dillon on kevin rudd

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Australia has a new Prime Minister

by Anthony Dillon

A

s well as the obvious political excitement of Kevin Rudd’s rise to PM this has been a source of hope for some.

I read recently that Aboriginal leaders think Kevin Rudd will make a difference for Aboriginal people.

This is consistent with the ongoing refrain/mantra of some people (both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal), that the problems facing Aborigines can be ‘fixed’ only by government.

Warren Mundine recently wrote in the Australian Financial Review (June 25, 2013) that the Aboriginal community is “simply conditioned to always look to government” when considering how to solve the problems they face.

He further adds that they “do not need to wait for government to devolve responsibility to them. In many cases they can just take it”.

Indeed, many Aboriginal people have done this.

There is no denying that government has a crucial role in improving the life chances of all Australians. However, the agency of individuals, families, and communities is essential.

With regard to agency, I am moving into the area of personal responsibility, which is very often controversial when discussing the well-being of Aboriginal people; it has not won me any popularity contests.

Those believing that KR will make a difference have not

PM Kevin Rudd with Galarrwuy Yunupingu in Yirrkala on the 50th anniversary of the bark petitions.

Image: The Australian

been clear on how he will solve problems.

There have been suggestions like “Stop the intervention”, but not much more.

Platitudes, however pleasing to the ears, are unlikely to translate into positive outcomes for Aboriginal people. Perhaps why they impress some people is because they reinforce the core belief, “We are not responsible for finding solutions; our problems are a legacy of colonisation; they are perpetuated by the white government that robbed us of our sovereignty”. Of course this core Page 1

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Anthony Dillon. Image supplied

belief is unable to explain why so many Aboriginal people in this country are doing exceedingly well, despite this alleged toxic legacy of colonisation KR’s attendance at the memorial service for Dr Yunupingu, an act of piety and demonstrated respect, is also cited by some as evidence that he is the man to fix the problems. The belief is that demonstrated respect is a prerequisite for fixing the problems of poor living conditions, sickness, unemployment, etc.

Whether it be by the offering of platitudes or acts perceived as respectful, the dominant belief is “The government is responsible for fixing the problems, and we are not”.

Such thinking, though common and popular among some sectors of the Aboriginal community, I believe is the antithesis of ‘selfdetermination’ – the very thing

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many Aborigines are crying out for and which they believe is being withheld from them. Anyone who believes that government is solely responsible will never attain selfdetermination.

Defined here, self-determination is simply when individuals or communities focus on what they personally can do to improve their lives.

Belief that government is responsible for fixing the problems facing Aboriginal people is contradicted by commentators like Professor Marcia Langton who has stated “We must not become dependent on governments, we must teach our children to work and we must reform the education system to ensure future generations will be able to participate in the economy”.

This applies as much to nonAboriginal people as it does to Aboriginal people. And before the activists and their acolytes jump

up and down accusing Marcia of promoting ‘assimilation’, she is simply stating what Aboriginal people in the 21st century must do in order to have the best possible chance of having what most of us take for granted.

Emphasis on self-responsibility does not mean people should not approach government. They should approach political leaders with specific requests, as opposed to vague claims like “Stop the intervention” or “Give us sovereignty”.

Approaching government should be done after or concurrent with (and generally not before) focusing on what individuals and communities can do for themselves.

With regard to ‘the Intervention’, I have asked a couple of the more vocal anti-intervention activists what the Intervention is, and have not yet got an answer. Before something can be stopped, before we can even determine if it is a problem, people surely need to know what it is.

In addressing the problems facing Aboriginal people, government has a necessary role to play, but so do the people.

This is typically how modern life works. To focus exclusively on either the people or the government leads directly to failure. For those who believe that a new government leader is the magic bullet, I leave you with this question: Will Aboriginal people be inspired to focus on taking action themselves when they are told that their salvation lies in the hands of the Prime Minister?

Many Aboriginal people in this country are already doing well, and continue to do so, regardless of which political party is in power, or who is the Prime Minister.

Yes, let’s make government accountable, but also, let’s focus on what works – instilling in people the confident conviction that they can make a difference in their own lives.