Contemporary Australian Society Inequality Contemporary Australian Society

What is inequality? Inequality refers to unequal access to goods, information, decision-making and power in society. (Price & Feinman, 2010) More definitions available on class blog.

A number of social categories are connected with inequality in Australia: Indigenous people Gender Ethnicity Age Rural and regional people

Indigenous people and inequality Reading: Dudgeon, Wright, Paradies, Garvey & Walker (2010) Available on blog.

Some key terms Assimilation: The process of being made similar. Discrimination: The unjust or prejudicial treatment of different categories of people, especially on the grounds of race Colonisation: the forming of a settlement or colony by a group of people who seek to take control of territories or countries. It usually involves large-scale immigration of people to a 'new' location and the expansion of their civilisation and culture into this area.

From reading this chapter, what do you think are the main differences between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and non-Indigenous Australians? Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are far smaller in population than non-indigenous Australians. They also constitute a much higher proportion of those living in Northern Australia and more remote areas. They have a spiritual connection with the land. Indigenous people feel that they “belong” to the land/certain territories are their rightful place. A different kinship system Lived a nomadic life prior to European invasion Their culture is non-materialistic They are a colonised people who have experienced extreme discrimination.

What are the main characteristics of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’s concepts about identity and perceptions about community? Generally accepted that an Aboriginal person is one who is a descendant of an Indigenous inhabitant of Australia, who identifies as an Aboriginal person, and who is recognised as Aboriginal by members of the community where they live (not about percentage of blood/colour of skin) Lived experience Identity is connected with the family, group and land (everyone is connected to one another – rather than individualistic identity) Kinship systems determined how one should behave towards every other person according to their relationship (e.g. man had responsibilities to his nephews – hunting etc.) Sharing/reciprocity Did not live an agrarian society (farming/cultivating the land) Language (There were approximately 260 distinct language groups) Indigenous identity has been constructed, imposed and manipulated by certain assimilationist policies and other destructive practices.

The Stolen Generations is a topical issue in Australia now The Stolen Generations is a topical issue in Australia now. Why is this so and why didn’t the matter receive such attention before? This chapter was written five years ago, and The Stolen Generations issue is perhaps less topical now. However, the reason why it has only recently become topical is because: - For a long time government authorities and institutions tried to frame the removal of children as necessary “for the sake of the children/giving them a better chance”. It was only really after political figures such as Paul Keating and reports such as “Bringing them Home” (HREOC, 1997) started to reveal the truth of the removals.

Individual racism – directed by one individual at another. According to this chapter, overt racism may have declined, but other forms of racism have not. Imagine being born as an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander person. What would your life be like? What forms of racism do you think you would encounter? Individual racism – directed by one individual at another. Cultural racism – part of the atmosphere of society. Passed on from one generation to the next. The public chatter. Institutional racism – racist practices in institutions. Mandatory sentencing in NT and WA. Welfare.

Utopia – A documentary by John Pilger (2013)

Utopia Questions – Part 1 What is meant by the phrase ‘…Aboriginal people have been treated as sub-human in Australia’…? Why did John Pilger (the film maker) show footage of the holiday homes on Palm Beach? What was the White Australia policy? Utopia is extremely remote, how does this impact on the those living there?

Utopia Questions – Part 2 Did Aboriginal people resist the control of the white Europeans? What are the housing conditions like for many indigenous people in the Northern Territory? Kevin Rudd promised $700 million dollars to indigenous housing after his sorry speech in 2008. Why do you think this wasn’t followed through? What were some of the negative effects of the 2007 Howard Intervention into the Northern Territory? What claims did the government make to justify the intervention? What were the real reasons for the intervention?

Utopia Questions – Part 3 What was the stolen generation? The S.G refers to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children who were forcibly removed from their families by past Federal, State and Territory governments, as well as church missions between 1910-1970. “Breeding out the colour” The policy was known as assimilation.

Utopia Questions – Part 3 Is the Stolen Generation over? No – according to John Pilger (Utopia film maker) “Today, the theft of Aboriginal children – including babies taken from the birth table – is now more widespread than at any time during the last century. As of June last year, almost 14,000 Aboriginal children had been "removed".” https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/mar/21/john-pilger-indigenous-australian-families 

Utopia Questions – Part 3 What effect do you think the stolen generation has on the current lives on indigenous people in Australia? Hopelessness Loneliness Loss of identity Legal problems Depression and other mental illnesses Relationship difficulties Loss of language, religion and land Substance abuse Distrust of government and other institutions

Utopia Questions – Part 3 The Pillow They'd placed a pillow at my face to shield you from my view They didn't care nor realise that nothing they would do Could ever ease the pain I'd feel in ever losing you. A lifetime's passed, they've lied to me They promised I'd forget But as I lie awake at night A victim of their theft There's no-one I can turn to To help me in my plight Except… another pillow I weep into every night. Poem by Di Wellfare

Utopia Questions – Part 3 Why did the mining industries start a propaganda campaign against indigenous land rights? Mining industries want to have unfettered access to mineral-rich lands. Therefore, they campaigned against changes which would allow indigenous land ownership.

Consequences of the past “Their reality has been shattered!” - Ella’s dad Collective despair - From Utopia Documentary “Refugees in our own country.”

Some recognition The Redfern Speech (1992) Prime Minister Paul Keating Speech transcript available on class blog

Some recognition The National Apology to the Stolen Generations 2008 Prime Minister Kevin Rudd https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aKWfiFp24rA

Racism and discrimination still exists… “I want to be blunt; there will be no compensation.” (Part of Rudd’s “apology”) Racist policies (Interventions) Arrest/Incarceration/”protective custody”/death in custody/torture of juvenile indigenous in NT (Don Dale) Sport (Adam Goodes – Stan Grant speech) Lack of government support (e.g. housing) Lack of representatives in parliament Lack of and poor representation in the media (e.g. Lateline segment) Conservative politicians like Pauline Hanson and her One Nation party (500,000 voted for her) Australia day/Survival day

Racism and discrimination still exists… Stan Grant’s Speech IQ2 debate (2015)

Racism and discrimination still exists…