Comments on: LETTER: Shire attacked over children’s service, responds

By: Ex-NT Whitefella

Ex-NT Whitefella — Wed, 24 Oct 2012 14:02:02 +0000

People of Ikuntji, has anything changed from two years ago?
http://www.abc.net.au/local/stories/2010/06/29/2940212.htm

By: Ex-NT Whitefella

Ex-NT Whitefella — Sun, 21 Oct 2012 22:33:17 +0000

Old Tjilbruke asks for constructive criticism and says that the letter failed to provide the reader and the Shire with any. Except for the following points of information:-
• locals should be making decisions about their future, not organisations
• plans aren’t community specific, but easily can be
• can be working towards NQS/ACECQA standards, but choose not to
• two way learning, using local staff to choose the best approach
• child raising practices by locals aren’t catered for
• needs to be culturally appropriate, but isn’t
• raise people off minimum wage, especially with staff that have served a long time
• staff were previously working towards qualifications, but Shire failed to do so since establishment
• basic first aid training, requirement for all staff in an early childhood environment
• finally, one other thing that was mentioned in the letter was that the Shire would not listen when she was on the job.

Enough constructive criticism?
You tell Ms Taylor that she is young in her career and that her experience is not enough to judge the system. In any position, it does not matter about the quantity of your work, but the quality.
Relating back to a community position, if you spend a long time in a community, fail to relate to the locals, fail to learn language and fail to see local practices, then you have failed at your job miserably – you are the uneducated! And it is very unfortunate for the educated that the uneducated generally remain that way.

By: Justice for all

Justice for all — Fri, 19 Oct 2012 10:15:46 +0000

This system is WRONG. It is WRONG for the money to be spent in Alice Springs on bureaucracy when it should be spent in the communities delivering services. It is RACIST and goes against the basic principles of human rights. Training should be provided to staff, resources should be provided. Complaints should be made and people should be made aware. The power needs to be with the people and not with the organisations. As the author has mentioned, THEY are supposed to be delivering services for the people.
You mentioned that this letter “targets the whole system” and “disintegrates our unity”. This top down system does not work. It needs to be completely destroyed and rebuilt from a community level. These organisations … cannot be changed. They have the money, the power and are FAILING to deliver what they promise. They need to be destroyed.
I have seen many great people working for these organisations, who are dropped as soon as they raise any objection or “try to change the system”. By carrying on “doing your job” you are encouraging, allowing and enabling that racist behaviour.
And as for the comment that Indigenous people should “express themselves” and “their problems,” which outlet do you suggest for this? The Internet service using the computers the Shire fail to maintain, the media who continue to ignore them or another extremely effective method?

By: Old Tjilbruke

Old Tjilbruke — Wed, 17 Oct 2012 10:01:39 +0000

@2, I am sorry but I think we should realized that where we are and what are we trying to establish. We are all working on the same problem, despite shortages we are doing our best, which is better than nothing or saying the system is wrong and we should give up or shut up.
I cannot see any solution or positive suggestions in this letter but complaint of an ex-employe. If there is not enough support, its our responsibility to be creative and use whatever resources we have to do our job.
I do not think Ms Taylor’s experience in the community is long enough to make such a statement! We are free to criticize but if its only constructive otherwise it is just an empty statement! We worked hard to build up trust despite all the shortages and problems. Letters such this target the whole system and disintegrate our unity.
We should realize that this “modern society” is suffering from lack of professional educators. I am sure indigenous people are able to express themselves as well as their problems.

By: Desert Insights

Desert Insights — Wed, 17 Oct 2012 06:46:14 +0000

Other people have said what I want to express in a much better way than I ever could.
“If you’re aware of injustice, you can either ignore it, say there is nothing you can do about it, complain about it and not do anything, or put your energies into doing something about it” (Ben Cohen) and “You may choose to look the other way but you can never say again that you did not know” (William Wilberforce).

By: Hopeful for the future

Hopeful for the future — Wed, 17 Oct 2012 06:13:36 +0000

@1 – I believe if you read post 8 it said that “The author told the Support and Development Officer that she is trying to do what is best for the community and the SDO replied by stating that the author is supposed to be doing what is best for the shire.” You state that if an employee has “an issue we should raise it with system while we are still in it” [sic] – how is that possible with the attitude shown above when the system clearly works for itself?
I think it is very important that people who might not be aware of such problems within the communities are made aware and I think this letter has brought some of that to the attention of the general public. It seems you feel that people, both black and white, should put up and shut up, and accept their lot. Neither is acceptable in a modern society with so-called freedom of speech, and nothing will change while that continues to happen.

By: Old Tjilbruke

Old Tjilbruke — Wed, 17 Oct 2012 04:59:59 +0000

@1 I am disappointed because its not all true. There might not be enough resources but it does not mean that she comes against the organization and blame their action. If you are really care about the community, you should put up with difficulties and try your best through your organization for the sake of the community. I have seen so many white people coming to the community and after a while they start to turn the community into their own territory. They come into the conclusion that the no longer belong their organization and they can run the community affairs on their own. Then they turn into the broken Toyota and will be replaced. If there is an issue we should raise it with system while we are still in it. This is called constructive consultation. Writing such a letter does nothing but damaging the trust that we are trying to establish. It also does not keep the childcare centre open. As a professional she could instead work with the shire in order to improve the policies as well as education. I believe this is what every professional does. Ms Taylor should realize that her action had nothing but devaluing her colleagues’ hard work.

By: Hopeful for the future

Hopeful for the future — Wed, 17 Oct 2012 03:31:25 +0000

I don’t think that lying down and allowing a less than perfect situation to continue is beneficial to anyone. Is anyone listening to the Traditional Owners of the communities? Has anyone asked them what they want or need? Simply saying that “we are doing our best” is not good enough. If people who live in and work in the communities can see that things need to be changed, and that Government bodies aren’t meeting their responsibilities, then it is imperative that this is both addressed and brought to the attention of everybody. Education is the future for all communities, white and black, and is something that should be given the very highest priority.
Having people who actually care in these jobs and are prepared to stand up for what they believe, instead of people who just want a job with a high salary and a nice easy life, is the only way things will change. No-one should have to “co-operate with their organisation” if they believe there is racism or injustice. If that was the case, nothing would ever change. Bottom line – ask the communities (in their own language) what they need, because at the moment it appears they are only being talked at.

By: Ex-NT Whitefella

Ex-NT Whitefella — Wed, 17 Oct 2012 02:50:39 +0000

I feel sorry for Ms Taylor. Quite often whitefellas are pushed out of their positions in the NT because they gel too well with the community but cannot work with the organisation. A fact that resident of Ikuntji raised is quite a good one, workers in the NT should be learning language, especially in an early childhood environment where the children don’t learn an ounce of English until they reach school, and also the fact that English literacy levels are very low in adults.
Like Ms Taylor mentioned, “too many decisions are being made without community consultation” by organisations that will appear to be unable change their ways.
It seems like the simple things cannot be done by these organisations like first aid training, keeping up with government standards, raise on minimum wage, etc. even though the community members are happy to fulfill these essential requirements. I wish the best for Ms Taylor and hope that the organisation can learn to change their ways as it too is still young.

By: Old Tjilbruke

Old Tjilbruke — Tue, 16 Oct 2012 13:32:12 +0000

I worked and lived in different Aboriginal communities along with Government workers! Unfortunately I should note that I do not see the right attitude in Ms Taylor for such an environment, while she just started her career a short while ago. She should realize we are all learning and despite all the shortage we try to do our best. Non of these organization (MacDonnell Shire …) are perfect but they are trying their best, you should instead of making the situation worse, try to cooperate with your organization and be constructive. I believe indigenous people are sick of these newcomers who arrive and want to make a glory over night. I suggest that Ms Taylor is better to leave and reflect on her action. Thank you.