Jobs the answer to plight in the bush

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LETTER TO THE EDITOR
 
Sir – I thought when the Intervention came in it was supposed to find a solution to the plight of the Indigenous people in the communities such as training, education, employment and housing problems.
 
Now with non-Indigenous managers and employees, we seem to have gone back 200 plus years as the days of the Aboriginal Protection Board. I visited many communities throughout the Territory before the Intervention came in and was greeted by a smiling Indigenous people. Now it is a non-Indigenous person and his family. Appalling.
 
During road and housing work, a large number of non-Indigenous contractors are operating graders, backhoes, bulldozers and trucks followed by Indigenous workers on foot picking up rubbish.
 
What happen to training? Is it degrading and disgusting? I hear a lot of talk around town about “why the blacks are coming to town and staying on the fringes”? I will tell you why: There is no bloody work or training for them which were promised. Fulfill those promises and they will go back to country.
 
The night patrol managers and zone managers in the shires are just “jobs for the boys”, ex- policeman and security guards. They are not needed, $104,000 a year with a car and they very rarely seen to visit or know their workers’ names, skin names or if they have family problems.
 
We have educated black people coming home looking for work, to do good for the community, but finding it hard just to get an interview or be short listed. You may notice on the vacancy advert these words, “Aboriginal and Islanders are encouraged to apply”. Well they do and get nowhere, which is frustrating and discouraging.
 
So called “Aboriginal agencies” are run by non-Aboriginals just don’t want to employ Aboriginal people. What is going on, is it a white Australia policy? If these managers cared, then the morale would be high and workers would be lining up for work.
 
In four communities there are no night patrols, so where is the funding going? The night patrollers are on the forefront every night but lately the organisation is in disarray, nobody wants to work for managers who don’t care or check if the equipment is working.
 
If you train the locals to be managers and coordinators, you will have less sniffers, domestic violence, drug and alcohol in the communities. They are proud people and do care but going back 200 plus years won’t work. Nobody wants to go backwards or it is backward thinking on your behalf (Government).
 
I think this is a Government strategy, don’t give them work, training and let the houses fall down, blackfella move into towns and Government close down the communities and let the mining companies move in. There were some let down on the 99 year leases, so what better way to get the people out.
 
Look, work with us and we will work with you, it will be a win win for both sides.
 
Dennis Braun
Alice Springs
 
 

19 COMMENTS

  1. Bull. Firstly, why are we dividing people by colour? By doing this you’re pushing the rights of Australia’s first settlers back 200 years.
    Secondly, Caucasian people are getting the jobs because they get of their arse and apply for the job! They sought the training and are deemed employable!

  2. Australia’s first settlers? I presume you mean indigenous people. 200 years ago Australia’s first settlers had no rights. Their land could be stolen and they could be shot with little or no recriminations.
    If you meant those later Caucasian settlers, 200 years ago they had the right to and did treat the owners of this land as described above.
    The country has been divided since this time. Laws are passed regularly against and occasionally for indigenous people.

  3. @ Dr Wrongo.
    I question whether new arrivals had the “right” to remove Aboriginal people from their land.
    The doctrine of Terra Nullius was an assumption. In 1992, MABO overturned it on rights found under English Common Law which is based on the Ten Commandments of the Old Testament, imported into England under its Christian foundations.
    That law was applicable from 1788 as Australia was founded on Christian principles and law.
    It follows that they did not have the right to claim the land and an historical accommodation failed. This legacy is still in train as you rightly point out.

  4. As far as I am concerned, if it were not for white man the Indigenous would still be living like 200 years ago, no housing, no job, living off the land like traditional times, with very poor health, no medical assistance, no cars, there would be no so called shops in the communities and the list goes on. They can always create their own jobs in the communities, there are grants to be had.

  5. As far as I’m concerned if it wasn’t for the white man stealing our land and resources. They would still be living like they were 200 years ago. Short lives due to disease and malnutrition children having to work from a young age. Terrible poverty. People rotting in prison for stealing a bit of food to feed themselves. Etc etc. They had a terrible life until they came to destroy ours.

  6. Traditional owners have land in their names to provide work, employment ventures or to sell.
    Their choice just like the rest of us.
    It is time to give all those communities out there the land. Then they can act in same way as station owners. They can look after themselves – no government hand outs. Houses need to belong to individuals or the local council.
    No more people going in to teach mothers how to interact with their children.
    No more people being paid to teach how cook and clean.
    Give people freedom to choose, freedom to learn and freedom to own their lives. Aboriginal people are not a pawn to be used and abused by paternalist.

  7. Are you saying Janet that you’re prepared to give back the land stolen from the traditional owners? Like White Gums and the rest of Alice Springs was taken from the Mparntwe-arenye people, are you going to give it back?
    If not, what do you suggest for these people? They aren’t the traditional owners of the land “out there” but the traditional owners of the land in here.

  8. @ Russell Guy: The most basic understanding of British Common Law tells us that it has nothing whatsoever to with the ten commandments or Christian principles.
    It means that the law is based on judicial decisions and precedents.
    It would be a strange interpretation of Christian principles to allow the execution, incarceration and transportation of men women and children who stole a bit of food.

  9. @ Charlie Carter: With regard to your comment about judicial decisions and precedents, have a good read of this link for starters. http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Common_law
    It’s basic to an understanding of what I have written.
    I agree with your point about the interpretation of English law during the Transportation period and refer you to the recent interpretation of the Constitution of the USA by non-elected judges in Same Sex Marriage Equality.
    Neither examples change the fact that English Common Law has Christian foundations and that Australia was founded on those principles at law.
    As much as the Reformation is ongoing and open to a reading of Scripture, there has always been political ideology wishing to counter Mosaic law, e.g., the Roman occupation of Judea up to Emperor Constantine, at least and particularly in contemporary Britain where the office of the Archbishop of Canterbury functions historically as a conduit between the Church and the State.

  10. If everyone takes a look at displaced people it has been happening for over two thousand years.
    Over the years it hasn’t looked at what colour your skin was so I think everyone be it black, white or other get over it and realise how lucky you are to live in Australia.
    It is time to stand up and pull your weight to make this an even better country rather than expect all Centrelink hand outs.

  11. @ Carmel: Should we be getting over the fact that you don’t have the courage of your convictions by stating your full name?
    It’s not all about skin colour. It’s also about what values and beliefs you hold.
    I mentioned the Roman occupation of Judea as an ancient example of displacement, but a more recent example is the persecution of Christians by ISIS in Syria and Boko Haram in Africa.
    I could also make a case for Anti-Discrimination legislation moving from minority groups towards a mainstream determination to silence alternative views.
    Western countries still have a Christian foundation which evolved from Mosaic Law, aka the Ten Commandments which acknowledged property rights, as in English Common Law affording conditional Native Title to Australia’s Indigenous peoples in 1992.
    Showing solidarity to refugees includes displaced Christians and acknowledging their rights at law, rather than undermining their beliefs.

  12. @ Russell Guy: Quote: “@ Carmel: Should we be getting over the fact that you don’t have the courage of your convictions by stating your full name?” End of quote.
    She is not the only one. Matter of facts there are more anonymous than true identities. But often it is not by lack of courage that someone has to be incognito. It could be for work reason, protect the family name etc … as long as Erwin knows who the writer is all is fine.

  13. @ Evelyne Roullet: Some of these anonymous posts, in fact more than most, can easily be discerned as having nothing to do with the reasons you list.

  14. Fred the Philistine: Did you know that the Philistine people were the first boat people?
    So I understand where Fred is coming from … unwanted illegal immigrant.
    Yeah, the whites are great, for plagues, prostitution, politicians (no coincidence they all start with Ps hey, Philistine Fred), no taxes, no fences, no water rates, land rates, no land tax … a 50,000 plus years culture which somehow survived, only to be saved by other boat people … easy to see how you arrived at your defence of a rotten system.

  15. Penangke: Spot on … the average pommy bastards before they came to Australia had exactly that life.

  16. Carmel, I come and take over your farm and then tell you to line up at the gate to get some food. You think that’s OK?

  17. Russell Guy: You’ve only got one part of the story. Do some research (hint, check SA land rights as accorded by royal decree) and come back.

  18. I know the author of this letter. He is a fine example of an Elder, compassionate, empathetic and reasonable.
    Educated at Bond University, he was suppressed by white fella ignorance, always wanting a better life and opportunity for his children and grandchildren as well as yours.
    He is not asking for a handout, but asking for a job (he is probably overqualified for) and rightfully complaining about the lack of balance of whites compared to blackfellas.
    So if you’re a government bureaucratic or politician reading this, understand that it is the peaceful nature of us Indigenous people that you have a job, but patience is running out.

  19. Where are all the educated black people who are leaving me hanging? I am getting shot down and I need your support.
    Daniel Boon, thanks you my brother, oh Dan, you forgot to mention the priests, the mass murders and we are constantly hearing of the Jewish mass killing but none here about the murders.

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