The first referendum any eligible Australian young person has had the opportunity to vote in has run its course. Passions have been high around this referendum, and we know that for some people the result is disappointing. If you’d like to have a closer look at how SA voted, you can find that here.
But throughout the debate there have been calls across the political spectrum for meaningful improvements to the lives of First Nations people – so, what can be done without a Voice?
The Voice was a federal proposal so let’s start on a federal level
Closing the Gap targets
In December 2008 six Closing the Gap targets were introduced by the Council of Australian Governments, stemming from the Social Justice Report 2005, and subsequent Close the Gap campaign, which called for Australian governments to commit to achieving equality for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in health and life expectancy within 25 years.
Due to some additions and the Closing the Gap Refresh in 2018, developed to expand the framework and to replace expired (and unmet) targets, there are now 19 targets.
These socio-economic targets are across areas that have an impact on outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. These range across health, education, employment, housing, justice, child protection, connection to culture and self-determination. You can find all of them listed here.
A report released by the Productivity Commission in June shows that just four of the 19 Closing the Gap targets are on track. Of the others, 11 targets are not on track and four targets can’t assess a trend.
The Close the Gap Campaign is built on evidence that shows that significant improvements in the health status of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples can be achieved within short time frames.
Providing primary health care services to the Aboriginal and Islander population, particularly through Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services, is likely to result in significant increases in life expectancy within a decade.
Community controlled health services need adequate funding, and in the words of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner, Tom Calma, ‘it is not credible to suggest that one of the wealthiest nations in the world cannot solve a health crisis affecting less than three per cent of its citizens’.
Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody
The Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody (RCIADIC) 1987-1991 was established in response to growing public concerns that First Nations deaths in custody were far too common and poorly explained.
It examined 99 deaths that occurred in custody in the just over nine years between January 1980 and May 1989. The manner and circumstances of each death were investigated and reported on and there were also broader investigations into the social, cultural and legal factors that may have contributed to the deaths.
The Final Report, released in April 1991, concluded that First Nations Peoples had a higher chance of dying in custody simply because they had a higher chance of being in custody. A central finding was that continuing conditions of over-representation of First Nations Peoples in prisons originates from structural and systemic injustice, not increased criminal inclination.
Not only have black deaths in custody increased since the report’s release, but some jurisdictions have also introduced laws in direct opposition of the recommendation that detention be the option of last resort for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Reviews on the progress of the implementation of recommendations have been highly contested, but most remain completely unimplemented or only partially implemented.
The answers are in recommendations of the RCIADIC report, they’ve needed to be implemented for over 30 years and need to be implemented now.
Bringing Them Home report
The Bringing Them Home report was tabled in Federal Parliament in 1997, the result of a national inquiry that investigated the forced removal of Indigenous children from their families, extensively documenting the experiences of members of the Stolen Generations.
The report consists of 54 recommendations to address the impacts of the removal polices and the ongoing trauma inflicted. The recommendations included a national Apology (delivered in 2008), reparations, improved services for Stolen Generations members and a process for monitoring the implementation of the report's recommendations.
With no formal monitoring process, in 2017, 20 years on, non-government assessments found very limited implementation of the recommendations: less than one in 10 were identified as having been fully implemented.
Forced removal of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people hasn’t ceased in the over 20 years since this report was tabled in parliament. The recommendations need to be implemented and a process to monitor the implementation needs to be established to hold government to account.
United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
In 2007 the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), the most comprehensive international instrument on the rights of Indigenous Peoples was adopted by the General Assembly.
The framework establishes universal minimum standards for the survival, dignity and well-being of the Indigenous peoples of the world and elaborates on existing human rights standards and fundamental freedoms as they apply to Indigenous peoples.
Australia was initially one of four countries who refused to sign onto the declaration. But despite indicating support for UNDRIP in 2009 and again pledging to support it in 2017, Australia has been criticised for the lack of changes to policies and actions as a result.
Any steps toward bringing laws and policy in line with the human rights standards we have internationally agreed to would be an improvement.
Within South Australia
The inquiry into the application of the Atsicpp in the removal and placement of Aboriginal Children in South Australia: Preliminary report
SA’s Commissioner for Aboriginal Children & Young People, April Lawrie, has released a preliminary report into the inquiry into the application of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Child Placement Principle (ATSICPP).
The ATSICPP is based around recognising the importance of safe care within family and culture to the best interests of children and ensure the actions that caused the Stolen Generations are not repeated. The elements of the principle cover both preventing children and young people entering out-of-home care and reunification centring culturally connected placements and inclusion of families and communities in decision-making.
The Preliminary Report makes 17 recommendations to inform the South Australian Government’s proposed reform of the Children and Young People (Safety) Act 2017.
You may also be aware South Australian Parliament passed legislation for a state-based Voice to Parliament earlier this year, you can find more info on that here.
Support for First Nations young people:
13 YARN (13 19 76) 24/7 support for First Nations People
WellMob Social, emotional and cultural wellbeing online resources for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People.
AIMhi-Y A mobile app to support the wellbeing of First Nations young people, aged 12-25, available for download via the App Store or Google Play.
Lifeline 13 11 14 & webchat 24/7
Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800 & webchat 24/7
