Aboriginal funding report

[overloaded]

Any thoughts on the report just released?

[brod]

Im surprised if anyone is surprised

[Q.]

How about providing a link at least?

[Dirko]

How about providing a link at least?

x 1

Some more info would be good.

[overloaded]

A damning review of federal spending on Indigenous programs has found dismal returns on the billions of dollars paid out.

The previously secret review prepared for Cabinet declares past approaches to fix Indigenous disadvantage have clearly failed, and recommends 25 programs be axed.

The Finance Department's 470-page review of Indigenous expenditure was obtained under Freedom of Information by the Seven Network and was written for the Rudd government 18 months ago.

It says the Commonwealth's spending of $3.5 billion annually over many years on Indigenous-specific programs has "yielded dismally poor returns to date" and too often the outcomes "have been disappointing at best and appalling at worst".

The scathing critique finds the current set of Indigenous programs "complex and confusing", with poorly articulated objectives and too much red tape.

It highlights the lack of rigorous evidence on the performance and effectiveness of many programs and recommends 25 be wound up immediately.

Dr Djiniyini Gondarra from Elcho Island has long campaigned against the federal intervention and says the review backs his stance.

The senior elder says Government policy based on controlling the lives of Indigenous people removes their dignity and pride and will never succeed.

He says the Government should stop wasting even more taxpayers' money consulting 73 communities about the intervention.

"It is a waste of taxpayers' money and there is no result," he said.

"People have now discovered that it is a waste of time. All those services that were given in the community ... have failed.

"That is the message. It's failed. There is no result."

Indigenous Affairs Minister Jenny Macklin has issued a statement saying the review supports the Government's efforts to address Indigenous disadvantage.

The statement says the review found the Closing the Gap Strategy "represents a comprehensive, coherent and ambitious agenda for reform".

The Opposition's Indigenous affairs spokesman, Nigel Scullion, says the Government is focused on how much it is spending rather than results.

"Of course the amount of money that goes to the programs should make the gap close, there is no doubt about that," he said.

"The report clearly indicates that the sort of things they are attempting to do are good things. I would agree with that. Many of them are legacy challenges from the Coalition.

"But the report has indicated that this Government has not been closing the gap ... They just keep throwing money. Simply, they have failed on almost every benchmark."

[Sojourner]

Various Elders have spoken out against the policy of various governments be they Labor or Liberal of making Aboriginal people welfare dependant because governments only want the quickest easiest short term solution.

[Gingernuts]

It always amuses me that when it comes to Indigenous issues there are plenty of people queuing up to tell you what the problems are, but I have never seen anyone come out with any constructive solutions.

Bottom line is it's an extremely complex problem with layer upon layer of issues, and no easy answers to any of them.

With this story in particular, I think it's just a case of a TV Network digging up a story on a controversial topic to score some cheap ratings. Makes beautiful Sunrise and Today Tonight fodder does a story like this.

[Gingernuts]

I should also add that I do agree with the report itself, in that funding is very often mis-spent and/or thrown at various problems without much preparation or research. To often government presumes what various communities/groups need, rather than - heaven forbid - actually asking them.

[BIG SEXY]

I should also add that I do agree with the report itself, in that funding is very often mis-spent and/or thrown at various problems without much preparation or research. To often government presumes what various communities/groups need, rather than - heaven forbid - actually asking them.

x2

teach a man to fish and all that

[Sojourner]

Interestingly Bob Katter is one of the few people that is working for definate solutions as opposed to just taking part in a talkfest on the issue.

Katter was recently interviewed by "JustSalvos" the Social Justice arm of the Salvation Army where they asked him questions on this very issue. Bob Katter pointed out that a major problem is that Aboriginal People are unable to gain Deeds for property and cannot gain bank loans to run businesses as a result. He quotes instances of where Aboriginal people have been able to be set up to run their own businesses such as Cattle Stations and Banana Plantations in North Queensland and have been hugely successful. He also advocates for Aboriginal People to be employed to build their own houses in the communities instead of flying in contractors and again points out that when this is done the rates of property damage plumment.

Gillard need to reverse the discriminatory policy which denys people the right to own a deed to a property based on their skin colour. Allow aboriginal people the same rights as anyone else to own their own businesses and to employ others and the situation can very soon change if people give it a go.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/nationa ... 6069947072

[The Sleeping Giant]

The cycle of poor education needs to be broken. The kids just don't go to school, like their parents and their grandparents.

[Psyber]

The cycle of poor education needs to be broken. The kids just don't go to school, like their parents and their grandparents.

Unfortunately, the only way to get the kids to school regularly may be to first remove them from environments that discourages bothering to go.
Now there's a can of worms...

[BIG SEXY]

hasnt something similar already been done psyber....resulting in "the stolen generation"
it certainly has no easy answer and i dont think a 100% viable solution will be found anytime soon. resulting in alot more generations of similar attitudes

[The Sleeping Giant]

The cycle of poor education needs to be broken. The kids just don't go to school, like their parents and their grandparents.

Unfortunately, the only way to get the kids to school regularly may be to first remove them from environments that discourages bothering to go.
Now there's a can of worms...

Kids in the NT are being rewarded with prizes for attendance. iPods, tickets to footy games etc. and it has been successful.

[ORDoubleBlues]

No one should be surprised.

Aboriginals want one thing but others are more interested in telling them what they want rather than listening to what they actually want