The end of ideology in Indigenous affairs

Pearson forces us to confront difficult issues, and this in part explains the failure of many in the Left to respond.

Labor has not engaged sufficiently over how to address the dysfunction of many Indigenous communities. However, support for self-determination and for the aspirations and achievements of Indigenous people must not lead us to political correctness or a refusal to confront difficult problems.

Labor supports community-based solutions to the problems of alcohol, violence and abuse, where those solutions are based on informed consent. Solutions must be non-discriminatory but balance competing rights. The right to access alcohol and welfare must be balanced against the rights of others to be safe in their homes and communities. Agreements which protect the vulnerable, and which are reached in communities through informed consent, can and must be supported.

In tackling these core issues we must focus on causes and not just symptoms. I struggle to see how removing an individual’s welfare benefit assists them to overcome the alcohol, drug or petrol addiction that drives their behaviour.

These debates should not be held in a politically charged atmosphere. Labor must do better than labelling political opponents racist and paternalistic. Conservatives must do better than accuse us of excusing violence and abuse.

Labor is promoting a national approach of clear goals, an evidence-based strategy and Indigenous involvement at all levels.

Australia desperately needs clear, achievable goals to beat Indigenous disadvantage; allowing us to channel the financial and personal contributions made across our community, to properly evaluate progress and to hold both government and Indigenous organisations to account.

Tom Calma noted, “an absence of targeted action and contentedness that we are ‘slowly getting there’ is not going to result in significant improvements". Bob Hawke’s promise to eradicate child poverty by 1990 shows that goals must be realistic, achievable and adequately resourced.

Australia has not eradicated trachoma - but Oman, Morocco and Iran have done so. We could do this over five to ten years on a budget of $5 million. The goals we set should be clear, achievable, transparent and broadly endorsed. Continuity of policy and direction is vital.

All programs and measures we adopt must be pragmatically grounded in evidence of what works and what does not and measured through transparent frameworks and benchmarks. Labor will continue programs of this government which are shown to be working, but claims of success without clear evidence of fulfilled objectives should be treated with caution.

Indigenous self-determination at all levels is essential. This is not merely Labor ideology. International evidence shows that in tackling disadvantage the input and ownership of those affected is vital, a principle applied by the World Health Organisation, the UN Development Program, various charitable development agencies and national aid organisations.

The government’s refusal to support representative organisations, the bypassing of community groups and the decline in Indigenous public service representation all hinder success.

Unfortunately, Indigenous affairs remains on the periphery - a priority never reflected in government or opposition policy - something to be managed, not highlighted. Labor and the Coalition must take responsibility.

These problems are not intractable. Pessimism can be as corrosive as ideology and we must look beyond both. Labor is arguing for an evidence-based approach with clear goals and full Indigenous involvement - this is the way forward.

Australia will never reach its full potential until our first peoples have a fair chance of reaching theirs. Political parties must contribute to the solution not act as barriers to progress. We can and we must do better.