Self Determination
Institutional racism has been a significant factor in the confinement of the indigenous people in Australia. To begin with, most of their pleas are always rejected, as it is seen in the transcription of Linda Burney. The Indigenous caucus has changed to the First Nations caucus (Burney, 2018, p.189). This move led to a change of language from the aboriginal to the First Nations. This condition has affected indigenous people since their pleas are not recognized. Linda also reported a partial news coverage of some essential elements that needed not to be left out. For instance, The Apology of the 10th anniversary which was not well captured in the news. This act was significant to the indigenous people in Australia. There was also inadequate notice on the closure of The Gap Report.
The government also rejected the occurrence of a referendum of Voice. In addition to this, the government did not suggest a way forward to this movie. They just said that it would raise the Voice of the indigenous people over other people (Thorpe, 2019, p.23). This denial would lead to the incarceration of the natives because their Voice was not considered. Also, the Makarata commission establishment was not as expected. In this, the indigenous people thought a change in the Australian constitution would occur, but it did not. The Race clause was also not changed. These two factors are what determined self-determination among indigenous people.
These problems need to be addressed to foster self-determination among the indigenous people in the future. First of all, justice reinvestment has to be done, as suggested by Linda (Burney, 2018, p.57). Having a Joint parliamentary committee will help the indigenous people to air out their views. The major problem here is putting these views into consideration. The government ought to ensure there is an inclusion of natives in decision making and also in terms of resource allocation. The parliamentary representation of the natives in the committee should also be into focus.
A referendum also needs to be conducted to collect views from the natives concerning their Voice to parliament. The indigenous people are not much into power, as seen. They only need a place to be recognized. That is, to air out their grievances and participate in decision making (Hocking, 2018, p.8).
Again, there is a need to establish the Makarrata commission whose primary responsibility was to tell the natives concerning government operations and aid in treaty-making. In this, there has to be an established agreement in the treaty hence the inclusion of natives in decision making (Moodie, 2018, p.12).
Racism has also been of significant effect on the education system of Australia. In this, child placement is biased. Putting in mind that the Apology existed ten years ago, child placement needs to have increased marginally. The rate of child removal is also rising at an alarming rate. For example, 9000 children were in care ten years ago when the Apology was given. In the current time, only 17000 children are in custody. This number is small since the Apology has been there since ten years ago (Perche, 2018, p.30).
Racism can be addressed in various ways. First of all, everyone has to be included in decision making. For example, in the Joint parliamentary committee, the voices of different committee members need to be listened to. Participation in everyone will aid in the inclusion of all views in decision making.
Treaty making is also another way of curbing racism (Moodie, 2018, p.11). In this, the government and the indigenous people ought to make a treaty or an agreement of working collectively. These agreements can be established in matters such as changing of the Australian constitution or having a referendum to address the Voice of the indigenous people.
Another way of addressing racism is by having a referendum. This referendum is vital since the views of everyone will be listened to. Even though the government views raising of this Voice will lower the Voice of others, Linda believes that this Voice would only be an advisory tool but a rise in power (Burney, 2018, p.55). The indigenous would be able to participate in decision making concerning their lives, what should be done to them, and what should not be done. Ignoring this Voice would be incarcerating the indigenous people.
In the future, self-determination of the indigenous people would be achieved if these issues are addressed. To begin with, if the Voice of the aboriginal to the parliament accepted, they would be able to participate in decision making in the government. This participation will lead to the inclusion of everyone; hence self-determination will be achieved. Also, racism will be avoided if the government agrees to make a treaty with the indigenous people, this is because agreements will be made concerning the lives of the people with them involved (Thorpe, 2019, p.20). Self-determination can also be achieved when these factors are made a reality. It has been the norm of the government, not putting the indigenous people’s views into consideration. When allowed to participate in decision making and airing out of their Voice, the indigenous people will be able to achieve self-determination.
In conclusion, Institutional racism has confined the indigenous people in Australia for a long time. Most of their views are not put into consideration during decision making. For instance, their Voice is overruled in parliament. The parliament disagreed with conducting a referendum for the people to air out their views. The Makarrata Commission also came out in an unexpected form. It did not change the Australian constitution and the race clause. Also, children’s placement did not rise as expected since the Apology existed ten years ago. This placement has affected the education of the indigenous people. Racism can be addressed by allowing the conduction of a referendum to collect the people’s views. Indigenous people should also be considered in making decisions concerning their lives. To actualize, the pursuit of making a treaty and having a voice to the parliament needs to be established (Burney, 2018, p.56). These two factors should not only be planned but also be put into reality.
References
Burney, L., 2018. Taking ‘a rightful place in our own country’: Indigenous self‐determination and the Australian people. Australian Journal of Public Administration, 77(S1), pp.S59-S62.
Thorpe, K., 2019. Transformative Praxis—Building Spaces for Indigenous Self-determination in Libraries and Archives. In the Library with the Lead Pipe, 23.
Hocking, J., 2018. ‘A transforming sentiment in this country’: The Whitlam government and Indigenous self‐determination. Australian Journal of Public Administration, 77(S1), pp.S5-S12.
Moodie, C., 2018. Universal declaration of human rights and self-determination: Addressing incarceration rates of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Women in the context of family violence. Bulletin (Law Society of South Australia), 40(11), p.12.
Perche, D., 2018. Recalibrating the machinery of government for Indigenous affairs: Towards a new policy design for self‐determination. Australian Journal of Public Administration, 77(S1), pp.S28-S36.