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Home > Aboriginal Studies > Social Justice & Human Rights > Comparative Investigation > Social Justice & Human Rights Issues: A Comparative Investigation

 

Social Justice & Human Rights Issues: A Comparative Investigation

	Economic Independence Investigation Two Jan Ryan (Teacher - Tweed River High School)     Economic programs and strategies Governments have implemented economic programs and strategies. These vary considerably Australia wide, and many successful programs and strategies have been implemented and initiated by Aboriginal and Indigenous communities. Students should be sure they have detailed knowledge of examples from each case study. Some examples could be:- South Coast Aboriginal Cultural Centre, Boomalli Aboriginal Artists Co-operative Yaimini outstation, Monetary settlements due to the Treaty of Waitangi Ownership of the Auckland Warriors Rugby League Team. These initiatives impact on other social justice and human rights issues. (i) (Australia) An important change in overall Government policy direction was the Whitlam Governments 1972-1975 commitment to Aboriginal self-determination, subsequently modified to self-management. This broad policy shift spelt the end of Assimilation as official policy. In 1987 the Aboriginal Employment Development Policy was launched with the aim of bringing about economic equality between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people. The outcomes of the Government economic programs have been generally disappointing, as the economic situation does not seem to have improved for Aboriginal people. In the 1980’s Aboriginal people were incorporated into the Australian Welfare State and now the struggle is to reduce this dependence on Social Security and to attain levels of economic autonomy comparable with other non-Indigenous Australians. Today, the major thrust of Government policy is to provide Aboriginal people with additional educational and employment opportunities, allowing them to compete on an equal footing with other Australians. (ii) (International) As stated before Native Americans saw the treaties as sacred pledges on the part of the US governments. Later generations regarded the treaties as having symbolic and moral significance associated with the Declaration of Independence. The Federal Governments attitude towards the treaties, considering them to be routine legal documents that are subject to easy change or elimination, is a continuing point of concern among the tribes which have treaties with the US. Video resources Looking after Yaimini. Gulliver Films. (45 mins) Video Education Australasia 111a Mitchell Street Bendigo Vic 3550 Tel: (03) 5442 2433 Fax: (03) 5441 1148 Teacher notes accompany the video. "In Looking After Yaimini we spend a few days on an outstation with Mandark, a tribal elder and his extended family, and learn about Aboriginal life. Aspects covered include : the importance of the old people, attitudes to white Australians, the Dreaming, the importance of land and sacred sites, the problems and benefits of outstation life, the ceremonies, and bush tucker and the arts and crafts." Other newspaper articles on Native American and Navajo casinos Navajo Timeline Self-determination: 1970 - High stakes for Indian gaming vote 1998 Elections: Proposition 5 The battle over Proposition 5 is shaping up as one of the most expensive in state history. Indian casinos far cry from glitzy counterparts Casinos owned by Colorado's American Indians are doing big business, but not that big.   Go to next section of Investigation Two Economic, land and cultural maintenance