The national shame of Indigenous injustice is proof for all Australians that it takes more than protests to lift people out of systemic failure and put them on the path to fairness. It takes politics, too. Yet the facts reveal a dismal breakdown in politics that has cost lives.
Scott Morrison has swept away the old forum in favour of the national cabinet, his regular meeting with premiers and chief ministers during the pandemic. He promises a better way to get results. The paralysis on Indigenous policy should be one of his first tests.The long and dismal history of black deaths in custody – 434 over the past three decades – is a product of the inaction on Indigenous incarceration. Yet there is nothing new about setting a target to reduce the problem.
It took COAG until December 2018 to outline a "refresh" on Closing the Gap that sought to reduce the rate of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander incarceration by 11 to 19 per cent among young people and 5 per cent among adults. The draft targets have been drafts ever since. On Indigenous incarceration, however, Australia does not even have an agreed goal. Leaders cannot point to any ambition, let alone progress. Who can be surprised at the raw anger at the Black Lives Matter protests?Indigenous Affairs Minister Ken Wyatt will meet his state counterparts next month and there is talk of an agreement on final targets. Wyatt has been very cautious in public this week not to suggest a plan for anything more than the drafts.
CroweDM Distracting to be banging on about some sort of fix in the courts that brings about different outcomes for indigenous people compared to non-indigenous. Looks like legal apartheid. Better to attack the disadvantages underlying the criminal behaviour. Education, health, etc...
CroweDM Morrison should be able to kick some non performers to the senate and replace them with independents who have some GUTS. 👉👉👉👉
CroweDM Simple if they protest jail them all for 5 years
CroweDM Justice for what SMH?
CroweDM so much storm about racism here when racism is everywhere even black SOUTH Africans r racist against fellow blacks It wasnt even in the news
CroweDM Isn’t it time that Aboriginal people took accountability for themselves? We waste $33 billion dollars on them evey year and still no responsibility for how they treat each other.
CroweDM NO indigenous deaths in police custody for almost 30 years.......
CroweDM Antiviral drug Remdesivir sped recovery in moderately ill patients with pneumonia from coronavirus It's more evidence that the drug can help patients..COVID19