...Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are an integral part of Australia, both our history and culture, yet as a Non-Indigenous Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples often feel very foreign to me. My family is not of indigenous decent and I have little interaction with those who are, as such my views on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are shaped entirely from what I have learned at school, or have heard from people around me. This in the past has led to very narrow views and a complete lack of understanding about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. My local area does not contain much ethnic variation, so racism (although often subtle) is prevalent, growing up I never thought much about the...
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...Introduction This paper discusses how Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (ATSI) histories and cultures (“the histories and cultures”) can be incorporated into a Year 10 history classroom curriculum. The classroom curriculum is the practical unfolding of the formal, written curriculum between teacher and student. For incorporating histories, three overt, practical ways are discussed: role play, writing an Acknowledgement of Country and interpreting a movie which incorporates the perspectives of ATSIs. For incorporating cultures, the eight-way Aboriginal pedagogies outlined by Tyson Yunkaporta (2009a) are discussed along with how the classroom curriculum can be adapted to incorporate such cultural techniques. Indigenous history and culture...
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...Introduction The purpose of this report is to discuss the role social work practice can play in struggles over inequality and social justice for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (ATSI) people. From day one, white man set foot on Australian soil, ‘invasion day’, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (ATSI) peoples have endured multi-levels of inequality and social injustices. This report will examine one policy, social workers had a direct hand in enforcing, and the repercussions of the ATSI community from this and how it affects the way social workers, work with the community today. Analysis The first social injustice faced by ATSI peoples was the British terming the land ‘terra nullius”, meaning ‘nobody’s land’ (Bennett et al 2013,...
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...around the world, based on the principles of self-determination and participation, to respect the rights and roles of Indigenous peoples within society. It is the instrument that contains the minimum standards for the survival, dignity and well-being of Indigenous peoples all over the world” - Mick Gooda, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner. | 4.Was a turning point in the struggle for Indigenous Rights because this statement was created after a long time of suffering endured by the Indigenous Peoples. | 5.It reduced the levels of disadvantage and discrimination, returned the Indigenous Peoples their rights to cultural identities, self- representation, and to their values and beliefs have been noticeably respected at an international level. | 6.The world’s indigenous peoples do not share the same story of colonization. In the New World, white European colonizers arrived and settled on the land, disregarding the Indigenous people. | 7.Many countries have continued to tackle the problem of disadvantage and discrimination of the Indigenous all around the world | 8.Young people can ensure that the fight for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Civil Rights continues….. not discriminating against anyone whose culture, race, religion, etc that is different to theirs. | Bibliography Australian Human Rights Commission. 2013. Discrimination: Know your rights Information for...
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...displacement and protectionist policies that denied Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people basic rights, separated families and entrenched discrimination and inequalities. Over the past centuries there have been many changes in the attitudes and rights regarding the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Despite the efforts by Australian government’s initiatives of ‘Closing the Gap’ in an attempt to address the inequalities between indigenous and white Australians there are still vast gaps in terms of socio-economic status, health care and welfare services, life expectancy, education, employment, housing ownership, land tenure and land rights. However, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people still experience an ongoing prejudice and discrimination as a marginalised minority group. Therefore, there is still a great deal of negativity that needs addressing in our society. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people still experience ongoing prejudice and discrimination as a marginalised minority group (Pedersen, Beven, Walker & Griffiths, 2004). Despite efforts by the government to address the inequalities, some Australian research finds a relationship between racism against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and the belief that such views are shared by the wider population (Pedersen & Griffiths, 2002). It is suggested that many Australians believe that Aboriginal and Torres strait Islander people have the right to equity, but they are perceived...
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...Very few can say they were as imperative in the Aboriginal Rights Movement as Eddie Koiki Mabo was during 1962 to 1992. His significance is predominantly evident in the famous ‘Mabo vs State of Queensland’ case, however, he brought about much more to the table than just a change in Australian law. Throughout his life Mabo accomplished numerous feats for Aboriginal rights, such as serving as secretary for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Advancement League (ATSIAL), campaigning for self-determination in Torres Strait communities and overturning two centuries of accepted Australian legislation. These accomplishments can be split into two groups, changes in society and changes in Government law. One example of change in society is the advancement and recognition of Indigenous people in Australian society. Mabo worked tirelessly to better his people in the community, this was by: exposing police brutality and racial discrimination against indigenous people, with a strong focus on the latter in...
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...Health of Indigenous Australians Name University Details Date of Submission Aboriginal and Torres Strait islanders in Australia suffers from poor health. The poor health is associated with poverty, malnutrition, overcrowding, poor hygiene, environmental contamination, and prevalent infections. Inadequate clinical care and health promotion, and poor disease prevention services aggravate this situation (Gracey & King, 2009). Indigenous Australian women have poor maternal health; higher rates of chronic diseases, poor nutrition and high level of urinary tract infection that contribute to pregnancy complications. Moreover, Mellor, et al., (2015) felt that, these people are facing a challenge to access primary health care because of distance and most of them live in remote areas. They also have a problem of chronic health conditions that require a range of services but not affordable. Lastly, culture contributes to poor access of healthcare services through language barrier; gender based cultural practices and ideals. The health burden among Indigenous people arises in non-remote areas since majority of them reside in non-remote areas (Vos, et al., 2009). Social and emotional wellbeing among indigenous Australians is demonstrated by a number of ways. They are traumatized by abuse, domestic violence family breakdown, cultural dislocation, racism and discrimination, rejection by family social disadvantages and drug and substance abuse. They also have psychological distress, a problem...
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...Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islanders | April 3 2016 | | | Introduction Australian Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islanders are one the oldest communities of the Australia. About sixty-eight percent of Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders live in the urban area of Australia like Queensland and New South Wales. Rest of the population resides in the remote areas of Australia. The recent surveys show that the population of aborigines and Torres Strait Islander are having a serious health issue of increasing mental illness (Busfield, 2012). Also, the rate of suicide is getting high amongst them. These people have a traditional view towards their health; they don’t just associate it with a person, but with the whole community and spiritual, social and emotional well-being of the whole community. The Australian Government and the health department are working hard to overcome the problem of mental disorder and high rate of suicide amongst the Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islanders (Whitlock, Wyman & Moore, 2014). Factors that are associated with mental disorder and suicide When a person is socially and emotionally unwell, and there is a remarkable change of behavior and thinking it is known as mental illness. According to a health survey in 2008, about thirty-one percent of Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders aged above fifteen years were suffering from psychological distress of high level. Which was twice in comparison to non-aboriginals. This survey measured...
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...Assignment question: Explore the nurse’s role in addressing the impact of the social determinants of health on accessibility to health care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. INTRODUCTION 150 words Nurses have an extensive role in caring for the health and wellbeing of people and ensuring they have accessibility to health care. This paper will explore and provide evidence into how the social determinants of health, especially racism or racial discrimination impacts on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders or Indigenous Australian people’s access to health care. Exploring the impact of social determinants of health on Indigenous Australians and the numerous poorer health outcomes experienced by this population group will...
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...may be prevalent in the country you are travelling too or you may find yourself quarantined on your return home if you have been to a country where there is a virus outbreak. Unfortunately the Indigenous Australians were not able to quarantine the European colonists arriving on the first fleet in 1788 and there was no immunisation injections available to protect them from the colds, flus and other infectious disease that arrived with the colonist. In 2015 there are vaccines available to assist people develop a stronger immune system to help prevent some disease and medical technology has progress and people can now live longer than they ever had before. Unfortunately there is still a gap between the life expectancy of an Aboriginal Australian and a non-Aboriginal Australian. In 2010-2012 the average life expectancy for Indigenous Australian male and females were 69.1 and 73.7 while for non-indigenous Australians it was higher, 79.7 for males and 83.1 for females (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2013). This is similar in other indigenous cultures across the world, the United Nations declaration on the rights of Indigenous Peoples makes mention of the health of Indigenous Peoples right to health care “Indigenous individuals have an equal right to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health. States shall take the necessary steps with a view to achieving progressively the full realization of this right” (United Nations, 2007). What is the Australian...
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...“Eddie Koiki Mabo’s legacy for the nation, and especially for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, is extraordinary” (Loos and Mabo, 2013 p. xxi). This essay will explore the life of Eddie Mabo and the Mabo case as well as discussing the affect his life has had on Australia as an inclusive nation today. The life of Eddie Mabo was more than most. He paved the way for Indigenous Australians in relation to equality and land rights. He is responsible for the abolishment of Terra Nullius and for the implementation of Native Title through the High Court of Australia, thus changing the lives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders forever. Despite the many hardships he faced throughout his life, Mabo was never discouraged from achieving what he believed to be right, irrelevant of how hard or how long it would take. When Captain James Cook...
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...DISCUSSION PAPERThe determinants of Indigenous employment outcomes: the importance of education and training B. Hunter No. 115/1996 ISSN 1036-1774 ISBN 0 7315 1789 XSERIES NOTE The Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research (CAEPR) was established in March 1990 under an agreement between The Australian National University (ANU) and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission (ATSIC). CAEPR operates as an independent research unit within the University's Faculty of Arts and is funded by ATSIC, the Commonwealth Department of Social Security and the ANU. CAEPR's principal objectives are to undertake research to: • investigate the stimulation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander economic development and issues relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employment and unemployment; • identify and analyse the factors affecting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander participation in the labour force; and • assist in the development of government strategies aimed at raising the level of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander participation in the labour market. The Director of the Centre is responsible to the Vice-Chancellor of the ANU and receives assistance in formulating the Centre's research priorities from an Advisory Committee consisting of five senior academics nominated by the Vice-Chancellor and four representatives nominated by ATSIC, the Department of Employment, Education, Training and Youth Affairs and the Department of Social...
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...Based on the textbook chapter on Indigenous Australians (Gilbert) and the prescribed reading for this topic (Blanchard 2011), how could you support Aboriginal self-determination in your practice? As defined by United Nations (1976), Self-determination is the right of all people to freely determine their political status and freely pursue their economic, social and cultural development. In order to improve the poor health status and socio-economic condition of Aboriginal people we need to recognize and support the goals and aspirations of indigenous people towards self-management and self-determination. (Franks, Smith-Lloyd, Newell & Dietrich, 2001). I think acknowledging Self-determination is a highly important aspect of the type of practice anyone undertakes, especially social workers because recognising, valuing and respecting the diversity of the Indigenous in Australia is the first step in a more meaningful communication process. I think the first steps to supporting aboriginal Self determination is being culturally appropriate, culturally competent and promoting cultural safety for your clients within your practice (O'Hara & Pockett, 2012). Ways that I could support Aboriginal Self-determination in my practice could be by implementing Self-determination programs to enable opportunities for Aboriginal people to prioritize their own decisions in program development and ensure the ongoing services are relevant and appropriate (Franks, Smith-Lloyd, Newell & Dietrich...
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...INTRODUCTION Across Australia, the health Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are at a poor level and require the attention of both state and national government (Odette, 2018). Discharge against medical advice (DAMA), is significantly higher for Indigenous in the general healthcare system than that of other non-Indigenous, even with the ongoing strategy set up by the government to reduce health enquiries and social disadvantage for Indigenous and other Australians. This report aims to investigate the meaning behind this statistics through evidence-based literature together with journal reports and shed light on factors on why Indigenous self-discharge and how the healthcare system could further improve and decreasing DAMA on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’. DISCUSSION OVERVIEW OF DISCHARGE AGAINST MEDICAL ADVICE IN HEALTHCARE (DAMA) Discharge against medical advice ‘DAMA’, is when an in-patient chooses to leave the hospital setting without the discharge approval of a health practitioner and has continued to become a common problem. Leaving without the advice of a physician can have a potential risk to the continuity of care of the patient and may result...
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...As a member of another political party, he resented the Keating Government and opposed against their progress with the Aboriginal Reconciliation. Fischer claims that the Mabo decision could ultimately ruin the whole of Australia’s economy, something that the White Australians had worked hard for. He claims that he would “not apologise for the 200 years of white progress in their country. Indeed, I will take on and fight the guilt industry all the way” (Fischer, in Grattan, 1992). Although his view sounds too extreme, it is a representation of many white Australian views at the time. This disenchantment can also be seen in the second perspective from one of the leading mining industry executive, Hugh Morgan. Morgan added to the criticisms of the consequences of the Mabo decision, lamenting the newly- introduced land right laws which limited mining in certain areas...
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