"Let us fix you..."

On July 28, the federal Labor government held a public meeting in Darwin as part of the current "consultations" discussing what laws Aboriginal people might have heaped on them when the NT Emergency Response legislation (the NT intervention) expires in mid 2012.

I don't want to say too much about this. Plenty has been said, and Pete has written a fabulous article that will be in the next issue of www.greenleft.org.au, so check it out.

But I want to say something. As someone who works with Yolngu people of North East Arnhem Land, who sits with them for hour upon hour hearing amazing ideas and stories of strength and innovation from communities, ideas for a "stronger future" (if I dare use the term the government has adopted for its discussion paper). As someone who tries, often in vain, to help Yolngu discover for themselves the madness, offensiveness and incoherency that is contemporary Australian capitalism. As someone who spends my day de-constructing the entirety of western "civilisation" and trying to put it back together in Yolngu Matha, in a way that makes sense to Yolngu. There is something about this consultation business I want to say.

The meeting was helped along by a Powerpoint presentation, meant to focus discussion on the topics the government has decided are important (you can already see the fallacy of this process, right?).

Here is the text of the first Powerpoint. The welcome message, if you will:

"Why the special effort in the Northern Territory?

Many Aboriginal people are making changes to their lives and in their communities.

But Aboriginal people in the Northern Territory are still disadvantaged when compared to other Australians.

*Alcohol - a lot of Territory people still have a problem with grog: alcohol still causes violence.

* Schooling - a lot of people can't read or write; lots of children don't go to school or don't finish school.

* Jobs - a lot of people still don't have jobs

* Health - a lot of Aboriginal people in the Territory have poor health, and don't live as long as other Australians."

There are lots of things I could say about this. About the overwhelming majority of Aboriginal people who are tee-totallers (so different from white Australia!), about the jobs that have been lost as a result of the NT Intervention defunding community-based services.

But, on a more emotional level, thinking about my Yolngu colleagues who couldn't make the meeting but wanted to hear all about it... I just thought what a load of heavy shit that is to lie on Aboriginal people. What a way to start a "consultation". "Here is everything We think is a problem about You. Here are all the areas in which You fail. Now we're here to listen to you suggest how We can Fix You."

I don't know how the Aboriginal people in the room felt when they saw that first slide. I guess it was an indication of how genuinely (or otherwise) the government bureaucrats were willing to listen for the next 2.5 hours. I salute all those who spoke their heart at that meeting.

But seriously, where else in this country - in what other demographic - would the government have the gall to spend thousands on propaganda inviting people to "Tell us what works, what doesn't, and what needs to be done", call a public meeting, then start be listing everything that is wrong with all the people you've invited along - as though they'd all been called into the principal's office to settle a playground scuffle.

Maybe this is a common occurrence and I am simply biased because of the circles I work and play in.

But, more so than anywhere else, I think, the government has A LOT of trust to re-build, a lot of damage to repair, among the First People of this land. It sickens and saddens me that every time the government does anything regarding Aboriginal affairs- any time it so much as mentions the word "Aboriginal" - it is done in the most appallingly patronising and offensive context. Every time the government does anything to "fix" the "Aboriginal problem", people get hurt, and the situation gets a lot worse.

Maybe genuine consultation could begin with a heartfelt congratulations to Aboriginal people for surviving the whitefella problem for 230 years, followed by an invitation to list all that is wrong with government and ways the government could fix its behaviour.

UPDATE: article done by Pete here.