This article first appeared in The Australian, 30 June 2006

Educate through need, not the polls

Wesley Aird

At Monday's Intergovernmental Summit on Violence and Child Abuse in Indigenous Communities, the federal and state ministers worked out that the levels ofviolence and child abuse in indigenous communities warrant a comprehensive national response. No surprises there.

Fast forward to May 2007, when millions of Australians, indigenous and non-indigenous, will (hopefully) celebrate the 40th anniversary of the 1967 referendum. That was the referendum that gave the commonwealth the right to make laws specifically to benefit Aboriginal people. Forty years on it seems there is still confusion in terms of benefits for Aboriginal people and the relationship between the Australian Government and the states and territories.

Indigenous Affairs Minister Mal Brough is intent on showing leadership to overcome indigenous disadvantage. But it isn't his department that will have the most profound effect on services delivered to indigenous Australians.

Most likely it will be the department staff that interact with indigenous people on a day-to-day basis; officers working for the police, family services, community services, justice, health and education.

These are primarily state and territory departments and their officers will operate according to the prevailing state or territory political leaning. Sure, the Australian Government provides funds to the states and territories, but there will most likely be ignorance or resentment towards any sort of notion that the Australian Government may have an interest in how the funds should be spent.

Forty years after the 1967 referendum, there is still an uphill battle to achieve co-ordinated administration of indigenous affairs. Brough's fight is with the states and territories.

This week we have seen the political wrangling on violence and child abuse. The meeting had an intentionally narrow agenda. There is some encouragement in the attendance and that at least they are talking to each other. However, if the states and territories put up that much resistance to fixing an international embarrassment, one wonders what hope we have for the less confronting issues such as education and health.

Education is the foundation for choices and success throughout a person's life. An educated and employed person contributes to society rather than being a drain and another statistic on welfare.

The intergovernmental summit this week recognised the link between breaking the violence cycle and the importance of schooling. Sadly, they were unable to agree on how to ensure that all children are enrolled and attend school.

Granted, there are some complex schooling and language challenges in indigenous Australia. Not all children have a role model to help them see the value in education.

Even so, there is a challenge for the states and territories to ensure that all children have the opportunity to attend school so they can have a decent chance in life. It will help, of course, if the states and territories provide an environment where indigenous children are welcome and where they can learn in their language.

It is not unreasonable for indigenous Australians to expect the same standards of education services as the rest of the population. It doesn't help when we hear reports of governments under-spending in indigenous services. Governments talk of mutual obligation, but it must go both ways.

Getting a child to school is not the end of it. They have to remain at school and achieve. Each school child, no matter what their environment, must be able to attend school without stigma, they must be able to fit in and must be supported to do their best.

Some will need help with basic life skills. Thankfully, there are exemplary models across the country of indigenous schooling where children are achieving great results.

And, as for another stolen generation, we already have a generation or two being lost to suicide, substance abuse and incarceration.

Everyone has a right to be safe from family violence and abuse. No one should be discouraged from seeking safety and an education. The challenge is for the service providers to deliver services according to need and not according to the polls.