O constancy, be strong upon my
side,
Set a huge mountain 'tween my heart and tongue!
I have a man's mind, but a woman's might.
Julius
Ceasar, Act 2, sc. 4
This post is largely for the record, and links to a recent
publication in Inside Story (link
here) titled A steep climb ahead,
but the landscape has become clearer for Closing the Gap. The article seeks to assess
the likely outcomes of the recent negotiations to refresh the Closing the Gap
targets, adopting a wider than usual analytic frame of reference.
The title reflects my ambivalence insofar as the new
National Agreement lays the foundations for a substantial move beyond the
structural status quo, but governments have a record of actively preferring
stasis to reform.
A key issue mentioned, but not deeply analysed is the pre-existing
and long-term trend of the Commonwealth shifting policy responsibility for
Indigenous policy to the states wherever possible; and where not possible, to mainstream
programs. This topic deserves further analysis.
Finally, given this post is focussed on milestones, it is
worth recording that this is the two hundredth post since December 2015, an
average of around 40 per annum. I took the opportunity of re-reading my first post on
the subject of 'COAG and Indigenous affairs policy' (link
here), and thought that post's last paragraph bears repeating, as it appears to be of continuing relevance:
Prime
Ministers are known to ask trusted experts and advisers “what are the two or
three things I should do in the Indigenous policy area?” My unequivocal answer
to that hypothetical question would be as follows: to replace ideology and
rhetoric with substance, place a focus on policy over politics in
decision-making, listen to local and regional voices, accept the inevitability
of diversity amongst Indigenous interests, and put as much focus on policy
implementation as on policy development, and thereby provide real, substantive
and innovative leadership to the nation as a whole. The Prime Minister’s first
COAG meeting falls short of this benchmark.
Mike, the unequivocal answer with which you end reveals perhaps why we fail to get progress. First when asked for 2 or 3 things that should be done you give 5 answers hence immediately indicating that asking for 2-3 things is oversimplifying. Next you do not prioritize your five nor do you consider that there might be incompatibilities. Politicians find it hard to listen at the best of times, let alone to Aboriginal voices; and listening and understanding can be very different things with understanding sometimes needing linguistic and other intercultural mediations that politicians distrust; and emphasizing policy over politics and providing 'real substantive and innovative leadership' can be politically very risky, not an option politicians warm to despite their ex post facto self-assessments of their policy successes. Perhaps Indigenous interests in all their diversity need to be politically empowered and resourced to make direct appeal based on principles of social and economic justice to other Australians? This might sound idealistic but hey the alternatives have largely failed and have been costly to Aboriginal interests (in all their diversity) and the nation as a whole. As to 'a steep climb' it seems to imply that setting statistical targets as if people can be represented by numbers is a sound basis for policy making and that it will just be more difficult to meet these targets than the completed Refresh agreement and its timeline anticipates: but the issue of 'policy by numbers being a dangerous charade' is not substantively addressed.
ReplyDelete