Environment & Planning - Critically Analyse Of Australian Aboriginal Peoples - Essay Writing Assessment Answer

Environment & Planning Essay Writing Assignment

Assignment Task:

Essay questions are set in such a way as to develop two skills:

1. 1. Research techniques and the ability to coherently organise and present material on your chosen topic.
   2. Expression and articulation of your assessment of the research material

Your essays will be assessed on the basis of your ability to articulate a coherent, well researched and considered response to the chosen topic. You should address the following summarized criteria:

Coherent Argument and Considered Response

• Organisation of the Essay
• Analysis and background to the question – key terms and definitions defined & discussed
• Clearly stated Thesis – scope (points to be made), aims and themes of the essay clearly and concisely defined
• Consistency of Argument – focussing on the topic

Quality of Research

• Critical use and extent of references
• Appropriateness of references
• Inclusion of Indigenous Voices – recognising Indigenous representation of Indigenous knowledge

Introduction

Reconciliation in its widest sense defines coming together. In Australia, reconciliation means bringing together Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders and other Australians. Rather than something that an individual decides to do, reconciliation is a process, and at the end, reconciliation may be achieved, but this cannot be assured. Reconciliation entails aspects of truth, forgiveness, justice, healing, love and reparation. Encouraging reconciliation involves working to conquer the gap or division and inequality between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal communities. These differences are experienced at large when it comes to income, health, living standards, life expectancy, prejudice as well as racism. The reconciliation process in Australia formally commenced after the report developed by the Royal Commission about the Aboriginal Deaths who were in Custody in the year 1991. The Australian government established the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation and set a schedule of a decade to push for a national progression of reconciliation. The task of the council mainly concerned with addressing the aspirations and limitations of Aboriginal people in employment, economic and infrastructure development. Forming this council as an acknowledgement of the past and progressing failure of the Australian government policy to identify and address the social, cultural and economic needs of the Aboriginal people. Scope and AimsBesides the fact that the process of reconciliation has been successful in motivating and moving thousands of non-Aboriginal Australians, laws, court decisions, and political developments have made the process of reconciliation much harder. Therefore, this paper aims at evaluating whether the process of reconciliation has successfully benefitted or failed the Aboriginal community of Australia.

Thesis

A lot of years have passed since the Australian government initiated the process of reconciliation. Little steps have been made towards the objectives set by the reconciliation council to ensure that all Australian citizens, both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal enjoy equal opportunities in social and economic advancement. However, a large difference still exists in education levels, standards of living, life expectancy, as well as prejudice and racism. This large difference is a reflection of how the reconciliation process has failed the Aboriginal community in Australia.

Argument

In the year 2008, Apology to the Stolen Generation, issued by the Australian federal parliament, was largely commended as an important and overdue acknowledgement of non-Aboriginal Australians frequently damaging interactions with individuals from the Aboriginal as well as Torres Strait Islander communities. However, in spite of the therapeutic and symbolic meaning attributed to the apology, Children from the Aboriginal community are still separated from other family members at a far elevated rate in contrast to non-Indigenous children. And they are hugely over-represented in out-of-home care. In addition, constitutional and legislative deficits in the recognition and the unbalanced imprisonment of Aboriginal individuals also persist. All the more so, the current discussion about a referendum for meaningful constitutional recognition appears to have become prolonged and confounded.

Likewise, the Closing the Gap in Aboriginal Disadvantage strategy, which is a long-term determined structure that develops on the basis of respect and unity made available by the 2008 National Apology to Aboriginal individuals, has been successful only partially. Individuals from the Aboriginal community still experience a shorter life expectancy, and experience more adverse life stressors during their lifetime. However, the conventional health system in Australia lacks cultural sensitivity as it discriminates against Aboriginal individuals, and fails to address the sources of their poor health. More than 2 centuries of dispossession, discrimination, and racism has negatively affected may Aboriginal individuals as they now suffer low levels of education, lack of opportunity to gain significant employment, large numbers in the prison system, and poor housing conditions.

The panel tasked with the responsibility to steer Australians towards reconciliation recommended substantial changes to the constitution. These changes included the removal of Section 25 which says that states have the power to prevent individuals from voting on the basis of their racial background. The panel also recommended the removal of Section 51(xxvi). The section can be helpful in permitting laws that are racially biased. It also recommended inserting a new Section 51A that recognises Aboriginal individuals and to preserve the ability of the federal government to permit laws for their benefits. Moreover, it recommended the addition of a new Section 116A. The new addition banned racial government. Section 127A was the other new addition that recognised aboriginal languages as first in Australia. The section also confirmed English as the country’s national language. The 43rd parliament did not implement these recommendations, and the government gave them to the parliamentary committee to be further reviewed. In addition, the constitutional recognition process that was initially expected to be complete by the year 2013 is now underway to force a referendum planned for May 2017. This would mark the 50th anniversary of the country’s 1967 referendum.

The process of constitutional recognition has placed an inconsistent pressure on Aboriginal people so far. There is currently a considerable confusion of what the referendum may be about. For non-Aboriginal Australians, the conversation is founded around the notion of equality, or at least some idea of equal treatment. However, for people from the aboriginal community, the discussion is about recognizing the difference and their relationship with the state. The aboriginal Australians are already treated differently by the constitution, and this hypothetically leads the federal parliament to pass laws that might end up putting the Aboriginal population at a disadvantage. When this transitional process of reconciliation is observed, there is a clear need for a political process involving representation across political divisions if reconciliation is to be achieved.

Studies show that about 86% of all Australians believe the relationship between the Aboriginal people and non-Aboriginal individuals is important. About 64% of individuals in Australia agree that cultural diversity makes them stronger. Nevertheless, 35% still believe that Australia is a racist nation. However, the level of contact and interaction between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Australians is low as only 30% of the general community interact with aboriginal people currently. Individuals from the Aboriginal community still experience elevated levels of racial prejudice and discrimination as 30% of this population has experienced verbal racial abuse within the past six months prior to the survey. In terms of unity,many Australians believe in the possibility of a united Australia. They believe that the Aboriginal culture is vital Australian national identity and that the Aboriginal hold a unique place in the country as the First Australians. The pride in Aboriginal culture is increasing. The knowledge that Australians have on the Aboriginal history and culture is limited. However, a large number of Australians believe that it is equally significant to know more and strongly support the history of the Aboriginal people being a compulsory part of the school curriculum. Around 44% of Australians want to support the process of reconciliation but they simply do not know how. With some people who have been participating in the reconciliation activities, they have improved their knowledge and their views on the relationship change significantly. Although some Australians believe the Apology has improved the relationship between Aboriginal communities and the non-Aboriginal communities, many Australians are still of the perspective that new actions need to be taken to unify Australia, including the recognition of Aboriginal people in the constitution. It is evident that past race-based policies have generated the disadvantages that the Aboriginal people face today. This policies had been deeply rooted and measures put in place to eradicate them should be swift and strict so that this issues will not be repeated with the coming generation.

Conclusion

Rather than an outcome or a goal, the process of reconciliation is a relationship and on-going journey. It is critical for the long term good of settler countries for the purposes of identity, polity, history, and nationhood. But whoever its participants or whatever its terms, the process of reconciliation will remain just an array of slogans if settler Australians cannot find a common ground with the Aboriginal Australians. 25 years have passed since the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation, now referred to as Reconciliation Australia, was established. That is 25 years since a conversation was initiated in Australia about how to become reconciled, equitable and just. There have been a number of accomplishments, disappointments, as well as challenges since the reconciliation process and closing the wide gap between the Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people commenced in Australia. However, despite all the trivialisation, criticism, and wedge politics, the Aboriginal population in Australia have come back rejuvenated, more practical, more articulate, more spirited, and sure of their ability to contribute to the Australian society. The process of reconciliation provides a legacy platform for Australia’s continued development and prosperity as a nation.