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Tackling Indigenous disadvantage demands new election commitment

14 October 2001 - ACOSS - Media Release - A new call for the major political parties to commit to overcoming Indigenous disadvantage by negotiating an agreement or treaty with Indigenous Australians has been issued by over 50 charities and community welfare organisations in the lead up to the Federal Election.

"Achieving Justice for Indigenous Australians — a Joint Statement by the Community Services Sector" is being released today by the President of Australian Council for Social Service (ACOSS), Michael Raper, the Chair of Australians for Native Title and Reconciliation (ANTaR), Phil Glendenning; and and former Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner, Mick Dodson.

The Statement was released at 12.30pm Sunday 14 October at the "Uluru Mound" — Sea of Hands at 'Tracking Kultja' — the inaugural National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultural Festival, National Museum, Canberra.

ACOSS President, Michael Raper said: "The community welfare organisations which have signed this statement regard the current state of Indigenous disadvantage as indefensible — a situation that must be urgently addressed."

"The deep disadvantage and high levels of poverty experienced by Indigenous Australians can only be properly tackled through a process which fully involves Indigenous people."

"This requires the major political parties to commit to a negotiated settlement or treaty."

Phil Glendenning, Chair of ANTaR, said: "The Government needs to talk with the experts, and that is Indigenous Australians. Developing solutions and decision-making need to be put squarely into the hands of Indigenous people themselves."

"Even the conservative Commonwealth Grants Commission has recently recommended that Indigenous disadvantage cannot be effectively tackled without 'the full and effective participation of Indigenous people in decisions affecting funding distribution and service delivery'."

Mick Dodson said: "Negotiating a treaty with Indigenous Australians is an essential element of a new, comprehensive approach to overcoming Indigenous disadvantage."

"We call on the major political parties to make this a central election commitment and a top priority for the next three years of office."

Media release from: ACOSS

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