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key indigenous australian issues
| home | news lRuddock's "son-of-ten-point-plan" revisits sins of its predecessor18 April 2002 - ANTaR - Media Release - Indigenous Affairs Minister, Phillip Ruddock should take heed of criticisms from Indigenous leaders over his "five-point-plan", and immediately hold crisis talks to review the changes, Australians for Native Title and Reconciliation (ANTaR) said today. "Criticisms of the Minister's lack of consultation and concerns that his plan is assimilationist are well-justified", ANTaR National Coordinator Dr David Cooper said. "Ruddock's 'son-of-ten-point-plan' is in the same mould as its predecessor it disregards the principle that Indigenous people should be the ones determining their own futures. It is part of a broader agenda to undermine Indigenous rights". "The Government is blinded by its own anti-self-determination ideology. Benign talk of 'practical reconciliation' and supporting individuals and families is all well and good. But it completely ignores the importance to Indigenous people of their collective rights." Dr Cooper said. "Mr Ruddock's defense of his new direction by blaming self-determination policies for the lack of progress in tackling Indigenous disadvantage is a smokescreen. The real failure has been in the implementation of self-determination, not the policy itself." "This is apparent in the Howard Government's own record in Indigenous affairs six years of paternalistic government have seen conditions worsen for Indigenous people, not improve." "Until the Government brings Indigenous people to the table as equals and recognises the need for Indigenous-led solutions not government-imposed 'solutions' the Minister's reassurances about the Government's agenda cannot be taken seriously", Dr Cooper said. "There is widespread support for seriously tackling the entrenched disadvantage and appalling health and social conditions in Indigenous communities, but the Government's 'practical reconciliation' policy is heading up a blind alley". "The rhetoric of 'practical reconciliation' will eventually turn on the government as the failures of the policy are measured against the expectations of significant change it has promised. It will become synonymous with bad policy", Dr Cooper concluded Source: ANTaR related links:
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