Andrew McGlashan wrote:
Sure Aboriginals have been disadvantaged in the past, but I don't think that is the case any longer [...]
You only need to listen to 3KND for an hour to see that the government, at least, thinks there is a serious gap between aboriginal and white australian wellbeing. About half the ads are government advice: - eat fruit and vegetables; - go to a doctor if you're sick; - don't drink and or take drugs while pregnant; and - if no one else will employ you, try the civil service. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indigenous_Australians#Contemporary_issues further shows the following points (all are post-2000 results): - the life expectancy gap between Aboriginals and the rest of the Australian population [is] 25 years. - 39% of indigenous students stayed on to year 12 at high school, compared with 75% for the Australian population as a whole. - Indigenous Australians were twice as likely to report their health as fair/poor and 1.5 times more likely to have a disability or long-term health condition. - up to tenfold higher incidence rate in specific health complications. - the imprisonment rate for Indigenous people was 14 times higher than that of non-Indigenous people. - Indigenous Australians were twice as likely as non-Indigenous Australians of the same age group to be a victim of violent aggression. - 24% of Indigenous Australians reported as being a victim of violence. - Indigenous Australians were 11 times more likely to be in prison. - Indigenous adults [are] more than twice as likely as non-Indigenous adults to be current daily smokers of tobacco. This is clearly FUCKED UP. I doubt a non-binding preamble change will help. I *really* doubt denying that there is a problem will help.