Ben Clarke asks how we can respond to the many ways Australia’s systems are failing First Nations people and “leaving them behind”.
Australia has long seen itself as an egalitarian culture where the tall poppy is reminded of their place and a “fair go” is held sacred, in thought if not in practice. Yet despite these cultural touchstones, more and more Australians are being “left behind”. We hear about people living out of cars or struggling to pay for their groceries. When we investigate who it is that is being left behind in Australia, one of the groups that reappears in the statistics with alarming regularity is First Nations people.
Despite a Royal Commission into Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander deaths in custody in 1991, there continue to be a disproportionately high number of deaths (about 540 since the royal commission) and the rates of imprisonment of First Nations children is among the highest for any demographic in the world. First Nations women are one of the fastest growing demographics in prison.
Despite an official apology from the Federal Government to the Stolen Generation, rates of child removal have continued at a significant and growing rate.
And while there wasn’t a single law directly prohibiting Aboriginal or Torres Strait home ownership, a web of policies, practices, and social norms effectively excluded Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people from home ownership for a significant period in Australian history, and today housing is a big problem for many First Nations people.
Moving towards reconciliation in our nation requires calling into question the passivity of the phrase "left behind" and instead actively working together to bring about change in the economic, legal and social systems that are failing First Nations peoples.
At Tearfund, we believe that empowered communities of locally led problem solvers, equipped to tackle the issues they face with the skills, assets and strengths they possess, are the key to a better future for all. We believe that supporting on-the-ground Christian community leaders to lead in their communities is a crucial part of ensuring that no one is left behind. We believe in systemic change and in economic, legal and social reform also, and support important First Nations-led initiatives like Change the Record. But as a first response we support First Nations-led community development organisations like the ones here to play our part in ensuring that no one is left behind.
Moorditj Keila is an Aboriginal community organisation based in South Perth which runs a range of projects aimed at strengthening and supporting the local community.
For many years Moorditj Keila, based in south Perth, has been actively praying and working to empower individuals and families to build a community of trust, engagement and participation. Moorditj Keila, which means Happy Healthy Dolphin in the local Nyoongar language, runs a women’s group, men’s group, junior basketball club and women’s fitness classes, as well Aboriginal mental health first aid training and an Aboriginal health clinic.
Tearfund partners with Moorditj Keila on its driver education program. Having a driving licence allows young people to understand more about their identity and have greater self-esteem. It is hoped that this will lead to employment opportunities.
Tearfund has partnered with the Christian organisation Strong Women Talking for several years now. Through its Healing Journeys, Strong Women Talking is helping break the cycle of violence caused by domestic and family violence and sexual abuse amongst First Nations women. These culturally safe workshops allow First Nations women to support each other to learn about healthy relationships. The workshops are trauma-informed and operate within an Aboriginal cultural framework.
One woman who has participated in a Healing Journey is Mandy, who says that she learned so much through the Healing Journey about prevention of domestic violence.
“It’s opened our eyes to just keep moving forward, to understand the gifts that we have,” she says. “And just self confidence, speaking up, and knowing the people around in the circle is a safe place to speak, to be heard. And understanding that you’re not the only one in that place.”
Watch this video in which Mandy shares about her experiences.
Tearfund is continuing to partner with Nungalinya College, a Combined Churches Training College for Indigenous Australians. Formally supported by the Anglican, Uniting and Catholic churches of the Northern Territory, it equips men and women for leadership roles in churches and communities.
Tearfund partners with Nungalinya College as it delivers an accredited, culturally informed Certificate II course that addresses violence prevention, building family wellbeing, and healing from trauma, grief and loss. Many of the participants are couples who already have leadership roles in their community, and this training will help them deepen their ministry.