Comments on: Guest Post: Stephen Rimmer proposes an Aboriginal Rights and Responsibilities Commission http://clubtroppo.com.au/2007/07/14/guest-post-stephen-rimmer-proposes-an-aboriginal-rights-and-responsibilities-commission/ Sun, 12 Feb 2012 10:49:39 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: Geoff Robinson http://clubtroppo.com.au/2007/07/14/guest-post-stephen-rimmer-proposes-an-aboriginal-rights-and-responsibilities-commission/#comment-154588 Geoff Robinson Mon, 16 Jul 2007 04:15:31 +0000 http://clubtroppo.com.au/2007/07/14/guest-post-stephen-rimmer-proposes-an-aboriginal-rights-and-responsibilities-commission/#comment-154588 Is the Rimmer who wrote a silly paper on multiculturalism 20 years ago? it seems a good idea, and could highlight how state governments (all Labor) fail to adequately resource basic community services in many indigenous communities. Is the Rimmer who wrote a silly paper on multiculturalism 20 years ago? it seems a good idea, and could highlight how state governments (all Labor) fail to adequately resource basic community services in many indigenous communities.

]]> By: Link http://clubtroppo.com.au/2007/07/14/guest-post-stephen-rimmer-proposes-an-aboriginal-rights-and-responsibilities-commission/#comment-154372 Link Sun, 15 Jul 2007 11:22:11 +0000 http://clubtroppo.com.au/2007/07/14/guest-post-stephen-rimmer-proposes-an-aboriginal-rights-and-responsibilities-commission/#comment-154372 Robert, I'm not suggesting preserving their culture, just leaving it up to them to decide how to 'go forward into the future' with it, sans white fella good intentions (you know the road to hell is paved etc). It occurs to me however, that having lived for several tens of thousands of years without the need to compete with each other for the holy dollar, some aboriginal people might be a bit reluctant to take up the white man's folly (chasing those illusive green bits of paper). And who could blame them? Its like landing capitalism in paradise and trying to convince the already quite happy thank you very much, inhabitants that its a really good idea and they should, indeed must, (we insist in fact) take it up. I come from generations of capitalists, and so its not a particularly foreign concept to me. But if my background was tens of thousands of years of a 'walkabout' type existence it might be more than just a little difficult to persuade me that capitalism was the better one. I realise its the dominant culture an' all, but that doesn't make it the better one and I don't really think it should be the only one. As I said, I'm sorry that I have no solution. Robert, I’m not suggesting preserving their culture, just leaving it up to them to decide how to ‘go forward into the future’ with it, sans white fella good intentions (you know the road to hell is paved etc). It occurs to me however, that having lived for several tens of thousands of years without the need to compete with each other for the holy dollar, some aboriginal people might be a bit reluctant to take up the white man’s folly (chasing those illusive green bits of paper). And who could blame them? Its like landing capitalism in paradise and trying to convince the already quite happy thank you very much, inhabitants that its a really good idea and they should, indeed must, (we insist in fact) take it up.

I come from generations of capitalists, and so its not a particularly foreign concept to me. But if my background was tens of thousands of years of a ‘walkabout’ type existence it might be more than just a little difficult to persuade me that capitalism was the better one. I realise its the dominant culture an’ all, but that doesn’t make it the better one and I don’t really think it should be the only one. As I said, I’m sorry that I have no solution.

]]> By: Robert Merkel http://clubtroppo.com.au/2007/07/14/guest-post-stephen-rimmer-proposes-an-aboriginal-rights-and-responsibilities-commission/#comment-154227 Robert Merkel Sun, 15 Jul 2007 01:37:10 +0000 http://clubtroppo.com.au/2007/07/14/guest-post-stephen-rimmer-proposes-an-aboriginal-rights-and-responsibilities-commission/#comment-154227 Link, is trying to preserve Aboriginal culture in a non-economic museum feasible? Mark Bahnisch tried to make that argument on LP, but frankly his ideas for making it sustainable were rather weak IMO. Link, is trying to preserve Aboriginal culture in a non-economic museum feasible?

Mark Bahnisch tried to make that argument on LP, but frankly his ideas for making it sustainable were rather weak IMO.

]]> By: Link http://clubtroppo.com.au/2007/07/14/guest-post-stephen-rimmer-proposes-an-aboriginal-rights-and-responsibilities-commission/#comment-153979 Link Sat, 14 Jul 2007 08:30:07 +0000 http://clubtroppo.com.au/2007/07/14/guest-post-stephen-rimmer-proposes-an-aboriginal-rights-and-responsibilities-commission/#comment-153979 Sorry, its not meant to all be in italics. Just the first paragraph. Sorry, its not meant to all be in italics. Just the first paragraph.

]]> By: Link http://clubtroppo.com.au/2007/07/14/guest-post-stephen-rimmer-proposes-an-aboriginal-rights-and-responsibilities-commission/#comment-153978 Link Sat, 14 Jul 2007 08:29:22 +0000 http://clubtroppo.com.au/2007/07/14/guest-post-stephen-rimmer-proposes-an-aboriginal-rights-and-responsibilities-commission/#comment-153978 <i>There are also economic costs, including Aboriginal Australians not having equal opportunities to engage in economic and wealth creating activities.<i> Pity the poor black fella who isn't terribly interested in 'wealth creation' or engaging in the 'economy'. I think a truth and reconciliation commission would be a better start. Rights and Responsibilites sounds too much in the same vein as, Mutual Obligation and we know what a load of doublespeak claptrap that is?/was?. With all due respect to your good intentions, it sounds to me like a bureaucrat's dreaming with the dollar as its point of focus and a roundabout way of trying to coerce the unwilling into engaging in the improbable by suggesting to him/her that he/she really should share our values, and come aboard our sinking ship. I'm sorry to criticise when I have no other solution. Perhaps that's the part of the problem, we think we should come up with solutions. I think the idea of self determination, should be given a bit more time to work through, and be pushed, its not something the Howard Government have exactly encouraged. The sorry state of many aboriginal communities is a direct reflection on the worst excesses of our society. We should see to cleaning up our own house first. There are also economic costs, including Aboriginal Australians not having equal opportunities to engage in economic and wealth creating activities.

Pity the poor black fella who isn’t terribly interested in ‘wealth creation’ or engaging in the ‘economy’.

I think a truth and reconciliation commission would be a better start. Rights and Responsibilites sounds too much in the same vein as, Mutual Obligation and we know what a load of doublespeak claptrap that is?/was?.

With all due respect to your good intentions, it sounds to me like a bureaucrat’s dreaming with the dollar as its point of focus and a roundabout way of trying to coerce the unwilling into engaging in the improbable by suggesting to him/her that he/she really should share our values, and come aboard our sinking ship. I’m sorry to criticise when I have no other solution. Perhaps that’s the part of the problem, we think we should come up with solutions. I think the idea of self determination, should be given a bit more time to work through, and be pushed, its not something the Howard Government have exactly encouraged.

The sorry state of many aboriginal communities is a direct reflection on the worst excesses of our society. We should see to cleaning up our own house first.

]]> By: Michael http://clubtroppo.com.au/2007/07/14/guest-post-stephen-rimmer-proposes-an-aboriginal-rights-and-responsibilities-commission/#comment-153901 Michael Sat, 14 Jul 2007 04:03:44 +0000 http://clubtroppo.com.au/2007/07/14/guest-post-stephen-rimmer-proposes-an-aboriginal-rights-and-responsibilities-commission/#comment-153901 It's an interesting idea, one whose aims are hard to disagree with. But I wonder just how influential another such body might be on actual policy direction. Case in point is the latest OID report. Released just weeks before the dramatic June 21 announcement by Mssrs Howard and Brough, it painted a relatively clear picture of the best approach to adressing disadvantage. Yet, if you are to read Banks' address to the OECD World Forum and then the June 21 press conference, you'd think they came from different planets. The proposed ARRC would be very useful, but the best approach to reducing disadvantage is already known in its' broad outlines. However, there is a lack of will at the highest levels of government to persue it. On it's own an ARRC would be limited in its' effect. But combined with a renewed Indigenous democratic forum (of some kind) and genuine political will to put the recommendations into effect, it could be highly effective. It’s an interesting idea, one whose aims are hard to disagree with. But I wonder just how influential another such body might be on actual policy direction.

Case in point is the latest OID report. Released just weeks before the dramatic June 21 announcement by Mssrs Howard and Brough, it painted a relatively clear picture of the best approach to adressing disadvantage. Yet, if you are to read Banks’ address to the OECD World Forum and then the June 21 press conference, you’d think they came from different planets.

The proposed ARRC would be very useful, but the best approach to reducing disadvantage is already known in its’ broad outlines. However, there is a lack of will at the highest levels of government to persue it.

On it’s own an ARRC would be limited in its’ effect. But combined with a renewed Indigenous democratic forum (of some kind) and genuine political will to put the recommendations into effect, it could be highly effective.

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