Family Violence Prevention Legal Services National Conference
Coffs
Harbour
25 October 2007
Speech by Elizabeth Broderick, Sex Discrimination Commissioner and Commissioner responsible for Age Discrimination.
I would like to begin by acknowledging the Gumbular Julipi people of the Gumbayngirr Nation, the Indigenous peoples on whose land we are gathering today. I pay my respects to their elders.
To acknowledge Indigenous Australians and your role as custodians of this great land is perhaps more important now than ever before. Many of us feel that we are at a cross-roads – we need to find the right way forward, to grapple with our past history and to work together to achieve equality and social justice for Indigenous peoples across our nation. I acknowledge that I personally have a role to play in that journey.
So, I was so very pleased, Margaret, that you gave me the opportunity to come and be amongst you all. I know that this room is full of amazing women and men, Indigenous and non-Indigenous. I know that you have the direct experience, the knowledge and the commitment to working in the right way to support Indigenous communities at the frontline. I recognise and respect your incredible commitment to energise yourselves day after day and do this very important work.
It seems to me that this gathering comes at a very important time for Indigenous Affairs in Australia. The Northern Territory Intervention has put Indigenous communities under a hot political spotlight. We have heard many voices talking about the need for change, from all sides of politics. In my view, what we have not heard enough of, is a robust and honest discussion about how we can work in genuine collaboration to ensure the long term safety of the women, men and children in Indigenous communities. And that is why we are here today.
As you may know, I joined HREOC only a few short weeks ago, as the new Sex Discrimination Commissioner. Family violence in Indigenous communities is an issue that has had a place on HREOC’s agenda for a long time. I would like to acknowledge the work of my colleague Tom Calma, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner who has been and continues to be a strong voice urging for action to address family violence and abuse in the right way. I will talk more about his views in a moment.
I will start by telling you a bit about my own role. As the Sex Discrimination Commissioner, my role and responsibilities involve undertaking research, policy and education work designed to promote greater equality between men and women and to work towards the elimination of discrimination. This means highlighting the rights of individuals and communities, as well as the responsibility of all to respect the rights of others and working cooperatively with other organisations to develop a fair and cohesive society.
I think all of us would agree that one of the most challenging human rights issues facing us in Australian society is violence in our communities. Full equality between men and women involves not only equality at work and in pay, but also equality in the home and equality in relationships. If we are not safe in our own homes or communities, what expectation can we have of equality in society?
When Margaret invited me to join you, I grabbed the opportunity. I am here today for many reasons, but I want to highlight two. Firstly, I wanted to acknowledge your voices. I want to acknowledge the voices of Indigenous women and men, and non-Indigenous supporters who collectively and for a long time, have told us loud and clear what needs to be done about family violence at a grassroots level. Secondly, I wanted to take this opportunity to affirm to you my full commitment to sharing your knowledge and to becoming an influence in support of Indigenous voices wherever I go.
I am a strong believer in listening and learning. When I came to this job, I came of course with my own beliefs and understandings. But I know that I have much to learn. I am committed to taking responsibility for that learning. I want to learn from the work that has gone on before – there are so many dedicated people on the ground who continue to work to end violence in their communities.
And there is plenty that they have told us.
In 1999, the Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Women’s Task Force brought attention to the fact that Indigenous women’s groups had been calling for assistance in addressing violence for over 10 years. This report released eight years ago highlighted the inaction of successive governments on this issue.
Eight years ago Indigenous women told us that the way forward was collaboration, discussion, full participation and including men in the process. The report made very specific recommendations, calling for prevention, intervention, recovery and healing programs. The over arching message of this report was the need for these programs to be community owned and community driven. To quote[1]:
"in providing a way forward, it was constantly stressed [to the Task Force] that Indigenous and non-Indigenous people must work together to halt the violence and reverse the longstanding disadvantages suffered by Indigenous Australians"
What this report found is what you already know - that the features of Indigenous disadvantage are interconnected. Issues such as family violence, child abuse, alcohol and substance abuse, unemployment and separation through the criminal justice and care systems are all part of this complex web.
Each of these issues demands its own response, but recognising that we need to look at the issues as a whole, not in isolation. Your communities are experiencing disadvantage already – responses to these problems must help the healing, not make the disadvantage worse.
Two years later in 2002, Western Australian Magistrate Sue Gordon delivered the report from the Inquiry into Response by Government Agencies to Complaints of Family Violence and Child Abuse in Aboriginal Communities. Again, this report acknowledged the decades of advocacy from Indigenous women calling for resources to address family violence. This report echoed the Queensland report making almost 200 recommendations. At the cornerstone of each of these recommendations was the call for a community-based approach which prioritizes Aboriginal involvement in the development and implementation of programs.
Bringing together the findings of these various reports, including HREOC’s own report in 1999, Tom Calma, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner, identified a number of key challenges for addressing family violence in his report Ending Family Violence and Abuse in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Communities. Let me share these with you.
- We need to hear and respect the voices of Indigenous people, especially the voices of women and children. We need to foster better participation of Indigenous people in decision-making.
- We need to look at programs that are working terrifically – and there are many of them – and we need to support them. We need to celebrate these programs.
- We need to engage in a conversation about human rights in Indigenous communities to build awareness and knowledge of these rights.
- We absolutely need to challenge the stereotyping of Indigenous men as abusers. Indigenous men are a big part of the solution.
- We need to make sure that programs are targeted to address need and overcome
disadvantage.
What has struck me about all these reports is their common themes. The strong message is that there is a great deal of knowledge and experience around what needs to be done to address family violence. Family violence has been on the agenda of Indigenous women’s groups for decades. Community based and respectful responses to family violence have been at the centre of these calls for action. This means programs that are conceived and owned by the community. And this means programs that are respectful of Indigenous culture and traditions.
Before coming to this conference I asked myself how I could contribute to this issue. My participation in this conference is part of my own learning process. Over my five year term as the Sex Discrimination Commissioner I hope to build solid respectful relationships with Indigenous communities which will enable me to influence in support of Indigenous people wherever I can. I accept that part of this learning process includes my own responsibilities with reconciliation.
So I will read, and listen, and I will learn.
Next month I am embarking on a national ‘Listening Tour’ of the country, where I hope to hear what men and women have to say about the issues that matter to them. I will be going to each state and territory, and I will be going to the cities, and also communities in rural and remote locations. Addressing the issues facing Indigenous women and men will be a strong focus of my work and I look forward to hearing from Indigenous people and services providers as part of this process. I will welcome your suggestions about places I can go, and people I should meet. I will be working closely with Tom Calma, and hope that he will be able to accompany me on parts of this listening tour. I’d like to point out one of my team members who is here with me today – Cassandra Goldie, Director of the Sex and Age Discrimination Unit. As you know, Fabienne Balsamo, from Tom’s unit is also here, and she will be talking with you after the break about the work of the Commission specifically regarding training with the Family Violence Prevention Legal Services. Please feel free to go and have a chat with any of us about suggestions for our work in this area.
Within the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission, my responsibilities include the implementation of our Reconciliation Action Plan. Prior to my ‘Listening Tour’, I will ensure that our team undertakes cultural awareness training and develops a greater capacity to engage Indigenous communities and organisations in a meaningful way. I will make sure that all appropriate protocols are followed for all public forums associated with the tour, acknowledging traditional owners and elders.
I will ensure that our engagement with Indigenous communities is built upon the principles of the recently adopted Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. The Declaration addresses both individual and collective rights; cultural rights and identity; rights to education, health, employment, language, and others. It outlaws discrimination against indigenous peoples and promotes full and effective participation in all matters that concern them.
Prior to taking up the position of Sex Discrimination Commissioner, I worked in the corporate sector where I strongly advocated for businesses to lead by example in creating family-friendly work practices. There is now growing recognition of the role that the business sector can play in fostering social change. Look at the climate change campaign for example. I have a strong commitment to acting as a bridge between different parts of our society – I want to be a part of building relationships and to use the influence I have within businesses to encourage the corporate sector to fulfil their reconciliation responsibilities and to meaningfully engage with Indigenous issues.
Our reconciliation responsibilities should also take place in our personal lives. I have grown up in Sydney and live there now with my husband and two kids, Lucy and Tommy. I have had a long involvement with indigenous organisations, creating a number of life skills and mentoring programs. Earlier this year I attended the Garma Festival with my daughter Lucy. It was a great learning experience for both of us and demonstrated just how important having a shared understanding is.
I know that effective engagement with Indigenous women is about getting the process right and making it meaningful. I have learnt this already. About a month ago HREOC hosted the Asia Pacific Forum, which is an annual conference of human rights institutions and non government organisations from the Asia Pacific region. As part of this conference I organised a women’s event to bring together women from the region with local women to share experiences about their work. I invited a number of Indigenous women to attend but in the end we did not have any Indigenous presence at this gathering. I know that relationships take time, and I make that commitment. It is my hope that at the end of my five-year term, I have enduring friendships with the strong Indigenous women and men across our country and that you will see me as a voice of support. This is when I will know that I have been a part of our reconciliation - such a vital process if our children are to be able to walk with pride alongside each other into their shared and equal future.
[1] Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Women's Task Force on Violence (2000), The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Women's Task Force on Violence Report, Department of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Policy and Development, Queensland. p. xvii
