Broome Community Consultation Report
Racism and civil society: A community consultation held at the Tropicana Inn, Broome WA, on 15 June 2001
Speaker:
Dr William Jonas,
Race Discrimination Commissioner and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
Social Justice Commissioner, HREOC
Theme 2: Victims of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance.
Theme 1: Sources, causes, forms and contemporary manifestations of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance.
Everyone agreed that in Broome racism definitely exists. Participants gave simple everyday examples such as how strangers often make racist comments to other strangers, assuming the other also has racist attitudes. It was noted that often shopkeepers do this. Other participants spoke of how people make negative assumptions about how Aboriginal people live. This is also the case with regard to tourists who arrive with their own assumptions. Tourists often ask, "What race are you?" Many people find this offensive. People who constantly make initial references in conversation to identity/background subtly express racism. Unlike large cities or towns where it is possible for your identity to be subsumed, in Broome the identity issue is constantly present.
Participants spoke about cases where tourist bus drivers/operators make racist comments and spread misinformation about Aboriginal people. One such comment was, "The blacks here in Fitzroy are dangerous."
Members of the groups claimed that in Broome there are regular instances where an Aboriginal person will not be served in a shop. Even if they are next in line, a white person will be served before them.
Examples of racism in all aspects of society were cited. For example in aged care facilities there is no accommodation or recognition of Aboriginal culture. In the health sector there are racist assumptions about the reasons for Aboriginal health problems. It is common to hear racist remarks about how Aboriginal people are the only ones who get sexually transmitted diseases and that young Aboriginal women are always having babies and it would be better to put the "pill" in their drinking water.
Aboriginal delegates mentioned how they have heard comments such as "Aboriginal people don't love their children as much as white people".
Some participants discussed how they viewed the church as being racist by not allowing Aboriginal to maintain their culture, their dancing, corroboree and languages.
A number of delegates made reference to black people experiencing racism from their own society and raised issues regarding inter-tribe racism. There was a common view that when it came to racism between Aboriginal people, other people don't want to be involved because they don't want to be seen to be racists or they view such interventions as not politically correct.
Racism was also manifested in the way that non-Aboriginal people were more tolerant of part-white Aboriginal people because they were perceived to be more intelligent, etc.
One participant recited this well-known Broome rhyme:
If you are black - stand back.
If you are brown - hang around.
If you are white - you are right.
Some delegates maintained that fear and ignorance which causes racism is fed by people not being aware of or not mixing with people of other culture.
The participants felt strongly that mainstream media was a driving force contributing to racism. The issue of the racist impact of tourism in Broome was also raised.
A discussion developed on the impact of colonialism and the resultant attack on Aboriginal culture and how this was a source and cause of current manifestations of racism. The attempt to wipe out Aboriginal culture and language is still seen in the attitude of governments today. This was exemplified in the land title area where the white legislation has now placed Aboriginal community/tribe against tribe because the law is not based on Aboriginal law and culture.
Some of the participants returned to the issue of trying to identify the causes of racism between Aboriginal peoples and communities. The example of the politics between two different groups was raised and it was agreed that the main factor was the influence of white settlement, which has introduced the "divide and conquer" mentality.
The delegates also canvassed institutional causes of racism and they were of the view that most government institutions were implicitly embedded with racism. As an example, they identify how there never appears to be enough funds for the justice system - especially in regard to Aboriginal people eg interpreters and guidance on how the system works. There is an awareness of this happening and more people are needed to assist people in dealing with the legal system. Some of the delegates noted how they considered ATSIC as being a racist institution in the way that it divides different Aboriginal people.
The participants were of the view that there was a lack of effective strategies in schools to address racism and this led to racism being a continuing problem.
Participants maintained that it was necessary to learn from the white people's strategy to divide black people and thus understand how whites maintain strength and power.
By understanding and learning about Indigenous history and also the history of the colonisers, we might begin to understand the relationship between the two. Look at common law (1066), the Magna Carta and the Constitution, which provides the legal basis for the justification and confirmation of the land and resource grab. The Constitution was and still is used to oppress people and fails to acknowledge Aboriginal Australian.
It was agreed by all participants that we have to be aware that the Constitution is fundamentally a racist and oppressive document and its Centenary is certainly not a cause for celebration for Indigenous people. We have to undertake legal and political actions to achieve a Bill of Rights.
The delegates saw the development of multiculturalism as an achievement we should draw on. The recognition of diversity and undertaking specific measures to ensure that people's culture and languages are respected are positive lessons.
Participants agreed that we need to learn from the experiences of apartheid in South Africa.
Participants spoke about how the education system, and its emphasis on colonial history and European supremacy, has made it difficult for older white people to grasp the concept of reconciliation. Older non-Indigenous Australians have a complete lack of contact or knowledge about Australia's Indigenous history unless they actively seek it out.
The participants brought up issues concerning the legal system, and in particular the court system. A few spoke about how Aboriginal people are treated in the courts. They are asked whether they understand what is happening to them and do they understand the charges, and while they say yes, many in fact do not understand at all, but have been told to say yes for the sake of legal expediency. Resources should be provided to educate Aboriginal people on the legal system.
Some participants spoke about how the detention of asylum seekers is another area we need to learn from. The truth about the centres is hidden and we only have sensational reports, which lead to asylum seekers being cast as "criminals", and all this leads to strengthening racist views and xenophobia.
Theme 2: Victims of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance.
It was agreed that in Broome the main victims of racism were Aboriginal people.
Young Aboriginal people were identified in particular as victims of racism.
The delegates maintained that young Aboriginal people do not have jobs the way they used to in the past - they are discriminated against. A number of the delegates mentioned how the young Aboriginal people are taught and encouraged in schools to apply for the "dole" instead of encouraging them to apply for a job. Teachers bring in forms from Centrelink teach Aboriginal students in school how to apply for the dole.
The education system places too much emphasis on literacy skills and if those skills are not to a certain standard, then the student is considered to have some kind of disability. This then results in young Aboriginal students not even being given jobs in places like Coles etc. There is no emphasis placed on a concerted effort to raise the literacy and numeracy standards of Aboriginal kids.
Participants spoke about the exploitation of Indigenous culture by the tourist industry. Tourism is quite happy to promote Indigenous culture by displaying Aboriginal motifs and symbols to marketplaces like the Cable Beach Tearooms, yet there are no Aboriginal people employed there. During the negotiations to use a local totem for their business the owner/developers of the Cable Beach Tea Rooms promised to employ Aboriginal people, but as there was no legally binding contract signed to do so, they have not kept their word. They also assist in perpetuating the myth that Aboriginal people don't want the work.
Participants concluded that the overall impact of racism is to create a sense of powerlessness among individuals and communities, which means that they feel excluded from society.
Intersectionality
The delegates raised concerns in regard to aged members of the Aboriginal community because aged care in Broome is totally based on needs not race, creed or religion. This is an additional issue that aged members of the community have to deal with.
An example of this is when Aboriginal women have put up with services not being appropriate or sensitive to the their cultural practices. This is particularly so in the health sector, where often Aboriginal women will only discuss certain issues with other Aboriginal women, and the only health care worker available is a man. One male Aboriginal health care worker told how at times young males had to wash and dress elderly Aboriginal women, and how in Aboriginal culture this is an inappropriate practice.
Theme 3: Measures of prevention, education and protection aimed at the eradication of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance at the national, regional and international levels.
Participants had
a general view that programs and initiatives had to be locally based and
developed as well as delivered by local people. They maintained that each
department and agency needs to be made responsible and accountable for
implementing the programs aimed at addressing racism.
Education was seen as a key sector where initiatives needed to be implemented.
The delegates canvassed a range of proposals, including:
- Compulsory Aboriginal
Studies for all university students.
- Teachers need
to be trained in the diversity of Indigenous culture so that they can
develop different and appropriate approaches to teaching literacy, and
numeracy skills to Indigenous children.
- Education of judges
and lawyers - especially in areas where there are cultural differences
like Broome.
- Abstudy needs
to be reformed at present it is too unwieldy, unreliable and inaccessible.
It is necessary to make it more responsive to the needs of local communities
so that young Aboriginal children continue with their formal education.
- All levels of
the education sector have to develop recruitment and retention strategies
targeting Indigenous students.
- There needs to be a policy shift in the education sector from an economic rationalist focus on value for money outcomes to one focused on the needs of the students.
The provision of health services was an area of particular concern. The participants were of the view that:
- There needs to
be an increase in the time nurses at Broome hospital spend time with
Aboriginal liaison officer (this is currently about two hours) and this
should be expanded to cover all health workers and liaison officers.
- There needs to
be an increase in the number of women health workers employed to ensure
that Indigenous women have access to culturally appropriate services.
- The health department
needs to introduce policy shifts where cultural needs are placed on
the same level as critical care needs.
- All health workers
need to undergo cultural sensitivity training and this needs to include
gender issues.
- Staff in hospitals
and schools etc should reflect the population of service users.
- People with no
experience or training about cultural needs are often in positions of
power - lack of sensitivity at the top.
- Aboriginal Liaison
Officers don't even have vehicles, therefore access to communities impossible.
- Holding people to agreement, have a formal contractual arrangement (i.e. Cable Beach Tea House).
- Any programs
to combat racism need to be carried out by actual people in community.
- Police to attend
cultural awareness training regularly.
- Ongoing funding
be made to programs like the Kalari patrol.
- Compulsory courses
for cultural sensitivities for all Shire Managers.
- Cultural awareness
course in schools.
- If industry leaders
cannot develop change and training - then what hope?
- Football mentality.
- Supporting those
individuals in positions of power in the community and in government.
- Culture awareness program run by mental health is available to anyone.
One participant told the groups of a recent experience she had with the Internet. She and her daughter got into a chat room, with a family in Perth. The Perth family asking where they lived? The participant answered "Broome". The Perth family responded, "Oh, you are not one of them Abos from the desert are you?" As the participant is an Aboriginal woman, she responded that she found this question/joke offensive as she was indeed an Aboriginal from the Kimberley region, and a heated chat-room discussion ensued.
The Internet it was agreed can be an effective tool for communities to communicate with each other especially remote communities.
For teenagers, the anonymity of the Internet maybe good - eg suicide counselling.
Other measures to ensure effective remedies
- recognise and
acknowledge that Indigenous people are individuals as well as part of
communities.
- show respect
and not lump all Indigenous people in the same basket - acknowledge
diversity among Indigenous groups, just like rest of the community.
- acknowledge that not all Indigenous people want to be represented by larger government-appointed Indigenous bodies like ATSIC and Land Councils - there should be more negotiation and consultation with individual families.
Recommendations
1. Appropriate and ongoing cultural awareness training should be part of government and non-government organizations mission statements.
2. Compulsory training and education for all employees in the service provision industries, especially those in management positions.
3. Training needs to reflect culture of population.
4. Cultural awareness education be implemented at all tertiary institutions, and be compulsory in health, education and legal courses.
5. That cultural awareness education be a compulsory component of police training.
6. That gender sensitivity training be incorporated into any cultural awareness training.
7. Cultural awareness training be developed for businesses, such as banks.
8. Religious institutions undertake to develop and implement cultural awareness training for priests, ministers and any other church worker or volunteers.
9. Develop formal contractual arrangement with tourism developers wanting to establish business in the Broome area that includes the compulsory employment of Aboriginal people.
10. An extensive national human rights education program be developed and implemented to inform all Australians of their human rights.
