http://www.crikey.com.au/2008/10/15/blogwatch-reviewing-the-nt-intervention/ now with extra source Tue, 24 Nov 2009 00:13:33 +1100 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 http://www.crikey.com.au/2008/10/15/blogwatch-reviewing-the-nt-intervention/#comment-13545 Jenny McFarland Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000 #comment-13545 There are a number of erroneous assumptions at work in the comments of people such as Mr Bertrand. Failed policies, yes indeed! This is more because of the culture bound assumptions behind the policy making than the fault of Aboriginal people or their culture. The Intervention in the NT threw alot of babies out with the bathwater - some things were working well in remote communities - these were the things that are congruent with Aboriginal cultural and family imperatives, which, like any cultural framework, are not all bad. There is strong evidence to indicate that remote Aboriginal community initiatives that are community "owned" are very successful. Generally programs that are imported from the dominant culture and are community based rather than community owned are those that fail. There is a strong whiff of political and social fundamentalism at work with the Intervention,and with indigenous policy making in general - making Aboriginal communities over in a whitefella image. The assumption that the whitefella world of lifelong wage and debt slavery is in any way attractive is culture bound for a start. Also the strange contradictions inherent in acknowledging the chronically poor health and educational status of remote Aboriginal people, and then expecting them to participate - nay, embrace - the whitefella world of work and mortgages. And who is blamed for the failures??? The Aboriginal people who live out bush!! There are a number of erroneous assumptions at work in the comments of people such as Mr Bertrand. Failed policies, yes indeed! This is more because of the culture bound assumptions behind the policy making than the fault of Aboriginal people or their culture. The Intervention in the NT threw alot of babies out with the bathwater - some things were working well in remote communities - these were the things that are congruent with Aboriginal cultural and family imperatives, which, like any cultural framework, are not all bad. There is strong evidence to indicate that remote Aboriginal community initiatives that are community “owned” are very successful. Generally programs that are imported from the dominant culture and are community based rather than community owned are those that fail. There is a strong whiff of political and social fundamentalism at work with the Intervention,and with indigenous policy making in general - making Aboriginal communities over in a whitefella image. The assumption that the whitefella world of lifelong wage and debt slavery is in any way attractive is culture bound for a start. Also the strange contradictions inherent in acknowledging the chronically poor health and educational status of remote Aboriginal people, and then expecting them to participate - nay, embrace - the whitefella world of work and mortgages. And who is blamed for the failures??? The Aboriginal people who live out bush!!

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