scholarly journals Western Australia’s Remote Indigenous Communities: A Case Against Closures and a Call For New Governance

AJIL Unbound ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 109 ◽  
pp. 209-214 ◽  
Author(s):  
Asta Hill
Keyword(s):  
Western Australia ◽  
Aboriginal People ◽  
Indigenous Communities ◽  
Indigenous Australians ◽  
New Governance ◽  
Remote Communities ◽  
Aboriginal Communities ◽  
The Government

In the late 1970s thousands of Indigenous Australians initiated a movement back to the ancestral lands they had been removed from during the assimilationist era. Less than 50 years since their return to country, Aboriginal people living in Western Australia’s (WA) remote communities are again grappling with their impending redispossession. Wa Premier Colin Barnett’s announcement late last year was panic inducing: It is a problem that I do not want and the government does not want, but it is a reality. There are something like 274 Aboriginal communities in Western Australia—I think 150 or so of those are in the Kimberley itself—and they are not viable. They are not viable and they are not sustainable . . . I am foreshadowing that a number of communities are inevitably going to close.

scholarly journals The Well-Being of Carers of Older Aboriginal People Living in the Kimberley Region of Remote Western Australia: Empowerment, Depression, and Carer Burden

2020 ◽  
pp. 073346481989866
Author(s):  
Dina LoGiudice ◽  
Cathryn M. Josif ◽  
Roslyn Malay ◽  
Zoë Hyde ◽  
Melissa Haswell ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Western Australia ◽  
Odds Ratio ◽  
Aboriginal People ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Key Factors ◽  
Remote Communities ◽  
Aboriginal Communities ◽  
Aboriginal Australians ◽  
Carer Burden ◽  
The Mean

Objective: To describe demographic features and well-being of carers of Aboriginal Australians aged ≥45 years in remote Western Australia. Method: Carer burden, empowerment, and depression were assessed in 124 Aboriginal carers in four remote Aboriginal communities. Results: Carers were aged 38.8 ± 15.0 years, 73.4% were female, and 75.8% were children or grandchildren of the person cared for. The mean Zarit-6 score was 3.7 ± 3.6. Attending high school (odds ratio [OR] = 0.3; 95% confidence interval [CI] = [0.1, 0.7]) and feeling empowered (OR = 0.2; 95% CI = [0.1, 0.8]) were inversely associated with carer burden; female carers were less likely to feel empowered (OR = 0.4; 95% CI = [0.2, 0.9]); and empowerment was inversely associated with depression (OR = 0.3; 95% CI = [0.1, 0.7]). Discussion: Aboriginal carers in remote communities are relatively young and most are children or grandchildren. Carer burden was lower than anticipated. However, existing tools may not adequately measure Aboriginal perspectives. Education and empowerment are key factors which support programs must consider.

Empowerment is the Basis for Improving Education and Employment Outcomes for Aboriginal People in Remote Australia

2018 ◽  
Vol 48 (2) ◽  
pp. 153-161
Author(s):  
Byron Wilson ◽  
Tammy Abbott ◽  
Stephen J. Quinn ◽  
John Guenther ◽  
Eva McRae-Williams ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Structural Equation ◽  
Aboriginal People ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Remote Communities ◽  
Aboriginal Communities ◽  
Aboriginal Community ◽  
Equation Modelling ◽  
Shared Space ◽  
English Literacy ◽  
Education And Employment

In Australia, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people score poorly on national mainstream indicators of wellbeing, with the lowest outcomes recorded in remote communities. As part of a ‘shared space’ collaboration between remote Aboriginal communities, government and scientists, the holistic Interplay Wellbeing Framework and accompanying survey were designed bringing together Aboriginal priorities of culture, empowerment and community with government priorities of education, employment and health. Quantitative survey data were collected from a cohort of 841 Aboriginal people aged 15–34 years, from four different Aboriginal communities. Aboriginal community researchers designed and administered the survey. Structural equation modelling was used to identify the strongest interrelating pathways within the framework. Optimal pathways from education to employment were explored with the concept of empowerment playing a key role. Here, education was defined by self-reported English literacy and numeracy and empowerment was defined as identity, self-efficacy and resilience. Empowerment had a strong positive impact on education (β = 0.38, p < .001) and strong correlation with employment (β = 0.19, p < .001). Education has a strong direct effect on employment (β = 0.40, p < .001). This suggests that education and employment strategies that foster and build on a sense of empowerment are mostly likely to succeed, providing guidance for policy and programs.

Chasing The Dream – Self-Determination on a Non-territorial Basis for the Noongar Traditional Owners in the South West of Australia

2020 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 171-193
Author(s):  
Bertus De Villiers
Keyword(s):  
Western Australia ◽  
Aboriginal People ◽  
Self Determination ◽  
Best Interests ◽  
Conservation Areas ◽  
Aboriginal Community ◽  
Native Title ◽  
Land Claim ◽  
South West ◽  
The Government

Abstract Self-determination for Aboriginal people in Australia has been a long sought after yet difficult objective to reach. The recently concluded Noongar Settlement in the state of Western Australia opens new opportunities and could potentially set a new benchmark for non-territorial autonomy and self-government for an Aboriginal community. The Noongar Settlement exceeds the more traditional settlements of a native title claim since it provides elaborate institutions for self-government albeit by way of private bodies corporate. The bodies corporate for the Noongar people would enable them to make and administer decisions; offer services; undertake management of public conservation areas; and advocate for the best interests of their community. This privatised form of self-government may not only provide new impetus to other land claim processes in Australia, it may also address the often-heard demands from Aboriginal people for a treaty to be entered into between themselves and the government of Australia.

A population study on Indigenous hospitalisations for interpersonal violence

2010 ◽  
Vol 34 (1) ◽  
pp. 123 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lynn B. Meuleners ◽  
Andy H. Lee ◽  
Delia Hendrie ◽  
Michelle Fraser
Keyword(s):  
Indigenous People ◽  
Western Australia ◽  
Interpersonal Violence ◽  
Length Of Hospital Stay ◽  
Indigenous Communities ◽  
Population Based ◽  
Indigenous Australians ◽  
Contributing Factors ◽  
Male And Female ◽  
High Burden

Indigenous people experience a disproportionately high burden of interpersonal violence. This paper compares the demographic characteristics and injury circumstances of male and female Indigenous Australians hospitalised due to interpersonal violence in Western Australia over a 15-year period. A population-based, retrospective study of all hospitalisations due to interpersonal violence for Indigenous people in WA was undertaken using the linked 1990–2004 data from the WA Mortality Database and the Hospital Morbidity Data System. The majority of Indigenous hospitalisations were for females (56.3%). Female victims were more likely to be admitted due to maltreatment and rape (11.9%). Age profiles, residential location and length of hospital stay were similar between both sexes. The results indicate higher rates of hospitalisation and readmissions for interpersonal violence in WA among Indigenous females than males. There may potentially be different risk factors for each sex and further investigation will have public health benefits. What is known about the topic?Indigenous people experience a disproportionately high burden of interpersonal violence compared with non-Indigenous people. In contrast to the general population, Indigenous females are hospitalised for interpersonal violence at a higher rate than their male counterparts. What does this paper add?This study used population-based data to compare the different characteristics between Indigenous male and female hospitalisations due to interpersonal violence in Western Australia. Females were hospitalised at nearly 1.3 times the rate of males and comprised the majority (65%) of hospitalisations for those admitted more than once. What are the implications for practitioners?The results provide policy makers and planners with a basis for making informed decisions on where to specifically target resources so as to reverse the increasing burden of interpersonal violence on Indigenous communities. In addition, more rigorous prospective investigation is required to determine the contributing factors of interpersonal violence hospitalisations for Indigenous people.

scholarly journals “Does this dental mob do eyes too?”: perceptions and attitudes toward dental services among Aboriginal Australian adults living in remote Kimberley communities

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jilen Patel ◽  
Angela Durey ◽  
Steven Naoum ◽  
Estie Kruger ◽  
Linda Slack-Smith
Keyword(s):  
Oral Health ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Western Australia ◽  
Remote Communities ◽  
Dental Services ◽  
Aboriginal Communities ◽  
Primary Health ◽  
Perceptions And Attitudes ◽  
Primary Health Services ◽  
Oral Health Services

Abstract Background Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people continue to experience significant disparities in oral health and there remains an urgent need to improve services to rural and remote communities. Quantitative research has typically been used to highlight the disease burden and severity experienced by those living in remote communities, but this data does little to explore the lived reality and psychosocial nuances that impact on care. The Kimberley region of Western Australia is home to over 150 Aboriginal communities spread out across 400,000 square kilometres. The success and sustainability of oral health services to these remote communities relies on respect and reciprocity achieved through shared knowledge, decision making and involvement of Aboriginal people in discussions around oral health services and their delivery. This, study aimed to investigate the perceptions and attitudes toward dental services among Aboriginal Australian families living in remote Kimberley communities. Methods Semi-structured interviews and yarning circles were carried out following purposive sampling of Aboriginal adults living in the East Kimberley region of Western Australia. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analysed guided by a constructivist grounded theory approach. Results In total, 80 community members participated in the yarning process. Enablers to care included: promotion of existing services, integration with primary health services, using mobile dental services and volunteers to extend care. Barriers to care included transportation, cost of treatment, the complexity of appointment systems and shame associated with health-seeking behaviours. Conclusions Reassessing the prevailing operative model of dental care to remote Aboriginal communities is warranted to better address the overwhelming structural barriers that impact on oral health. Integration with existing primary health services and schools, the use of mobile units to extend care and increasing community engagement through clinical yarning are recommended in improving the current state of dental services to communities in the Kimberley.

scholarly journals Crime and colonisation in Australia’s Torres Strait Islands

2019 ◽  
Vol 53 (1) ◽  
pp. 25-43
Author(s):  
Zoe Staines ◽  
John Scott
Keyword(s):  
Justice System ◽  
Indigenous Communities ◽  
Crime Rates ◽  
Indigenous Australians ◽  
Crime Trends ◽  
Indigenous Australian ◽  
Partial Explanation ◽  
Aboriginal Communities ◽  
Torres Strait ◽  
Reported Crime

The overrepresentation of Indigenous Australians in the criminal justice system has been thoroughly documented over a number of decades. However, studies tend to adopt homogenising discourses that fail to acknowledge or deeply examine the diversity of Indigenous Australian experiences of crime, including across geographic and cultural contexts. This has prompted calls for a more thorough investigation of how experiences of crime differ across Australia’s Indigenous communities, including between remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. This paper forms part of a larger study, examining crime and justice in the Torres Strait Region, situated off the far northern tip of the State of Queensland. Here, we examine and compare reported crime trends in the Torres Straits with those in Queensland’s remote Aboriginal communities and Queensland State on the whole. We then draw upon existing anthropological, historical and other literature to explore possible explanations for differences in these crime rates. We find that crime rates are generally lower in the Torres Strait Region and that the different historical experiences of colonisation and policing may provide a partial explanation for this, particularly through the lens of social disorganisation theory.

scholarly journals Challenges of WASH in remote Australian Indigenous communities

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 429-437 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nina Lansbury Hall
Keyword(s):  
Drinking Water ◽  
Wastewater Treatment ◽  
Indigenous Communities ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Indigenous Australians ◽  
Remote Communities ◽  
Hygiene Practices ◽  
Sanitation And Hygiene ◽  
The Status ◽  
Access And Quality

Abstract Health and well-being are influenced by access and quality to safe drinking water, wastewater treatment, and hygiene practices and settings. This is recognised in the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals for water and health. As a signatory to the UN Goals, Australia has a commitment to ensure the access and quality of these resources is attained for all, including Indigenous Australians living in remote communities. This research sought to identify the status of water, sanitation and hygiene services within remote communities on mainland Australia. Interviews were conducted with representatives of organisations providing water, sanitation and/or hygiene to communities. The quality and access of WASH services in remote Indigenous communities were revealed in this research as lacking at times in many communities. The qualitative results indicate that drinking water supplies can be contaminated by microbes or naturally occurring chemicals, wastewater treatment can be poorly maintained with irregular monitoring, and the health of residents is negatively impacted by crowding in houses, which affects residents' ability to maintain healthy hygiene levels of people, clothing, bedding and infrastructure. Effective responses require a collaborative and systemic approach by the respective government agencies responsible that effectively partner with – and adequately fund – Indigenous communities to provide options that are ‘fit for purpose, place and people’.

Introduction of water conservation education packages: the opportunites and constraints afftecting their success

2001 ◽  
Vol 44 (6) ◽  
pp. 135-140
Author(s):  
J. Ryan ◽  
K. Mathew ◽  
M. Anda ◽  
E. Yuen
Keyword(s):  
Western Australia ◽  
Water Conservation ◽  
Environmental Science ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Conservation Education ◽  
Research Review ◽  
Remote Communities ◽  
Aboriginal Communities ◽  
Remote Areas ◽  
Delivery Style

The Remote Area Developments Group in the Institute for Environmental Science at Murdoch University developed a video and booklet education package on water conservation. The package was developed after research, review of current efforts in water conservation, and consultation with communities showed that there was a need in this area. The package was distributed to all communities within Western Australia. Several different workshops were conducted with Indigenous Environmental Health Workers from around Western Australia in remote areas and in the Perth Metropolitan communities using the package. This paper will briefly describe the opportunities and constraints that exist for water conservation in remote Aboriginal communities in Western Australia as well as give an evaluation of the education package based on workshops, trials and survey instrument. This paper will explain the conclusions that have been drawn from the study: that a broad delivery style is the most advantageous style for remote communities, allowing the facilitator to assess the best style of delivery.

Wadawurrung Dya Baap Ngobeeyt: teaching spatial mapping technologies

2014 ◽  
Vol 31 (4) ◽  
pp. 276-287 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carolyn J. Woodley ◽  
Sean Fagan ◽  
Sue Marshall
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Heritage ◽  
Learning Experiences ◽  
Indigenous Communities ◽  
Heritage Management ◽  
Indigenous Australians ◽  
Spatial Mapping ◽  
Aboriginal Communities ◽  
Cultural Heritage Management ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Impact

Purpose – Aboriginal communities in Australia must have mapping information and technology to effectively and independently administer their land holdings and to define, evidence and thus protect their community and cultural identity. The purpose of this paper is to report on a pilot project that developed a customisable education programme to support Indigenous communities in the uptake of spatial mapping technologies to protect and manage cultural heritage in Victoria, Australia. Design/methodology/approach – A training programme to support Wadawurrung capabilities in spatial mapping technologies was developed, delivered and evaluated. Concurrently, the system's database was indigenised by Wadawurrung cultural heritage workers. Types and numbers of culturally significant sites mapped using the technologies were collated. The impact of the training and technologies for students and the Wadawurrung community was gauged through participation levels and evaluations. The approach to indigenous spatial mapping projects is informed by postcolonial theories interrogating neo-colonialist cartographic practices. Findings – Indigenous communities need to be resourced in the uptake of spatial mapping technologies and if universities are going to be involved in co-developing positive learning experiences that encourage the uptake of the technologies, they must have appropriate and respectful relationships with Aboriginal communities. Training programmes need to accommodate learners with diverse educational experiences and technological wherewithal. Research limitations/implications – Findings from the training evaluations are based on a small number of participants; however, they seem to be supported by literature. Practical implications – The education model developed is customisable for any Indigenous community in Australia. Social implications – The social and political importance of spatial mapping technologies for Indigenous Australians is evident as is the need for educational providers to have appropriate and respectful relationships with Aboriginal communities to co-develop positive learning experiences that encourage the uptake of the technologies. Originality/value – The Wadawurrung Dya Baap Ngobeeyt Cultural Heritage Mapping and Management Project developed practical strategies to build community capacity in Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Management and Protection. The educational programme developed supported learners to use technologies in cultural heritage management. Data were collected using community-developed fields for inclusion and culturally appropriate encryption of data.

TeaH (Turn ‘em around Healing): a therapeutic model for working with traumatised children on Aboriginal communities

2019 ◽  
Vol 44 (02) ◽  
pp. 55-59
Author(s):  
Michelle Moss ◽  
Anthony Duwun Lee
Keyword(s):  
Child Protection ◽  
Service Provision ◽  
Aboriginal People ◽  
Remote Communities ◽  
Aboriginal Communities ◽  
Government Interventions ◽  
Creative Therapies ◽  
Aboriginal Children ◽  
Model Of Practice ◽  
Therapeutic Model

AbstractAboriginal children in Australia are over-represented in both the child protection and juvenile justice systems. Using Western therapeutic models of practice with Aboriginal people who live in remote communities can be highly problematic. Moreover, the historical legacy of past and present legislation, government interventions and racist service provision needs to be acknowledged and addressed prior to any service implementation. This paper presents a therapeutic model of practice that incorporates Aboriginal concepts of healing and spirit within a creative therapeutic framework. It will demonstrate how the model works through principles of community engagement and capacity building, enabling the provision of a culturally derived therapeutic intervention that involves a synergy of both Aboriginal- and Western-based healing practices. The findings from the implementation of the TeaH model affirm the need to incorporate Aboriginal concepts of healing, spirit and creative therapies into mainstream practice with Aboriginal people.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document