Spending on Aboriginal people is highly debated in Australia. Now one Indigenous woman has uncovered some shocking realities.
Jolleen has been spurred on to find the truth after refusing to accept multiple claims by the government and the media that $53 million was given to 800 Aboriginal people living in Roebourne, W.A.
Jolleen’s assessment of this situation reads as follows:
Finally, after years of asking for the truth from the Government about spending in my community of Roebourne, I have it! I am considering how I use this information to achieve some successful outcomes. However, my feelings that I will express openly right now are these:
1. Far too many people told me that this information was not available in the detailed form I have found it (4 years later). These people LIED TO ME AND MY COMMUNITY. These people are now not trusted by me and will be the subject of my close scrutiny from now on!
2. Government loves to include the cost of mainstream services (those services available to everyone) and call it “Aboriginal Funding” and then suggest that Aboriginal people receive this funding on a per person or family basis, as if what they put in the top falls out at the bottom. In actual fact, the cost of Child Protection, the Police, the TAFE, Juvenile Justice, and the School are mainstream services. Not Aboriginal specific funding. Another fact, these are State based/ run services. But their cost isn’t the State Governments. Apparently it’s the Aboriginal Communities cost. So any failure in these areas by way of service delivery isn’t rightfully with the service providers. Instead, it is with the Aboriginal People.
3. Knowledge is power!
I may now be on a war path and I will win the war! I am sick to death of the lies and passing of the Buck by those who are ultimately accountable.
I have said this since learning about the supposed spending in my community,
“There must be accountability on the part of funding bodies and funding recipients with respect to the funding of services or programs that are specifically for #ClosingTheGaps in education, health and employment. BUT, how the hell do we, the community hold anyone accountable if we can’t get some truth with respect to WHO has the funding and WHAT they are funded for!”
This TRUTH that I finally have tells me that this biggest failure is actually on the part of the Government- as funders and service providers. However, I still remember the West Australians headline that invoked outrage towards my community, “$58 million for 800 Aboriginals”. But the people didn’t get this money. Mostly, it was Government. Then it was the many NGOs. So, why is the blame with my community? I think it was easier for the Aboriginal Community to be blamed and demonised (as happens to my community often these days), than it was for the Government to have the balls to say, “the problem is us and the service providers. Not the community.”!
