Kevin Rudd’s time as prime minister saw big changes for indigenous Australians. In 2008, the prime minister delivered a heartfelt apology for all the wrongs done to Australia’s first people.

That same year, the ‘Closing the Gap’ initiative was introduced to close the socioeconomic gap between indigenous and non-indigenous Australians. This shocked many Australians, because even though the White Australia Policy was long gone, indigenous people could now vote, and Australia was putting their checked past behind them, it wasn’t that simple.

Studies from 2006 revealed that 16% of indigenous adults were unemployed, while 76% of those who were employed worked in the labour force compared to 5% of non-indigenous adults. The same studies also found that the life expectancy for indigenous men was 12 years less than non-indigenous, and 10 years for lower for indigenous women than non-indigenous. Furthermore, in 2006 indigenous Australians made up just 2.5% of Australia’s total population.

The ‘Closing the Gap’ initiative was introduced to widened housing, education and employment opportunities to indigenous Australians, in the hope of halving these statistics over a period of ten years. Check out the clip below, featuring an excerpt from Behind the News on the progress made.

Now, at the end of 2018, each of the issues mentioned above are still major issues, with little or no change to the numbers. Furthermore, hideous stereotypes have emerged; accusing indigenous Australians of abusing the system, never having to work, pay their dues or take any responsibility for their actions.

 

With the initiatives put into place, I am asking why a positive change is so lacking? Why instead, are indigenous Australians being portrayed as not wanting to work or achieve anything, yet still have everything handed to them on a silver platter? Are non-indigenous people being pushed to the wayside unfairly?

 

What one needs to remember first is what indigenous Australians have been through. In September 1901, the White Australia Policy was introduced for, “…by reasonable and just means, the deportation or reduction of the number of aliens now in our midst.”

There was no secret about it. Indigenous Australians were to become extinct by their invaders. As our government waited for the eventual extinction of Australia’s first people, there was a clear divide in everyday life. Indigenous people were segregated from white people in pubs, public rest rooms, even public swimming pools.

In 1967, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people were finally granted citizenship and given the right to vote, and in 1973 the White Australia Policy was finally abolished by the Whitlam government. This should have been a new beginning for Australia’s culture, but it was not the case.

In Australia today, there is still a huge culture divide between city and country areas. Take a trip to a city like Melbourne, Sydney, or even Newcastle, and you will find a great level of diversity; people of ethnicities and religions worldwide will all frequent the same street.

Take a trip to a town out in the country, and it is a very different story.

I remember four years ago, when I went to the Country Music Festival in Tamworth for the first time. On the night we arrived, we decided to take a walk up the main street to check things out. Almost immediately, it became obvious that we were the odd ones out. All around us were groups of teenagers hanging around the streets. Each one of them were clearly of Aboriginal decent. As a result, the Police presence grew with every minute we were there. Other passers-by were making obvious efforts to avoid the youths. What shocked me was the fact that the teenagers weren’t really doing anything wrong, yet people’s reaction to them was so strong, it was as if they were all waiting for something horrible to happen. I had to wonder: If the same thing were to occur with a group of Caucasian teenagers, would the same reaction have been provoked?

These days, it is impossible to belong to just one ethnic background, thanks to migration and changes in attitudes. Unfortunately, this also means that, to the naked eye, an indigenous person might not necessarily look like a stereotypical indigenous person.

In the last ten years I couldn’t help but notice a new stigma emerge as a result of ‘Closing the Gap’, not just accusing indigenous people of abusing a program designed to help the less fortunate, but even accusing people of not even being indigenous, based on their skin colour. But, just how significant are the benefits that ‘Closing the Gap’ provides?

The only way to answer this question is to ask someone who has life experience as an indigenous person.

Angel Seiver is a 21-year-old Aboriginal young woman living in the country town of Cessnock with her mother and siblings. For the past two years, Angel has worked as a Service Cashier at her local Woolworths. Earlier this year, her mother Michelle was also fortunate enough to gain employment in the same role.

As we sat in the back office at Cessnock Woolworths, Angel reflected on her first experience with the company, “I went through a company called Diversity. There were a handful of us Aboriginal people, and we did five days of theory work and five days practical, where we were divvied up and sent to different Woolworths stores,” she said thoughtfully. “Then if I was successful I got a position afterwards, so that was amazing.”

A country girl at heart, Angel talked fondly about her upbringing with her mum, who often struggled to get work. “We’ve always moved around a lot,” she said, counting on her fingers as she spoke, “I was born in New Lambton and spent my first few years at Rathmines, then I’ve been between Cessnock, Kurri Kurri, even up near Lismore, then Swansea. The last two years I’ve been in Cessnock is the longest I’ve stayed in the same place.”

When asked about ‘Closing the Gap’ and the terrible stigmas surrounding indigenous Australians, Angel was perplexed, “What really annoys me is that out of my cohort of people to go through Diversity, I am the only one who is still employed. I’m actually one of the only people to go through that program and keep a job long term,” Angel shook her head, “Like, the stereotypes are sad and everything, but there is some truth in them, and some members of my family live up to them!”

It was shocking to hear these words coming from a young Aboriginal woman. It was definitely more than I had bargained for. Angel was adamant however that she knew the key to this problem, “It’s education more than anything. It’s not just indigenous people either – you get this sort of behaviour with everyone, but I think by giving people so many extra benefits, people start to think they shouldn’t have to work for anything, and that’s just crazy!”

 

It wasn’t long before I was meeting Angel’s boss, Michael Alexandrou: Customer Service Manager at Woolworths, Cessnock. Having worked for the company since 2005 and working as a manager since 2009, Michael holds unique insight to the company and many of its employees.

“Woolworths works with Diversity to give indigenous people work experience, and if we think they’re good for the company, we will hire them and place them on a minimum 15-hour contract. That’s what they’re promised.”

I couldn’t help but enquire as to Mr Alexandrou’s thoughts on Angel Seiver as an employee. With that, he looked up thoughtfully, “Very reliable, ambitious, strives very hard to prove that she can do the job…definitely family orientated.”

However, Mr Alexandrou hesitated when I asked about his thoughts on the ‘Closing the Gap’ Initiative, “It’s a good thing to have to help them, but – I don’t want to sound nasty, but it is handed to some people on a silver platter. You see people having 15 hour a week contracts handed to them, and many of them are unreliable and don’t even want the job. I don’t think that’s right.”

Once again, I was keen to hear where Mr Alexandrou believes the biggest improvements could be made, “I haven’t studied this area in depth, but I think as a manager of Woolworths, I think the biggest factor is education. Not everyone is cut out to study and go to university or even finish Year 12, but I think what people need to be taught from a young age is how the workplace environment works, how to work and have a work ethic from a very early age,” he explained, adding, “I think that is so important.”

 

 “I think a lack of historical knowledge is the key,”

 

What we need to remember is that Indigenous Australians occupied this continent for over 40,000 years. They know more about this land, its native flora and fauna than anyone else.

But in 1796 Australia’s first people became a pest needing to be eradicated. Many unforgivable acts were committed against them, including the stolen generation, which, over fifty years later is still impacting indigenous people.

Emily Trembath is the Wellbeing Officer at Grahamstown Public School, and one of the only indigenous people on staff. After meeting the parents of some of her less motivated indigenous students, the Wellbeing Officer says many of their issues are generation based, “We think to ourselves, yes, the stolen generations and genocide of these people happened so long ago, but it is still affecting people today. When something is passed down through the generations it becomes the norm, so how can you expect people to behave differently?”

Mrs Trembath manages every indigenous activity at her school and is happy to say she does not see a divide between her indigenous and non-indigenous students and the activities she runs, “The activities and workshops we run are open to everyone who wants to participate,” she said. “What I’ve really been trying to do is teach the kids about the everyday life of indigenous people, like the food they make and some of the dreamtime stories. There’s so much out there but so much time has been spent learning about the bad stuff they’ve been through.”

Mrs Trembath is clearly passionate about her work and believes she can make a difference.

“I think a lack of historical knowledge is the key,” the young teacher maintained. “People think indigenous people get stuff for free, but they don’t. They might get a free doctor’s appointment, but so can everyone else if you happen to find one who bulk bills. They might be able to get a job before a non-indigenous person, but they still have to meet the criteria, and have to prove themselves just like everyone else, and they have to pay tax like everyone else.” Mrs Trembath feels that the stigmas and stereotypes are propelled not just by the public, but the media as well, “I mean, yes, alcoholism is a serious problem in indigenous people – but it is for everyone else, too!”

The young teacher believes these issues all stem from one simple fact, “The stereotypes just come from people who don’t understand the situation fully.”

 

After gaining some amazing perspectives, I feel optimistic, yet still indifferent. After hearing what ‘Closing the Gap’ provides for indigenous Australians, I realise now that it is merely a head start. While Angel was given the job at Woolworths, it was because she met that criteria. She is still employed today because she has maintained her work ethic and worked hard at her job. I think Mrs Trembath was right on the money when she said that historical knowledge is an essential. After all, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are one of the oldest groups of people to walk the earth and have some amazing customs and traditions. Yet somehow, all the public and mainstream media seem to focus on is the hardships they have endured, followed by resentment over the benefits they receive in attempt to bridge the socioeconomic gap.

Sadly, even something like changing the perceptions of the public won’t happen overnight.

The sad truth is, indigenous Australians spent over 200 years being exterminated and or assimilated into white culture. The last fifty years have seen some tremendous improvements, but we still have a very long way to go. As sad as I am to say that in some cases, the hideous stigmas do ring true, the reality is by no means exclusive to indigenous Australians. While ‘Closing the Gap’ carries all the right intentions, unfortunately issues like those indigenous Australians are still facing aren’t solved by having money and benefits thrown at them. It requires large amounts of education and understanding from all involved, which sadly does not happen overnight.