HR assignment essay: Aboriginal and Torres Islanders – Australia
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders are Indigenous population in Australia who were nomadic gatherers and hunters. The assignment discusses how the key themes of social welfare are associated with history of social welfare payments or programs for Indigenous Australians. The key themes discussed includes the social welfare reflecting on aspects making a good life, putting the ideas of social welfare to practice and social welfare operating to bring about advantage to few and disadvantage to others.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community of Australia were nomadic hunters and gatherers. They have their own language, knowledge, practices and beliefs of natural resources for effective sustainable management. Moreover the people shared intimate relationship based on their intricate knowledge and spirituality of its plants, creatures and environment which are innate to the culture (NSW Government 2012). Further the aboriginal culture also includes expression of various information, art, ancestral design, responsibilities and ceremonies which represent the core of spirituality (Australian Indigenous Health InfoNet2012).The health status of the aboriginals is poor in comparison to the rest of the population. There is a large inequity gap in Australia and the progress to reduce the gap between aboriginals and non-aboriginals has been slow. The estimated gap in life expectation is observed to be about 17 years between both the populations and the death rate of the aboriginal population is found out to be twice as compared with the non-indigenous population (Carter 2006). The Aboriginal population faces higher risk of environmental and behavioral risk factor and lives in conditions that does not support good health. Moreover, the indigenous population does not enjoy healthy infrastructure and primary health care facilities(Chesterman and Gilligan 1997). Further the inequity in health status experienced by the population is related to systemic discrimination.This has arisen due to lower and inadequate access to health care services such as the primary health care, low standards of health infrastructure and lack of access to primary health care when compared with the Australian population.The Australian social welfare policy regarding the aboriginals has been rejected as a failure and now radically different policies are now being researched for closing the gaps between indigenous and non-indigenous living standards.Improving the health status of the aboriginals or indigenous population in Australia is a challenging and a long-standing issue for the Australian government (Australian Human Rights Commission 2007).
The exclusion pattern of aboriginals from the benefits and rights of Australian welfare state began to dismantle around 1900s. Despite the increase in living standards and wealth in Australia, still the citizens of Australia are dependent upon the Australian Government.
The social security system in Australia started around 19th century.The charitable relief and financial support provided by various benevolent societies and authorities played a dominant mode of support for people. During 1890s or during the time of economic depression, the need for an organized approach in relieving hardships began by the rise of labor party and trade unions which added to the movement for reform. During 1900, the aged citizens were a particular concern. Victoria and New South Wales started enacting legislation for introducing non-contributing age-pensions for citizens aged 65 years and above (Herscovitch, Staton 2008). After which the commonwealth started to pay pensions for ages and people with disability, introduction of maternity allowances and significant developments in the state level between world wars. Around 1940s, Australia began to introduce new benefits during the war. By 1941, the Commonwealth Parliamentary Joint Committee has formed and progressed during the next five years. After the World War II, arose the concept of welfare state. The changes during the period were extensive and the governance of the social security system was consolidated (Berns, 2002). Also by the end of the decade, Australia had a comprehensive system of social security which was supported by robust constitutional and financial powers which enabled expansion in the coming years. Thereby this indicates that the idea of social welfare is making the life of the citizens comfortable and continuously working for their welfare.
The Australian welfare state was gendered characterized and this was evident in early policies such as assumption of female dependency and family wage which is build into the social security system. Also to a large extent various polices have emerged in relation to social security, family payments and child care which have enhanced choices and this has eliminated outright discrimination.However, the indigenous population initially faced a bad situation of genocide and death and no attention regarding their welfare was given by the Australian Government.Over subsequent years the economic status of the aboriginals assumed higher importance through the social security system. Around 1940, the family allowance or child endowment payment made for caring of the dependent children started also for the aboriginal children (Carney 2006). Further the social security legislation was also amended for substantial help and pension benefits for all aboriginals by 1966.Later the commonwealth electoral franchise was extended also extended to the native Australians for voting on voluntary basis. Few industrial awards which regulated the employment condition also got extended to also cover aboriginals. The success of 1967 referendum also opened up the possibility of the commonwealth government becoming much more involved directly in policy towards the Aborigines in a national level (Sanders,Altman 1991; Harris 2000). The aboriginal affairs were established with the apparatus of the commonwealth bureaucrat along with the Northern Territory Aboriginal welfare administration to make special grants to the state for Aboriginal economic development and welfare by providing funding to the Aboriginal community organizations. On the social front, the pensions, benefits and family allowances was directed to be directly paid to the Aboriginals (Australian Government 2009). However, this was not implemented as the route of allowances were limited and thus most Aborigines are still dependent to the Aboriginal state and Territory welfare authorities for their daily needs and the prospect of receiving the social entitlements were less.Thereby this indicates that social welfare benefitted the non-aboriginals as compared to the indigenous aboriginal community.
Around 1970 the Federal Government has undergone a radical change in creating Aboriginal affairs policy. During that time the Whitlam Government adopted the concept of ‘self-determination’ and focused on restoring to Aborigines the lost power (Sanders, Altman 1991). This was seen through establishment of federal Department of Aboriginal Affairs and National Constitutive Council which consisted of Aborigines who represented the issues of the native community such as granting of land rights to the aboriginals and to provide a new direction and assistance to the aboriginals. Later disagreements between different agencies brought about stoppage of their functional role and the DAA implemented Aboriginal assistance programs for the welfare of Aboriginals. The largest of the program established for aboriginals were in areas of education, employment and housing. This indicates that the social welfare program regarding the welfare of aboriginal have been established and put into practice. This has brought further advantage to the aboriginal community.
Research indicates that in recent years the aboriginal assistance program have also been emerged in the Commonwealth portfolio as being very diverse in health, arts, environment, communication and community services(Australian Government 2009).Furthermore, research indicates that in 1987 the aboriginal employment development policy were initiated and launched .The inclusion of the native population in the welfare state has been focused on two critics. First is the extent of dependence of aboriginals on welfare provision and the proliferation of program which are available in terms of duplication, overlapping, fragmentation and inefficiency (Sanders, Altman 1991). Aboriginals have remained largely outside the Australian economy as major population lives in remote area and have long been dependent upon social security and other social programs which were meant for most Australians and now intended for the aboriginal community too.This indicates that the inclusion of aboriginals in the welfare state is gradual progress. Program fragmentation has also been implemented to make additional resources available to Aborigines in recent years which can lead to Aboriginal autonomy.
Further large populations of Aborigines are now dependent upon the Australian welfare state. Recently the welfare payment related to aboriginals include the ABSTUDY which is the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander study assistance scheme which is an welfare program for the indigenous students and is tailored according to the status of partners, income tests, dependent children and guardians. Further the responsibility of the ABSTUDY policy is under Department of Education, workplace relations and employment.This indicate that he social security entitlements are vital in providing the base level of resources for the aboriginal community group and also for providing economic independence and for maneuvering with other organizational arms of the Australian welfare state (Carney 2006). Furthermore, this shows that the establishment of payment programs for bringing about advantage to aboriginals students.
Now in future, more mainstream government departments need to administer more special programs for Aboriginal assistance. This can assist the aboriginal affair policy makers to ensure that the Aboriginal program expenditure is used as a supplement to the expenditure of normal government and another advantage of mainstreaming include the expenditure regarding assistance provided to the Aboriginals will become less visible.Also willingness has developed among the policy makers to recognize the heterogeneity and diversity of the native population (Australian Government 2009).Moreover, the aboriginal affair portfolio has developed few programs which are directed at specific community type such as town camper’s assistance program, accelerated community development program and aboriginal development program. Also these programs also cross the demarcations between various types of services and applied with different type of community. Also this kind of restructuring can bring about persistence of varied cultural forms in different part of Aboriginal Australia (Sanders, Altman 1991). Also the aboriginal people living in settled Australia are more incorporated into the mainstream economy and the native population living in the remote areas can still maintain their economic and cultural components of their traditional lifestyle as they are given much importance by the Australian government to preserve their culture and tradition.Consequently there is an urgent need to develop policies which can bring about equality between non-aboriginal and aboriginal community and the diverse aspirations and circumstances of the native community on the other.
Research indicates that from long time the expenditure on Australian welfare has increased the per-capita.Thereby in time of economic restructuring and retreat of welfare state, the Aborigines need to become dependent by having few skills, experience and working skills (Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs 2009). Moreover, attempts have been made such as implementation of programs to specifically address Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’s social justice and welfare issues (McMahon, Thomson & Williams 2000) .Yet still now none of the programs have been addressed effectively and this also has slowed down the dislocation process or improved conditions but Australian Government has still not yet found the right solution (Butler, 2009). Moreover, wrong decisions on the welfare reform have the potential to exacerbate the situation of the people.
In conclusion, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders are Indigenous population in Australia who were nomadic gatherers and hunters. There exists large inequity gap in Australia and the progress to reduce the gap between aboriginals and non-aboriginals has been slow. Over subsequent years the economic status of the aboriginals assumed higher importance through the social security system. Special laws and programs have been implemented and established yet still now none of the programs have been addressed effectively and this also has slowed down the dislocation process or improved conditions for the indigenous Australian population. Further the essay indicate that the social welfare policies implemented for aboriginals focuses on establishment of continued policies and programs for bringing about aboriginal welfare and preserving their culture, thereby bringing about additional disadvantage to the aboriginal community.
If you want HR Management Assignment Help study samples to help you write professional custom essay’s and essay writing help.
Receive assured help from our talented and expert writers! Did you buy assignment and assignment writing services from our experts in a very affordable price.
To get more information, please contact us or visit www.myassignmenthelp.Com
