Redress December 2018

From the Editor

Indigenous issues have long been part of our national debate that many governments have tried to address. The Closing the Gap program was instigated in 2007 by the Council of Australian Governments as an initiative to reduce the discrepancy in life expectancy between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders and non-Indigenous Australians. The program has expanded to focus on closing the gap in educational outcomes, access to early childhood education and employment opportunities. Data show that as a nation we have come a long way, but there is still a long way to go.

Digging deeper, it is not just about access to services and opportunities. It is about addressing the subtle and insidious ways that racism, stereotyping and disadvantage shape perspectives and expectations. Despite the push to incorporate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives into the Australian Curriculum and State syllabuses, an examination of the language, curriculum and pedagogy reveals that there are still deeply embedded attitudes, values and assumptions which disadvantage our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Fortunately, many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women have been trailblazers in their field and activists for social change. Many have campaigned for recognition and justice. These women have paved the way for our young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women who will have more opportunities because they stand on the shoulders of those who came before, as articulated by the NAIDOC Week 2018 theme: ‘Because of her, we can!’

In this issue of Redress, Nicole Williams shares her story of the pervasive nature of racism which alienates our Indigenous people. Her stories challenge how we use our language to disempower and how we alter perspectives to disenfranchise our Indigenous people. Her personal stories engender hope and she calls on us to take action to remove the barriers. In contrast, Marnee Shay’s recount of her personal experiences as a young Indigenous academic who was supported by her people to achieve outstanding success in the field of education is an inspirational role model for our young Indigenous people. Janet Cairncross provides an inspirational example of how Indigenous sisters can build relationships of trust and agency to work for a better future. Laurel Power’s article on the Ayers Rock Resort shows how businesses can provide opportunities for Indigenous youth with that important first step towards employment. Employment provides purpose and fulfilment. These stories bring hope to others.

Other articles in this edition focus on educational perspectives. Karen Starr explores how language is used to describe Indigenous as ‘disadvantaged’ students. Indigenous students bring enormous cultural wealth to the classroom and this wealth of experience should be embraced and embedded into the learning experiences. Only then can the education system really ‘close the gap’. Lowe and Yunkaporta’s analysis of the Australian Curriculum shows that, whilst there is Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander content, there are still key concepts and terminology that have not been included. Jude Walker talks of a third cultural space in which all identities and cultures come together. Whilst the Australian Curriculum outlines some ways teachers can address Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages and perspectives, it is up to all teachers to embrace the third cultural space. Bronwyn Ewing’s proposal that RAMR, a social constructivist model for teaching mathematics, allows teachers to contextualise the learning to community. Data reveal that there is still a great deal to be done to close the gap. These results affect life outcomes in terms of employment, work opportunities and health.

Through our education system and personal recounts, our students come to understand Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders’ history, culture and lived experiences. Hearing the stories of discrimination and the stories of affirmation provides hope for the future. These provide the basis for the cultural and ideological shifts necessary to achieve equality of opportunity for Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander peoples and close the gap even further.

Susan Werba
Guest Editor

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