Abstract
Reconciliation has become an important focus in recent decades, with many countries, grappling with issues such as truth, justice and reparation. This chapter explores the history of reconciliation in Australia , the policy framework, obstacles and achievements. It also draws on case studies of grass-roots initiatives, which promote reconciliation and allow Indigenous and non-Indigenous people to work together respectfully as equals, sharing both power and resources. People power has always been a strong component of the reconciliation movement in Australia, propelling the movement forward, even when political leaders have not shown strong leadership. The authors argue that reconciliation can only occur when Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians stand on level ground, with equitable access to decision-making power, good health, education, employment, housing and other resources; historic injustices continue to produce distributive inequality that needs to be addressed if we are to live in a just and reconciled society.
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Notes
- 1.
Wiimpatja is the word for man in the Paakantji (Barkintji) language.
- 2.
Paul Keating was the Prime Minister of the Labour Government then in Office.
- 3.
In 2007, without consultation, with the stated intention of protecting children from abuse, Howard introduced a package of welfare provisions and law enforcement, which curtailed basic freedoms and land ownership rights. Many commentators, including the United Nations, have denounced this legislation as discriminatory (Short 2012). While there was support for the intervention amongst some Indigenous leaders, it can at best be described as ‘coercive reconciliation’ (Altman and Hinkson 2007).
- 4.
A hooked wooden stick used by Aboriginal people for hurling a spear or dart.
- 5.
A musical instrument or device that produces a howling sound when whirled through the air. Usually, a flat piece of wood measuring 10–35 cm in length and fastened at one end to a thong or string, its pitch is determined by the speed with which it is whirled.
- 6.
Deficit-based approaches have traditionally been used by the helping professions as they look for ways to address the needs and problems within a family or community. This emphasis communicates that there is failure, and it can create feelings of helplessness, low expectations and a dependency on outside resources and solutions.
- 7.
The yahrzeit is a time of remembering the dead by reciting the Kaddish (a hymn of praises to God found in the Jewish prayer service), lighting a 24-hour candle and remembering the person who has died.
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Collins, J., Thompson, W.K. (2018). Reconciliation in Australia? Dreaming Beyond the Cult of Forgetfulness. In: Jenkins, B., Subedi, D., Jenkins, K. (eds) Reconciliation in Conflict-Affected Communities. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-6800-3_11
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