[csaa-forum] Precarious

[Barbara Baird]

Thanks everyone for this discussion about Howard's plan re Indigenous 
communities

I support Kiley's call for attention to more perspectives than those of 
Noel Pearson - whose views are privileged by Howard and the Murdoch 
press - this is not to say that his views equate with the government's, 
nor that they have no merit
On the question of abuse and violence - Indigenous women's voices are 
repeatedly raised and not heard - Sonia Smallacombe writes about this in 
a piece in Hecate 30/1 - she concludes feeling very un-optimistic

Thanks Kiley for putting feelings as well as analysis into this 
discussion - I find it hard to get beyond the anger and distress at what 
Howard is doing here - in the pursuit of long held agendas around land, 
and remote communities, and federal-state jostling over housing for 
Aboriginal people, neo-liberal approaches to 'managing Aboriginal 
affairs' in general - the fundamentalism of invoking 'the child' is a 
well worn strategy
Encouraging to hear this morning on ABC RN that at least the polls don't 
appear to be indicating that those polled are persuaded by his tactic, 
and his 'black rabbit' hasn't yet delivered election capital - this is 
cold comfort tho' for people whose lives are ongoingly subjected to 
government racism - especially when it seems that an ALP government 
would make little positive difference

Barbara

-- 
Associate Professor Barbara Baird
Head, Department of Women's Studies
Flinders University
GPO Box 2100 Adelaide
South Australia 5001

Telephone (+61 8) 8201 2331
Fax (61 8) 8201 3350

barbara.baird at flinders.edu.au
www.ssn.flinders.edu.au/wmst