Australian Black Lives Matter

I am not marching today, not because the current Prime Minister told me not to, that almost made me want to go.  I don’t want to travel into the city, I don’t want to be in crowds, that’s why, I reckon we've worked too hard to get the corona virus under control to jeopardise it by marching in crowds. However, it's amazing that despite all the Aboriginal deaths in custody we have had we have not seen the outpouring of rage that we have witnessed in the USA.  For some reason here we have been able to go tut tut isn't it awful, but we have not made so much noise abut the injustices against Indigenous Australians.  Is it an issue about us not being able to deeply listen to Indigenous Australians and work with Indigenous communities to address the impact of over 200 years of colonisation? 

Those individual police who use violence against Aboriginal people, who have been responsible for deaths through action or inaction must be held accountable and the police services that do not hold them accountable should be shamed. But it's not just a policing issue.

Governments over the years that have allowed the injustices to continue should be held accountable  So should the Governments and the electorate that have turned a blind eye to the poverty of Aboriginal populations, Governments that have decided on what is best for Aboriginal communities rather than sitting down with them and listening to what they really need.  Governments that have stopped funding to services providing support to Aboriginal populations.  Governments that have presided over Aboriginal children, women and men being incarcerated in far greater numbers than their white counterparts.  Governments that have ignored many of the recommendations of the Royal Commission Into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody. Who have not acted despite the 432 deaths in custody since the Royal Commission.  Indigenous Australians make up 3 per cent of the population but about 30 per cent of the prison population.  We lock up Indigenous Australians at four times the rate of black Americans in the US. In the youth detention system, about 50 per cent of all detainees are Indigenous. Australia has it's own George Floyd moment

One of the people who was locked up was Tanya Day who died on 22 December 2017 after a train conductor had removed her from a train because she was sleeping on a train.  She was then arrested for being drunk in a public place and died from a brain haemorrhage after she had fallen in the cell and hit her head on the brick wall.   I have to say here that there have been a number of times where I have been drunk in a public place, or have fallen asleep on public transport and not once have I ever been questioned by the police or restrained in any way.   I’ve drunk alcohol in parks with friends and at the beach and never once been stopped or questioned or looked at with fear or suspicion.   That’s white privilege!

Another illustrates the failings of the health system as well as policing, the death of Julieka Dhu in 2014.  She was arrested because of unpaid fines and while in custody complained of pain.  She was taken to the Hedland Health Campus Hospital twice but each time sent back to custody because the healthcare people thought it was simply a manifestation of drug withdrawal.  She was finally taken back a third time and died shorty after from what was found to be an infection cause by broken ribs after her partner had beaten her.  

The Victorian Government abolished the offence of drunkeness in August 2019 some 32 years after this was recommended by the Royal Commission.  Tanya Day may still be alive today if that offence had been abolished earlier.  But that is just one example of the more than 400 deaths in custody since 1987.  We all know about Closing the Gap and the disparity in life expectancy between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Australians.  One of the most glaring examples of health disparity is type 2 diabetes.  Indigenous Australians are 4 times to be hospitalised for and die from type 2 diabetes. 

While we have  many Indigenous Australians who are well known for remarkable achievements in the Arts, sport and all other areas of human endeavour, achieving well beyond their representation in the Australian community, it is still the reality that income levels of Indigenous Australians are significantly lower than non Aboriginal Australians and they are more likely to live in overcrowded or inadequate housing. 

What happens with policing is the visible end of the systemic discrimination against Aboriginals.  We all need to work together to ensure that all Aboriginal people are able to enjoy the same rights and privileges that most of us expect as part of our daily lives.   I stand with all those who are marching today in spirit, even though I am not there in person.

I leave you with some of the words of the Anthem Song by Tiddas, let's work towards hearing the voice of the hearts who are waiting.  

Don't sing me an anthem
Cause you don't know the words
Words are hard to remember
When they mean nothing at all
To the hearts who still are waiting
For their voice to be heard
Don't sing me your anthem
When your anthem's absurd

We might have been born here
But we're not young and free
We weren't born yesterday
And only liberal by degree

This land may be beautiful
But it cannot be called fair
So don't sing me your anthem
Till we've learned how to share

We are the lucky country
Where anyone can win
If you were born to the right family
And have the white coloured skin

So don't sing me my anthem
Cause the words can't be felt
What's pride in your country
Without pride in yourself?

What's pride in your country
Without pride in yourself?

Don't sing me an anthem
Cause you don't know the words
Words are hard to remember
When they mean nothing at all
To the hearts who still are waiting
For their voice to be heard
Don't sing me your anthem
When your anthem's absurd

Lyrics to Tiddas Anthem song

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