Prospects for Indigenous Australians in the Welfare System

Abstract

THE erable individual economic concern level status remain in recent of indigenous well government below Australians those policy. of other has Indigenous Australians been the focus incomes (see of Figure considat the 1) erable concern in recent government policy. Indigenous incomes at the i dividual l vel remain well be ow th se o other A stralian (s F gure 1) and over the period for which data exist there is only limited evidence that they are catching up. This article provides an overview of the changes which have taken place in individual indigenous incomes and employment, and documents the importance of social security as a source of income for this group. Welfare transfers from government have played an important role in maintaining indigenous incomes. The article considers some of the issues raised by welfare dependence and its implications for the future economic status of indigenous Australians.