Abstract
Through colonial eyes, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are seen as subjects void of agency. They have been treated by the Australian polity as though they are in great need of saving. This paper explores the ways in which well-intended policies and initiatives implemented by successive governments have failed to recognise and support Indigenous Australians as functioning sovereign beings.
Highlights
The treatment of Indigenous Australians has historically reflected a paternalist notion that the ‘state knows best’
Policies and initiatives introduced by successive Australian governments pertaining to Indigenous Affairs have consistently reinforced the colonial construction of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as incapable of a functioning existence free from external support, protection and intervention
The 1967 Referendum resulted in constitutional changes that allowed the federal government to introduce laws specific to the Aboriginal ‘race’, expanding their authority in the everyday lives of Indigenous Australians
Summary
The treatment of Indigenous Australians has historically reflected a paternalist notion that the ‘state knows best’. Policies and initiatives introduced by successive Australian governments pertaining to Indigenous Affairs have consistently reinforced the colonial construction of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as incapable of a functioning existence free from external support, protection and intervention. The 1967 Referendum resulted in constitutional changes that allowed the federal government to introduce laws specific to the Aboriginal ‘race’, expanding their authority in the everyday lives of Indigenous Australians.
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