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Indigenous Issues
There ar many issues that Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islanders face in modern Australia, just as indigenous peoples and cultures from countries all over the world have similar issues to resolve.
Some groups of indigenous Australians face issues that are not a problem for other sections of indigenous Australians.
Three issues that are of universal interest to all indigenous Australians are below.
Land and Native Title
When the Australian continent was settled by the British, it was with disregard to the idea that the continent was already occupied by indigenous Australians. Therefore no treaties were signed or compensation provided.
Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islanders have sought to have this changed through changes to the federal laws.
For detailed information go to the following links -
Indigenous Land Rights and Native Title ( from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade)
Reconciliation
Many Indigenous people remain affected by relatively recent experiences to which they were subjected because of their Aboriginality.
Reconciliation is about improving relations between Indigenous people and the wider Australian community, recognising their shared history, and addressing the disadvantage that many Indigenous people still suffer as a result of that history.
Many believe that true reconciliation will not exist until Indigenous disadvantage has been completely eliminated.
For detailed information go to the following -
Australian Reconciliation ( from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade)
Separated Children
One of the most bitter and emotional of issues for Indigenous Australians is the issue of Separated Children, sometimes also known as the Stolen Generation.
Until the 1970s, a significant number of Indigenous children, mainly of mixed parentage, were separated from their families under State and (in the case of the Northern Territory) Federal child welfare and protection laws.
The stolen children were raised in institutions or fostered out to white families.
For detailed information see the following -
Separated Indigenous Children ( from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade)