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Australian Human Rights Commission Everyone, everywhere, everyday
Launch of the Social Justice and Native Title Reports 2011
On behalf of Metropolitan Local Aboriginal Land Council
I welcome you to this land.
We ask that you respect the land, respect each other,
continue the good work
because I know you have great hearts.
The key theme
of this year's Social Justice and Native Title Reports,
lateral violence.
For those of you wondering what I mean by lateral violence,
let me explain.
Lateral violence comes from the behaviours
that might include bullying, gossiping, jealousy,
shaming, social exclusion, family feuding
and organisational conflict
which can, and often does, escalate into physical violence.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander identity then
was shaped to suit the purposes of the colonizers.
When we are consistently oppressed,
we live with great fear and great anger,
and we often turn on those who are closest to us.
Let me be clear. Lateral violence is controversial
and not an easy topic to talk about.
It is one to which I've given long and considered thought
about raising in this official capacity.
Certainly I thought when I first would do it
I was prepared to be accused
of airing out dirty laundry in public.
Confronting lateral violence will take courage,
foresight and leadership.
It is time now to shed those negative labels,
those of the colonizer
and those used by communities against each other.
After all, we've been told a negative stereotype for so long,
we're all starting to believe this hype.
It's time for us to take back control
of our rich, resilient and varied
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander identity.
Some people, they wouldn't have heard
about lateral violence before.
Can you please give us some examples
of what you think and from your experience
lateral violence looks like
in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities,
particularly those that you had a chance to work with?
Lateral violence impacts on our children.
Aboriginal children every day
are exposed to bullying and racism.
Often the schoolyard becomes a battleground for our children.
Lateral violence is not just an aboriginal issue.
What has been learned by us must be unlearned.
We fight each other so much that government has an excuse
not to work with us, not to engage with us
and to walk away from us.
We basically got together and said,
the only thing that's holding this claim up
is the fact that we're all fighting.
Everyone knew we had to stop fighting
but then left the meeting and kept on fighting.
So we find that people can give a commitment
at one level but what we have to actually do
is what Muriel talked about, was unlearning behaviours
that colonialism has left with us.
And I think it's unlearning those behaviours
that we have to take the process
of native title through on the community.
From your point of view,
what role does government have in addressing lateral violence?
There are many parts of lateral violence
and some of them are of a criminal nature.
And government, in whatever state,
has a responsibility for community safety.
Muriel, both of these reports see cultural safety
and cultural competence as an important tool
to help deal with lateral violence.
From your perspective, can you explain for us
the concepts of cultural safety and cultural competence?
To me the concept of cultural safety
is about a place where you feel safe to identify,
to be yourself, to say you're Aboriginal.
It's about seeing the positives in aboriginal people.
It's about hearing the positives about your people
rather than being portrayed constantly as negative.
But it needs to be non-Aboriginal people
creating that safe place,
but also a haven for Aboriginal people to meet
and not be afraid to talk about
what is happening in their community,
and do it without being judged.
I know that our PCYC does a fine job
with our young ones and families.
The work needs to be supported by continuous funding,
not just this little bit and then it drops.
Are we all then going to be condemned
because we disagree in our communities
and sometimes rightfully so?
So the task of implementing the challenges
presented by our panellists and in Mick's Social Justice Report
and Native Title Report
don't just rest to government, they rest with us first.