Identidades in English No 1, February 2014 | Page 34

in Geneva told an equally grim story. It noted that discrimination had become "embedded" in the Australian
way of life.12 Committee member Patrick Thornberry
lamented the fact that the Australian constitution lacks
any entrenched protection against racial discrimination. The panel also said Australia must tighten rules
governing the behavior of its companies, especially
mining firms, towards indigenous people at home and
abroad. "The committee notes with concern the absence of a legal framework regulating the obligation
of Australian corporations at home and overseas
whose activities, notably in the extractive sector, when
carried out on the traditional territories of indigenous
peoples, have had a negative impact on indigenous
peoples' rights to land, health, living environment and
livelihoods," it stated. The committee of independent
experts on racism also raised concerns about the handling of refugees and asylum seekers, assaults on foreign students and the integration of recent immigrants
from Africa, Asia and the Middle East.
The following year, when the UN Human Rights
Commissioner Navi Pillay visited Australia, she criticized the "intervention" policy introduced by the former government and continued by the then Australian
Prime Minister, Julia Gillard: "In my discussions with
Aboriginal people, I could sense the deep hurt and
pain that they have suffered because of government
policies that are imposed on them," she said. Ms. Pillay, a former anti-apartheid campaigner from South
Africa referred to a "racial discriminatory element
here which I see as rather inhumane treatment of people, judged by their differences: racial, color or religions." She also commented that the long-standing
policies of locking up asylum seekers had "cast a
shadow over Australia's human rights record," and appeared to be completely arbitrary. She concluded that
racial discrimination in Australia is enshrined in laws,
policies and practices.13
Third world conditions in a First World country
Australia is one of the world’s wealthiest countries
with rich natural resources yet has one of the widest
gaps between the wealthy and the poor of any developed society. Pilger’s documentary highlights the fact
that many Aboriginal people are dying of preventable

diseases that have been stamped out in the wider population.
An Australian education minister recently admitted
that Aboriginal children are being "treated like rubbish" and attend “appalling” schools.14 Adrian Piccoli,
whose state of New South Wales has the largest number of Aboriginal students, said the conditions would
never be accepted in non-Aboriginal communities.
“We are happy to let standards slip when Aboriginal
communities and people are involved, where we
wouldn't otherwise let those standards slip,” he said.
Mr. Piccoli gave the example of a town, Moree, in the
north of the state that had a mostly Aboriginal school
on one side of the town, which he stated was "in a deplorable state." A school on the other side, where only
a third of students are Aboriginal, was "a terrific-looking primary school." Although Aboriginal educational
levels have improved slightly in the past five years
they remain well below those of other students. About
46 percent of Aboriginal students study to the final
year of high school, compared with 78 percent of nonAboriginal students.
There are also fears about new plans to remove Aboriginal children from their parents by social services.
In May 2013, Northern Territory Chief Minister
Adam Giles, Australia's first indigenous state or territory leader, said he was advocating this on a case-bycase basis to protect vulnerable children. Yet the
Northern Territory Stolen Generations Aboriginal
Corporation spokeswomen Vicki Lee Knowles
stressed that: "within an Aboriginal family... the loss
of culture, land and language has a long-term impact
on the social and emotional wellbeing of those children who are removed."15
Comparing Australia with South Africa before the
ending of apartheid, Pilger states “I was struck by the
similarity of white supremacy and the compliance and
defensiveness of liberals. Yet no international opprobrium, no boycotts, disturbed the surface of "lucky"
Australia.”18 In 2008 Kevin Rudd referred to a “future
where all Australians, whatever their origins, are truly
equal partners, with equal opportunities and with an
equal stake in shaping the next chapter in the history
of this great country, Australia.”15 However, Aboriginal groups have little political power and continue to

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