Racism against Aborigines in Australia is widespread and “deeply disturbing,” a UN envoy said yesterday, urging the government to work more closely with indigenous people.
Australia’s effort to improve the lives of its impoverished indigenous population is being undermined by a centralized, bureaucratic aid program delivered in sometimes culturally inappropriate ways, UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Victoria Tauli-Corpuz said in Canberra at the end of a 15-day visit to Australia.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians rank near the bottom of every social and economic indicator, which exacerbates tension in the communities belonging to the world’s longest continuous civilization.
She said she found racism against the indigenous population widespread.
“As I have travelled across the country, I have found the prevalence of racism against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples deeply disturbing,” she said. “This manifests itself in different ways, ranging from public stereotyped portrayals of them as violent criminals, welfare profiteers and poor parents and to discrimination in the administration of justice.”
While Australia has devoted billions of US dollars to improve the welfare of its indigenous population, good intentions were being offset by poor policy, Tauli-Corpuz said.
Tauli-Corpuz was critical of Australia’s decision to channel aid through the office of Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, describing the process as “bureaucratic, rigid and [having] wasted considerable resources on administration.”
Australia this year said it was falling short of almost every target to improve the lives of its indigenous population, from reducing the infant mortality rate, to getting children into school and adults in jobs.
Aborigines face a 10-year gap in life expectancy versus other Australians and make up 27 percent of the prison population, but are just 3 percent of the population.
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