Towards Closure? Coexistence, remoteness and righteousness in Indigenous policy in Australia

ABSTRACT

The policy framework claiming to support Indigenous people in remote parts of Australia is in disarray with Commonwealth, state and territory governments proposing closure of remote communities on a range of economic and social policy grounds, but facing significant criticism on economic, environmental, social and cultural grounds. Western Australia's proposal to close 150 remote communities, announced in late-2014, is reviewed and found to reveal a profound failure of geographical literacy.

KEY WORDS:

• Indigenous rights
• Indigenous geographies
• remoteness
• locational disadvantage

Notes

[1] See Prime Minister Abbott's media release of 10 August 2013 at http://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=4&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CDYQFjAD&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.liberal.org.au%2Flatest-news%2F2013%2F08%2F10%2Ftony-abbott-establishment-prime-ministers-indigenous-advisory-council&ei=6TjgVLEbhOfyBZiKgpgE&usg=AFQjCNGcny6r9cF7HkTKbA2_H6tCedKacw&bvm=bv.85970519,d.dGc (accessed 14 February 2015).

[2] C. Gribbin & D. Owens, ABC News online 20 November 2014, http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-11-20/leaders-divided-over-plan-to-close-indigenous-communities/5907446 (accessed 14 February 2015).

[3] The Guardian 18 November 2014, http://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2014/nov/18/wa-plan-to-close-100-remote-and-indigenous-communities-devastating (accessed 14 February 2015)

[4] Sydney Morning Herald 14 November 2014, http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/remote-indigenous-communities-under-threat-20141114-11myb9.html (accessed 14 February 2015).

[5] For an extreme rendition of this position see, for example, Hughes (2005); Hughes and Warin (2005).

[6] The Australian 3 December 2014, http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/indigenous/indigenous-communities-have-no-rights-to-fight-closures/story-fn9hm1pm-1227142567422 (accessed 14 February 2015).

[7] Larissa Behrendt in The Guardian 19 November 2014, http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/nov/19/shutting-was-remote-communities-is-a-false-economy-that-will-cost-indigenous-people-far-more-than-it-saves-the-state (accessed 14 February 2015).

[8] United Nations (2007), United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, available online at http://www.un-documents.net/a61r295.htm (accessed 14 February 2015).

[9] Quoted by the Pastoralists and Graziers Association of Western Australia, http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-11-19/head-of-wa-pastoralists-and-graziers-backs-closure-of-remote-co/5902724 (accessed 14 February 2015).

[10] http://newsroom.unsw.edu.au/news/law/commission-audit-reveals-offshore-processing-budget-blowout (accessed 14 February 2015).

[11] The Australian 11 March 2015, available online at http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/indigenous/remote-communities-a-lifestyle-choice-tony-abbott/story-fn9hm1pm-1227257611488 (accessed 20 March 2015).