Social Justice and Human Rights

Question 1

What are Citizenship Rights?

Answer 1

The rights and responsibilities of a citizen. Being viewed as apart of a state with safety, duties, and obligations.

Question 2

What are Land Rights?

Answer 2

The rights of Indigenous people to their traditional land for the fundamental significance of the land including Spiritual connection to Country, Self-determination, and Identity.

Question 3

What is Sovereignty?

Answer 3

The rightful independent power or authority of a government or group of people over a possessed or claimed state/land.

Question 4

What are Treaty Rights?

Answer 4

The certain rights reserved by Indigenous peoples when they sign treaties with settler societies.

Question 5

What is the UDHR?

Answer 5

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights - By the United Nations in 1984, it outlines the basic rights and freedoms that are indivisible, inalienable, inherent, and Universal to all peoples. However, the UDHR is not instituted within Australian law, therefore, it is not enforceable within Australia.

Question 6

What is the Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples?

Answer 6

The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples outlines and defines the individual and collective rights of Indigenous peoples, including their ownership rights to cultural and ceremonial expression, identity, language, employment, health, education and other issues. It was adopted by the United Nations in 2007 as a result of 20 years of negotiations. The Australian Government announced its support in 2009.

Question 7

What is ICERD?

Answer 7

The International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination is a United Nations convention. A third-generation human rights instrument, the Convention commits its members to the elimination of racial discrimination and the promotion of understanding among all races

Question 8

What is the RDA?

Answer 8

The Racial Discrimination Act is legislation introduced to satisfy Australia’s obligation under ICERD. The RDA aims to ensure that all Australia enjoy human rights and freedoms equally regardless of their race, colour, descent, or nation or ethnic origin, being an immigrant (in some circumstances) or being a relative or associate of someone of a particular ethnicity or another status. The RDA also makes indirect Racial discrimination against the law.

Question 9

What is Socio-economic status?

Answer 9

The definition of someone’s status within a society defined by their social and economic standing in their personal and professional life.

Question 10

What are some indicators of Social status?

Answer 10

Education
Health
Housing
Employment/unemployment level
Type of occupation
Contact/experience with the criminal justice system
Access to services

Question 11

What are some indicators of Economic status?

Answer 11

Income level of dependency on welfare
Home-ownership
Asset level

Question 12

How has the socio-economic status of Aboriginal people been affected over time?

Answer 12

Dislocation: removal of Aboriginal people from their land, people, language, and culture affects their health, education, and housing.

Racism: consistent hatred of Aboriginal people based on their race since the beginning of Australian colonisation has affected their education, access to services, housing, occupation, and especially their contact/experience with the criminal justice system.

Question 13

What are the three types of Racism?

Answer 13

Prejudice; ‘Thinking ill of others without sufficient cause’ - making an evaluation somebody without sufficient evidence on which to base it on. E.g. “Because all Mexicans are criminals, I will avoid them on the street”

Ethnocentricism; refers to the belief that one’s own culture is superior to the cultures of others, and these beliefs provide justification for discriminating against other cultures. E.g. “I Don’t serve Aboriginals in this bar”

Racism; this takes the process of ethnocentrism a step further. Whilst ethnocentrism leaves an open-ended discussion for someone to change their beliefs (A Christian becoming an atheist), racist beliefs don’t open this possibility. E.g. “All Muslims are the bad guys, and white people are the good guys, in terms of terrorism”

Question 14

What is Conscious Racism?

Answer 14

Conscious Institutional racism attitudes = believing Aboriginal children have a lower IQ than white children

Conscious Institutional racism behaviours = schools automatically putting Aboriginal children in low-level classes.

Conscious Individual racism attitudes = Immigrants are taking Australian jobs and business

Conscious Individual racism behaviours = racist name-calling (“Ching-Chong” - “Ape”)

Question 15

What is Unconscious Racism?

Answer 15

Unconscious Institutional racist attitudes = a cosmetic company only making products for white skin.

Unconscious Institutional racist behaviours = only teaching European Australian History.

Unconscious Individual racist attitudes = beliefs that there are inferior differences between “Us” and “them”

Unconscious Individual Racist behaviours = using anti-black language as laughter for racist jokes (“Black as sin” = “Primitive”)

Question 16

What is a British response to addressing Racism?

Answer 16

The Race Relations Act 1976
This act makes it unlawful to discriminate against anyone on the grounds of race, colour, nationality (citizenship), or ethnic or national background. It applies to jobs, training, housing, education, the provisions of goods and services.

The Race Relations (Amendment) Act 200
This new act strengthens and extends the scope of the 1976 Act; it doesn’t replace it. Extending protection against racial discrimination by public authorities such as Police officers, magistrates, ministers, and higher authority peoples.

Question 17

What is the Waitangi Tribunal?

Answer 17

Signed in 1840, the Treaty of Waitangi has been an important document. However, it wasn’t until the passing of the Treaty of Waitangi act in 1975 did it allow for the sole purpose of investigating Treaty grievances held by Mäori against the Crown.

It is set up to inquire into claims by Mäori against any Crown act, policy, action, or omission that prejudicially affects them. If it sees fit, the Tribunal will make recommendations about a claim to the government.

Question 18

What is the ‘Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination’?

Answer 18

1963 - The Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination. This made 4 principles:

1. Any racial superiority is scientifically false, socially unjust, has no justification in theory/practice
2. Racial Discrimination and government policies based on racial superiority or hatred - violates human rights and endangers friendly relations between nations.
3. Racial discrimination not only harms those who are subjected to it but those who practise it.
4. A society free of racial segregation, discrimination, and the creation of hatred and division, is a fundamental aim of the UN.

The Internation Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination - 1965 - seeks to ratify and integrate the Declaration into the states that sign it.

Question 19

What is the ‘World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia, and Related Intolerance’?

Answer 19

The seven objects of this world conference, held in 2001, were:
1. review progress made in the fight against racism and racial discrimination since the UDHR

2. consider ways to better ensure the application and implementation of existing anti-racism standards
3. increase the level of awareness about the infliction of racism and racial discrimination.
4. create concrete recommendations on ways to increase the effectiveness of the UN through programs aimed at combating racism and discrimination
5. review the political, historical, economic, social, cultural, and other factors leading to racism and discrimination
6. formulate concrete recommendations to further national, regional, and international measures aimed at combating all forms of racism and discrimination.
7. create recommendations to ensure the UN has the necessary resources to combat racism and discrimination

Question 20

What is the ‘National Inquiry into Racist Violence’?

Answer 20

Initiated by the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (HREO) in 1991 after an apparent increase in the incidence of racially motivated violence within Australia, involving an examination of racism in our community, and hoping to make a significant contribution to understanding and addressing racism within Australia.

It found that Racist attitudes and practices pervade Australian institutions, both public and private.

It recommended;
1. Racist violence and harassment by members of the police force is considered a serious breach of duty and attract severe penalties including dismissal from the force.

2. Trade unions assist employers to take action to remedy situations of racial discrimination in the workplace

Question 21

What is the National Inquiry into the Separation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children from Their Families?

Answer 21

From 1995 - 1997

An investigation into the separation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children from their families over the past 100-ish years. The outcome was the ‘Bringing Them Home Report’ (1997) and it marked a pivotal moment for undoing the damage done by The Stolen Generation.

Question 22

What is the National Inquiry into Aboriginal deaths in custody?

Answer 22

In 1987 Prime Minister Hawke announced the formation of a Royal Commission to investigate the causes of deaths of Aboriginal people who were held in state or territory jails.

Examined all deaths in custody in each state and territory which occurred between 1 January 1980 and 31 May 1989.

Final report, signed 15 April 1991, made 239 recommendations, mainly concerned with procedures for persons in custody, liaison with Aboriginal groups, police education and improved accessibility to information.

Question 23

What is the Closing the Gap Program (2008)?

Answer 23

A collective journey of the Commonwealth government to work in collaboration with ATSI (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander)

Aim to empower ATSI to live healthy + prosperous lives

The core component is to draw on cultural wisdom that has existed for 60000+ years

Campaign assisted gov. to develop effective strategies & programs to improve ATSI wellbeing

Design -> Developed -> Implanted in partnership with Aboriginal Communities

10 years on there has been some improvement in key socio-economic indicators in health & education but there is still room for further improvement

Question 24

What is the ‘Redfern Speech’?

Answer 24

December 10th 1992

By Paul Keating, Prime Minister of Australia - at the time

Acknowledging the Year of Indigenous Peoples

Acknowledging Australia’s past in relation to the colonisation, dispossession, dislocation, stolen generation, and major cultural injustices from the past 200 years.

Acknowledging the racial discrimination and racial violence in recent years by Anglo-Australians.

Stating a need for action within Government institutions and amongst public places

Referring to the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody and stating that the past still lives on - nothing has changed.

Stating a need for more Anglo-Australians to be aware of the injustices that Aboriginal Australians face every day - creating more action in the future.

Wanting more future development for advancement for Aboriginal health, education, work, and basic living needs.
Stating the establishment for ATSIC for a vision for Aboriginal self-determination and self-management in the future.