Black is the new black

In the name of caution, agencies may seek to re-bureaucratise rather than de-bureaucratise to streamlined indigenous-led governance.

In the name of indigenous "capacity building", whites of seeming good will may want to introduce more programs where there are already too many, and where real job creation through indigenous enterprise, indigenous leveraging of land assets, and corporate partnering is too limited by habit and regulation. (Here, it's incomprehensible that some indigenous people are still prohibited from that fundamental of economic opportunity - individual home ownership.)

In the name of duty of care, the undoing of indigenous welfare dependency in place of responsibility may be left as a "policy trial" rather than promoted as social norm.

In the name of cultural sensitivity, the horrors of substance abuse in indigenous communities may be for "healing" rather than confronting and condemning.

In the name of educationalist finery, poor numeracy and literacy rates among some indigenous kids may continue to be tolerated over adopting old-fashioned but now data-driven phonics.

All of the above is for ardent avoidance. Too often, policy decisions in the name of something are but inertia's rationale or the rear guard action of entrenched interests.

It starts with governments not doling out more money but acknowledging the legitimacy of indigenous leadership. It continues with deleting the default (and polite) mode of indigenous policy, which is at best about marginal improvements toward Close the Gap aims and at worst the continued masking of soul-shattering poverty and cultural excuses for bad personal behaviours.

The truth is there is an extraordinary new generation of indigenous Australians on the rise. They are talented; they are urbane; they want not jobs but careers; they seek success both in their own cultures and in the broader community. At the same time that they want to better know their ancestral culture and languages, they want the Prime Minister's job.

In some respects, the main opportunity for government is opportunity. To first vigorously and dynamically educate for it and then to get out of its way - and see indigenous Australians prosper in the ways of their choosing.

Where there is a risk of not doing things as the political class has done them before, let's take it.