Aboriginal empowerment

Aboriginal youths are imprisoned at a rate 24 times greater than white youths. In WA 1 in 13 of the Aboriginal population are in prison. Clearly the 'programs' of the white Aboriginal industry are not working. The white industry exists to hand out money; accountability revolves around who has received the money rather than the long term effectiveness of the hand outs. It is easy to hand out money.

If just some of the money that is devolved to the white Prado brigade was directed to Aboriginal empowerment some of the incarceration rates might begin to fall. With such a large proportion of the Aboriginal population in prison, the opportunity might be taken to run empowerment and education programs within prison, including with the partners, children and relatives who 'camp' around the prisons. It would seem logical that such empowerment programs should be run by Aboriginals.

The white Prado brigade should be aiming to marginalise themselves out of work. If Aboriginal mentors had been within the walls of Don Dale prison in the Northern Territory, the children would not have been abused by the white prison officials.

Bruce Haigh is a retired diplomat and political commentator, who has worked in the Kimberly, Port Hedland and Broome.