The underlying causes of the Redfern riots run throughout Australia

Local Aboriginal community leaders have met with the Police Commissioner and lead government agencies to talk through some of the issues.

It is an indication that solutions to the problems have to come from both sides of the fence and it will require firm and resolute commitment from political and community leaders to pay more than lip service to the issues.

The desire to bulldoze the problems of Redfern and of Aboriginal people out of sight is one that has been expressed by generations of leaders and bureaucrats for the past 215 years. Intelligent politicians understand Indigenous people will not go away

Racial tension will always be there but if we ignore it we do so at our own peril.