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First Australians: Difference between revisions
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The term 'Indigenous Australians' was once the term of choice, but has recently come under criticism due to some descendants of the first European settlers feeling that, having been here for centuries, they have as much right to the label as anyone. First Australians have been here at least 70,000 years. Here, we'll only use the term 'Indigenous' to refer to First Australians.
The diversity of First Australians presents a conundrum. How do they tackle discrimination against them, disadvantages that beset many of their communities? While they make up less than 3% of Australia's population, that 3% is divided into many, many different groups with different languages, cultures, and outlooks. These groups are not even in size. Smaller groups have complained of being neglected or ignored. When Torres Strait Islanders try to get their voice heard as loudly as the entire Aboriginal Australian group, the issue of whether equal voice along ethnic lines over-represents groups a tenth the population of others crops up. [[We ARE Struggling Together!|Attempts to come together for their common cause have not ended well]].
Their place in Australian society has, over the last few decades, become one of massive controversy. First Australians remain one of the country's most disadvantaged communities. Amongst non-Indigenous, shame over historical (and in the views of some, more recent) mistreatment of the First Australians, still battles with the conviction that the disadvantage amongst many First Australian communities is regrettable, but no one else's responsibility. Recently, the former Australian Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, made an historic official apology for wrongs historically perpetrated by the Australian government.
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