Should Australia's social security entitlements be based just on economic need, and not race?

27 Aug 2012
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(AAP)

(AAP)

Professor Marcia Langton, chair of Australian Indigenous Studies at the University of Melbourne, has called for an end to the so called 'race-based welfare'.

She says economic need, and not a person's race should be the main qualification for assistance, as the current system is encouraging many Aboriginal Australians to feel like "they don't have to compete in a meritocracy". Critics of this position say this would work only  provided Aboriginal people have equal access to all government services.

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ms

lynn miller coleman - from brighton east, 2 months ago

based on need

Australian Tokenism

Barry - from Mortdale, 4 months ago

Unfortunately race plays a large part in this country and it is not a level playing field for Aboriginals or newer recent migrants. A interesting article in The Age Newspaper June 18, 2009 "Australian bosses are racist when its time to hire," is a good example.

economic needs

D Simmons - from East Arnhem Land , 4 months ago

I agree 100% having worked from the age of 14 to retirement in a major capital city and then remote areas the economic needs starve for services in the bush paricularly for the Aboriginal people because they have different values most of their needs are not met the economics in any given remote area is based on changing our values . but the basic economic needs are not being looked at by governments and policy makers.

No understanding at all.

W. C. - from Logan, Brisbane, 4 months ago

Why does the white australian have to continuously put the aboriginal australian down? The white australian has had it all from day 1, did you bother back then from day 1 with equality? NO! Was the aboriginal australian given the opportunity back then to better themselves like the white australian to live the great australian lifestyle that all the white australians love so much today? NO! Picture yourself in their shoes back then and now and tell me just how great your life would be today!

White men do not understand...

Private Balderick - from Scratching my name a on a bullet so I do not shoot myself, 7 months ago

White men try to solve black men problems with solutions that are largely designed to have a 'feel good with token gestures" so that those in charge can demonstrate to the rest of the world and the UN that we take care of our own. Largely an illusion, has any politician or tree-hugging,toke smoking Greens MP bothered to ask the question what do our aboriginal people really want and need? Money is not the answer especially when results have been so disappointing because culture is complex.

Sir

B - from Perth, 8 months ago

If you live in the middle of nowhere, expect poor services. It's the price you pay for cheap plentiful land and isolation.

Mr

Peet - from Vinchio, Italy, 8 months ago

I believe that the Australian laws that resulted trom the 1950's referendum on allowing the federal government to make laws specific to Aboriginal people have outlived there usefulness. They were discriminatory then, in a positive way, but now these laws tend perpetuate the very problems they were designed to alleviate. I think they now perpetuate a dependency of welfare rather than promoting indepemdence and self reliance. All Australians should enjoy access to assistance when it is needed.

Let's see now,

Lasale - from Ashfield, 8 months ago

Live off handouts or work for a living? that choice is made a lot easier when you know that the government expects you to keep holding your hand out.

Everyone should have a Fair Go irrespective of assets for pension

FranklySpeaking - from Rowville Needs Railway, 8 months ago

Definitely! It should be a level playing field whether you are Aboriginal, Islander, Chinese, Indian, Italian, Greek, Vietnamese, Iraqui, etc Every newcomer is usually disadvantaged, but there are no handouts for most. Those who work hard, often at two jobs, and amass assets should NOT be penalised with the age pension which should be a reward for their hard working life. Do pollies have an asset test for their pension? Call it the icing on the cake for the hard workers.

Nothing to do with race

Jack - from Near Bass Strait, 8 months ago

The Social Security system in Australia is based on legislation that does not incorporate race. Time to limit the use of the dole etc to one year per person per lifetime based on actual need like loosing a job but not keep paying out for people who have never had a job and have adopted a generational lifestyle based on Social Security payments and other handouts.

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