Scrap This Question to Save Australia

If you’re Australian, or have ever lived in Australia, you’ll know this question very well. Which question? Well, you’ll find it on pretty much every government form, as well as other forms. This is just a random Centrelink form that I found online. “Question 17: Read this before answering the following question. This question is voluntary and will not affect your payment.” This question is almost always optional as far I’m aware, but it’s always asked. “Are you of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander Australian descent? No; Yes – Aboriginal Australian; Yes – Torres Strait Islander Australian.” Now I’m going to say something perhaps controversial, but I think this question needs to be deleted from all forms to save Australia from itself. I think despite its good intentions, it’s maintaining a divide between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians that does not need to exist. Let me explain.

If we look at the government form, it states, “If you do answer, the information will help us to continue to improve services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians.” That’s a rather vague and generic response and doesn’t really answer my question. How does it help? How does knowing if you’re Indigenous or non-Indigenous help Indigenous Australians?

According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, “Why am I being asked this question? Because we ask everybody…” Personally, I don’t think that answers the question at all. It just seems like they’re trying to hide the fact that they’re trying to keep tabs on Indigenous people. “Because information is important…” I think this is closer to the real reason. “To make good decisions for the health of Indigenous Australians, it is important to properly collect data on non-Indigenous patients as well as on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients. This allows us to better understand how health issues for Indigenous Australians might be the same as, or different to, other Australians.”

State governments even have learning modules dedicated to, “Asking the Question: Improving the Identification of Aboriginal People”, as if Aboriginal people are simply something to be identified. It’s quite demeaning if you ask me.

So in summary, the government are collecting information on Indigenous Australians to ostensibly help them, right? Well, this has been going on for years. Every year, hundreds of millions, if not billions of dollars is assigned to helping Indigenous Australians, and has it worked? Well, according to the most recent Productivity Commission report, Australian governments are making Indigenous disadvantage worse. All this money. All this effort. This constant monitoring and tracking of Indigenous people by questioning whether they’re Indigenous or not, is clearly not helping. According to an inquiry commissioned by the Parliament of Australia, “Indigenous Australians remain the most disadvantaged and marginalised group in Australia. On all the standard indicators of poverty and disadvantage, Indigenous people emerge as the most socially and economically deprived.”

If I was Aboriginal, I would hate to be constantly asked this question. It’s like I’m inherently different from everyone else. The government are constantly treating me like I’m somehow incapable of looking after myself and need the government to help run my life, whereas other Australians do not need the same help. As I said before, it’s almost demeaning. Hence why I think we need to stop asking this question. It’s divisive. It’s paternalistic. It’s not helping. It’s just a constant reminder that the government see Indigenous people as somehow different. It’s like they’re trying to track and monitor you in order to “help” you, which clearly hasn’t worked. Of course, none of this means I think Aboriginal people should be ignored, certainly not. But if we want equality, we need to stop constantly pointing out our differences all the time. We need to delete this question.

FACT SHEET: ‘ARE YOU OF ABORIGINAL OR TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER ORIGIN?’
https://www.aihw.gov.au/getmedia/6832e411-bb74-49e9-aa8e-5fdf0c20f2b8/patient-fact-sheet.pdf.aspx

ASKING THE QUESTION: IMPROVING THE IDENTIFICATION OF ABORIGINAL PEOPLE
https://www.heti.nsw.gov.au/education-and-training/courses-and-programs/asking-the-question-improving-the-identification-of-aboriginal-people

ALMOST $2 BILLION FOR FIRST NATIONS PROGRAMS AND INITIATIVES IN FEDERAL BUDGET
https://nit.com.au/09-05-2023/5900/almost-2-billion-for-first-nations-in-federal-budget

PRODUCTIVITY COMMISSION REPORT FINDS AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENTS ARE STILL MAKING INDIGENOUS DISADVANTAGE WORSE
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-07-26/productivity-commission-report-closing-gap-governments-failing/102644638

PARLIAMENT OF AUSTRALIA INQUIRY: CHAPTER 13 – INDIGENOUS AUSTRALIANS
https://www.aph.gov.au/parliamentary_business/committees/senate/community_affairs/completed_inquiries/2002-04/poverty/report/c13

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Allégro by Emmit Fenn