Gregory Phillips
Gregory Phillips is from the Waanyi and Jaru peoples and is a medical anthropologist. He has worked extensively in Indigenous health, education, land, leadership and youth issues across Australia and internationally. His book, Addictions and Healing in Aboriginal Country (Aboriginal Studies Press 2003), is an ethnographic account of addictions, post-traumatic stress-syndromes and healing in a remote Aboriginal community. He has managed a national curriculum project for the Deans of Australia and New Zealand's medical schools to include Indigenous health in the core curricula taught to all medical students.
What a reconciled Australia looks like to me.
Vision
A reconciled Australia would acknowledge that for the entire national population to survive in this land, they must place Indigenous peoples in a central, respectful role in the life of the nation.
Objective
To achieve this, an Australian republic would have as its central feature a system of dual sovereignty. Dual sovereignty would:
- Establish a new constitution outlining an agreement between Australian governments and an independent Aboriginal government (judicial);
- Establish an Aboriginal government in a form determined by Aboriginal people, and funded by a guaranteed percentage of GDP (legislative);
- Have an President in a ceremonial role that must be Indigenous (executive);
- Have a government of the day led by a popularly elected PM, with the Deputy PM being the head of the Aboriginal government (legislative);
- Recognise Indigenous peoples and history in the symbolic and ceremonial life of the nation, such as major public events, in hosting international dignitaries, and in welcoming new citizens (legislative).
Policy Change
A reconciled Australia will have achieved the following tasks.
Education
- National compulsory Indigenous studies from K-12 and in prevocational and tertiary education;
- Indigenous scholarships, accelerated learning and educational transition programs.
Health
- National target setting & performance management to close life expectancy gap
- Equitable PBS/MBS spending (currently 37 cents in the dollar: to non-Indigenous)
- Healing and treatment centres for the stolen generations and trauma recovery
- Housing backlog cleared through equitable spending
Justice
- A national apology to Indigenous peoples
- Indigenous sentencing, alternative dispute resolution and correctional services
- A national Bill of Rights
Land
- Land agreements radically changed to equalise the negotiating power and onus of proof between the parties
Sustainable land management practices linked to economic development goals
Employment and Economic Development
- Corporations required to train and employ Indigenous people in all levels of their operations, based on merit, but with agreed targets.
Gregory Phillips
