Return to Main MenuThis staggering statistical increase gives rise to many questions about the loose definition of Aboriginality and its impact on Australia's indigenous welfare bill.
So what is an Aboriginal? The land Rights (Northern Territory) Act, 1976 stated: "Aboriginal means a person who is a member of the Aboriginal race of Australia." A vague description at best.
In 1980, the Federal Government introduced a three-part administrative definition by which eligibility for Aboriginal welfare is determined: "An Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person is a person of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent who identifies as an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander and is accepted as such by the community in which he (she) lives."
This definition developed more parameters, but is no more helpful
On this basis the ABS 1991 National Census included people of Aboriginal descent and people who were accepted as Aborigines by Aboriginal communities. This means whites who married Aborigines or had adopted Aboriginal life and been initiated, not only qualified for the census, but also for welfare payments under the more generous indigenous range of benefits.
The (then) Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Robert Tickner, conceded the growth in census figures for indigenous Australians in 1991 "reflected an increased willingness of people to identify as being of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander origin".
This uncertainty as to what constitutes an Aboriginal lends itself to welfare abuse, false native title claims and other such injustices.
When government hand-outs are considerably more generous towards Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders than non-Aboriginal Australians it is little wonder more people are willing to hitch their welfare wagons to the Aboriginal gravy train
Not only have Australian-born South Sea Islanders repeatedly received Aboriginal benefits, but the Full Federal Court (Attorney-General [C'wealth] v State of Queensland 1990) found that Aboriginal descent alone was sufficient grounds for the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody to inquire into the death of Darren Wouters, even though the community did not identify him as Aboriginal, nor did he identify himself as Aboriginal.
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