Women and Leadership in Aboriginal communities
Over one year has passed since “emergency response” legislation was enacted by the Federal government in the Northern Territory. A raft of measures has been implemented as part of this intervention, including welfare quarantining, the suspension of the racial discrimination act and increased police powers in prescribed areas. While there are certainly examples of successful women leaders in Aboriginal communities, the NT intervention has undermined and castrated their capacity for leadership. Furthermore, this assimilation-based approach to Aboriginal affairs in Australia gives little hope that indigenous people will achieve self-determination and be supported in leadership of their own communities.
October 19, 2008
