Aboriginal Employment Equity by the Year 2000

Abstract

Each year, the Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia conducts a number of workshops on issues which are considered to be of national concern. During the year 1989-90 for instance, workshops were held on 'Human and Social Responses to Global Change', 'Prospects for Australian Newspapers', 'The Theory and Practice of Juvenile Justice' and 'Sexuality in Australia'. Rather than being public forums, workshops are small gatherings (usually no more than 30 people) of those working at the cutting edge of research. The object is not so much to inform, as to exchange and speculate in order to advance innovative ideas among those taking part, and thus promote and generate the research process. The choice of participants is made as inter-disciplinary as possible, and the emphasis is firmly on active participation by all those attending, with maximum opportunity for debate. In turn, it is hoped that workshops will generate networks and interchange which will promote further research. The workshop 'Aboriginal Employment Equity by the Year 2000' was formulated in a slightly different fashion. The Academy is currently the Secretariat for the Association of Asian Social Science Research Councils (AASSREC), an organisation which has fifteen member countries in the Asian region. AASSREC is strongly supported, and partially funded by UNESCO, and members meet every two years to hold a Conference and Symposium. In 1991, the Biennial Symposium has as its theme 'Human Resource Development'. All member Councils were asked to conduct a national symposium on some aspect of this theme, and to report the findings to the AASSREC Symposium, to be held in Manila in August 1991. After some debate, it was decided that an appropriate focus for an Australian symposium would be the situation of Aboriginal Australians. Not only has the Academy a long history of research in this area, but it seemed realistic to accept regional concern and attempt to provide information about the problems involved, the policies adopted, and the prospects for change. It was also agreed that the appropriate person to present the findings of the workshop at the AASSREC Conference would be one of the Aboriginal participants. Advice and assistance in identifying a specific theme for the workshop was sought from the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS), the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission (ATSIC) and the Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research (CAEPR) at the Australian National University. Dr Jon Altman, Director of CAEPR, agreed to act as Convener. Participants included those involved in formulation of policy initiatives at government level, those involved in research related to employment and human resource development, and those who experience the results of research and policies at the grass roots level. The Academy thanks all those who participated, especially those whose papers are included in this volume. Particular thanks are due to Dr Jon Altman, whose time and energy contributed so much to the success of the workshop, and who accepted the task of editing papers for publication