Academic perspectives on The Forrest review: creating parity

Abstract

A number of academics met at the Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research (CAEPR) to discuss the recommendations made in the Forrest Review. As a result of these discussions, some of the academics made submissions as part of the next public consultation phase of the process, all critically engaging with the review from specialist disciplinary perspectives and grounded expertise. The views expressed are those of the individuals, as is clearly evident in the diversity of perspectives presented in this Topical Issue. While the submissions presented in this issue are on the public record, CAEPR academics thought that it would be useful to consolidate these perspectives in one document to ensure their longer-term availability, as a resource for other researchers and for teaching purposes. This CAEPR Topical Issue is a compilation of 15 submissions. Each faced the challenge of responding briefly, in a stipulated two-page maximum, to the nearly 200 recommendations in the 250-page Forrest Review. Scholars have responded in their own way, retaining intellectual autonomy, while at the same time contributing to the collective exercise. This Topical Issue provides an overview of a range of issues, shortcomings and challenges identified by individual scholars as requiring urgent attention. A number of submissions highlight the unintended consequences and negative impacts on the lives of relatively vulnerable people that might result from blanket implementation of recommendations in the Forrest Review. The submissions in this Topical Issue are arranged by thematic focus to best reflect the key emphasis and subject matter of each submission. Thematic areas include the overall direction of the Review, the methodology used, employment and training issues, income management, governance and community engagement, education and remote development. This does not cover all of the Review’s recommendations but rather reflects the ambit that this select group of scholars chose as their collective priorities. Show more