Compulsory income management and Indigenous Australians: delivering social justice or furthering colonial domination?

Abstract

The arguments presented in this article suggest that rather than delivering social justice, as the government may well intend, compulsory income management continues to perpetuate colonial domination, and reminds many Indigenous Australians of the problematic paternalism that is the hallmark of colonial relations. Rather than seeking to repair the historical injustice done to Indigenous Australians in relation to access to cash, the federal government continues to allow the racist colonial past to pervade the present, with underlying attitudes of Indigenous peoples’ financial incapacity. A robust form of social justice would address the patterns of colonial dominance throughout Australia’s legal history and challenge institutional oppression where it arises. For social justice objectives to be attained, the government would need to repeal the legislation relating to compulsory income management, and only create legislation that will affect Indigenous peoples after carefully listening to their needs and aspirations. Show more