ATSIC dead in the water

Good. It should be harpooned while it is wallowing around. Lets revert to one nation, one Government, one law. Yesterday I thought we were going to be presented with ATSIC by another name. Latham still thinks it the go but I think the punters are sick and tired of separate governments. Howard is reading it that way as well and even his detractors must admit Hawke’s ATSIC has failed. Reinstitute Indigenous Affairs as a separate department and give it the flexibility to respond to known problems. Laws, policy and standards are in place to help disadvantage Australians – lets use them wherever it matters. Update: The Editor of the Australian underscores the problem we have in Australia by printing this letter from Andrew Sweeney

MARK Latham’s plan to abolish ATSIC is racist. He would find it inconceivable that parliament could be abolished, yet he plans to decide the fate of indigenous governance himself. Indigenous Australians won’t be free until they have governance that privileged white men can’t sack. Mr Latham should look to his own prospects for governance. Privileged white voters like myself don’t want another heavy-handed PM.

Reality check, Andrew It’s a reasonable case to say ATSIC itself is racist. It is, after all, an Australian Government body that disenfranchises most Australians There is no such thing as governance that privileged white men can’t sack. All governance is sackable by the votors and the last thing we want is an un-sackable body playing loosely with public monies. Your not priviledged because your white but because you are an Australian. We all have a vote (except if your white and then you can’t vote for ATSIC) Andrew says heavy-handed, I say decisive. If it ain’t working – fix it or demolish it.