Indigenous voice would tap into practical experiences

The Uluru Statement from the Heart, as Anthony Albanese says in his interview with this newspaper, asks for good manners to be applied “in that if an issue is going to affect Indigenous people, they should be consulted on it”. One issue about which grassroots inputs are needed to find practical remedies is the seemingly intractable problem of family and community violence, which is inflicted on Indigenous women and children, especially. As reported on Monday, Indigenous studies researchers have revealed a major cause of such crimes. At least half and perhaps nine out of 10 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perpetrators of family violence may have an acquired brain injury (ABI). Alcohol-related harm, either through Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder from birth, trauma and violence experienced within families while growing up, or alcohol abuse as an adult, is at the heart of the problem, the researchers, Professor Marcia Langton and Dr Kristen Smith, both Melbourne University anthropologists, discovered. Their findings will be presented to the National Brain Injury conference in Sydney this week.

The justice system, unfortunately, continues to direct offenders into men’s behavioural control programs unsuitable for their condition. Therefore, the programs are ineffective. Rethinking such responses and remedying the underlying issue – cutting alcohol abuse, which often begins in the womb – demand new approaches. The approaches used for years, despite numerous reports and interventions, are not working. An Indigenous Voice, tapping into the experience of those who have lived though such experiences for decades, should help provide guidance about how authorities should best go about supporting Indigenous people, who are best placed to take responsibility and address the problems in their own communities.

The researchers say interviews with perpetrators, victims, community elders and case workers revealed that while around 50 per cent of perpetrators of family violence have been diagnosed with an acquired brain injury, many more are probably undiagnosed. After examining family violence in Indigenous communities in the East Kimberley, Mildura and Albury/Wodonga regions, the researchers concluded that ABI is a significant contributing factor both for perpetrators and victims. Reducing the prevalence of brain injuries will be a long and complex process, but more effective drug and alcohol programs need to be part of the mix. Some people involved in the study had been through three or four generations of Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder. Professor Langton warned that given the neurological condition of the majority of perpetrators, current justice practices were out of step with harm minimisation.

Devising more effective responses to a problem that is destroying lives should form part of the work of an Indigenous voice to parliament. Many supporters of a voice being enshrined in the Constitution fear a rejection by voters would be a major setback. On Friday, Indigenous leader Pat Turner revealed she was “struggling” to see a way forward on constitutional recognition. Ms Turner, who worked with Scott Morrison to redesign the national agreement on Closing the Gap, said Australians would not vote for the Indigenous voice unless they had details. Peter Dutton recently said he was open to supporting a referendum. Labor has much work to do. And five years on from the Uluru Statement, Mr Albanese’s concern that “unless there is a referendum in the foreseeable future, then the momentum will be lost’’ is understandable. He acknowledged “enormous goodwill’’ from media organisations, business, trade unions and civil society to “ do something that is positive for the nation”.