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by bufferout 1260 days ago
It's a complex topic. Cosmopolitan white Australians generally tend to overcompensate on the virtue posturing front in regards to being pro black rights. Many not actually having ever met an indigenous member of our population. Rural whites tend to be more cynical as they have direct exposure to the effects of rampant alcoholism and crime in many indigenous communities.

I grew up around indigenous kids in Townsville several decades ago (shoes at our school were optional which I thought was a win for everyone). Honestly didn't consider the black kids any different, despite my actively racist parents.

The general consensus now is that the indigenous population is no doubt disadvantaged, but there's still an undercurrent of it being perceived as a self inflicted situation due to poor choices / victim mentality / whatever. A common story that does the rounds is of government provided housing having campfires lit in the living room.

I'd say it's a pretty universal opinion that all gov policy on the matter has been, and still is, ineffective or wasteful. I have no idea how you'd actually legislate effective change here though as it's most certainly not a matter of just throwing more money at the problem.