The real ‘real’ economy in remote Australia

Abstract

The Productivity Commission's recent report Overcoming Indigenous Disadvantage, notes that the vision behind the report is that Indigenous people will one day enjoy the same overall standard of living as other Australians (SCRGSP 2005: 1.2).This admirable goal is a reflection of the Howard Government's commitment to practical reconciliation; that is, to equality in health, housing, employment and education outcomes between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians.The futuristic reference to 'one day' suggests that the goal may indeed be more visionary than policy realistic.Such a commitment by government is not new and was first articulated by the Aboriginal Employment Development Policy of 1987 (Australian Government 1987).Altman and Allen (1992: 147-8) noted before the 1994 NATSIS that while government policy aims to provide employment and income equality for all Indigenous Australians, it ignores the contributions made by 'the informal economy', or what we refer to here as the customary sector.This chapter focuses on a different livelihood vision-one that seeks a sustainable future for Indigenous people residing in remote and very remote Australia, and one that accords with the culturally-informed aspirations of many.Our view is that measured equality, based on mainstream notions of development, will be impossible to deliver in many remote and very remote parts of Australia where Indigenous Australians reside, often on Indigenous-owned and managed lands.Rather than envisioning Indigenous futures that are limited to mainstream notions of development in either of the private (market) or public (state employment and welfare) sectors, we focus here on an economy that includes a third-customary or non-market or Indigenous-sector.

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