tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post5752178396146460675..comments2024-02-11T19:28:27.997+11:00Comments on Personal Reflections: Why so much policy analysis on Australia's Aborigines is meaninglessJim Belshawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10075614280789984767noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post-57401396775297346142011-08-26T21:43:35.769+10:002011-08-26T21:43:35.769+10:00It's actually very hard, Denis, to deal with a...It's actually very hard, Denis, to deal with a single piece of material when the world view is different and context lacking. I'm not sure that I've put that very well, but it's something we both struggle with as historians.Jim Belshawhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10075614280789984767noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post-54633458279143555442011-08-26T21:30:36.919+10:002011-08-26T21:30:36.919+10:00I take your point, and I've no doubt about the...I take your point, and I've no doubt about the good intentions of the interviewees. It's just that it seems so remote. But then, there's a lot of context missing from a short clip. Many other places would have been the same, and not too far from home now I think about it, from what I've heard from people closely involved. Thanks for the reminder.Denis Wrighthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12786035137418348609noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post-82183642446120816542011-08-26T12:15:49.311+10:002011-08-26T12:15:49.311+10:00You capture my point very well, Denis. In fairness...You capture my point very well, Denis. In fairness to Casino, I tried to capture this in the post, application of current forms of thinking distorts. If you look at the detail of what was said, those interviewed in town were all committed to Aboriginal advancement and wanted change.Jim Belshawhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10075614280789984767noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post-41864605350714427012011-08-26T12:03:40.429+10:002011-08-26T12:03:40.429+10:00Your conclusion says it all. If these regional and...Your conclusion says it all. If these regional and other differences are not taken into account, then the figures are about as useful as ones used to build a picture of the 'average Australian'.<br /><br />I have to admit that I am surprised the 4 Corners clip came from Casino. I assumed it came from the middle of nowhere, not one of the richest areas (in terms of productivity) of the country. What an indictment of policy and how slowly it improves. As long as it's based on meaningless analyses that look very pretty on paper, we're all just kidding ourselves.Denis Wrighthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12786035137418348609noreply@blogger.com