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Critical Reflection: Beyond Humbug

Beyond Humbug: Transforming Government Engagement with Indigenous Australia by Dillon and Westbury is a free policy upshot which calls for improved government services and engagement to the remote and indigenous communities in Australia. In their introduction, Dillon and Westbury synopses some common truths about the Aboriginal disadvantage. Economists assert that Indigenous populations should not be treated in discrete administrative and legislative ways, since that only impasses their economic development. As such, the theme of the book is the government structural disengagement in aboriginal affairs which has not only to drag them behind academically but has also forced them to hold on to their traditional cultural since they believe Australian mainstream does not care about them.

One issue that this book clearly explains is backwardness of the aboriginal people in Australia. While most people, including me believe that backwardness of aboriginal people has been brought by their traditional cultures, it is apparent that the Australian government is the major cause. According to Dillon and Westbury (2007), aboriginal regions have been excluded from major developmental activities which include infrastructure, good schools, hospitals, and other development facilities. According to the study carried by O’Faircheallaigh (2015), access to medical care and education were the sources of development in the current developed countries. As such, development cannot be realized in this areas when the government continue to disengage themselves from aboriginal populations.

As a health professional, I am concerned about the health of the aboriginal people. It is evidenced that there are few health facilities in these regions. This has actually caused deaths which could have been prevented in these regions if there were enough health facilities. Dillon and Westbury (2007) also point out that there is lack of security in some parts of aboriginal populations which prevent health professionals from offering their services. In the end, there is lack of jobs at the same time people cannot get medical services as required. As a health professional in a country whose unemployment rate is increasing, without expanding health services to rural and remote areas, people especially health professionals will be rendered jobless. This reading is important for the health of indigenous Australians since it highlights disparities and negligence of the government for not providing not only health facilities for the indigenous people but also not giving health professional comfortable environment for service delivery to indigenous Australians.

While Dillon and Westbury have discussed various issues which include unemployment, security and health services, they have not discussed gender equality which severely affects the Aboriginal populations.  A study conducted by O’Faircheallaigh (2015) reveals that communities which highly hold on their traditional and cultural heritages are known to violate the rights of women as well as children. Apparently, there are several rampant cases of domestic violence in aboriginal people which the authors would have comprehensively addressed and provide or recommend certain regulations which should be put in place to reduce such cases.

In conclusion, Beyond Humbug: Transforming Government Engagement with Indigenous Australia by Dillon and Westbury is a reading of importance for the indigenous or aboriginal people as well health professionals. Specifically, it highlights causes of underdevelopment and backwardness among indigenous people. It is apparent that Australian government plays an important role since it disengages these regions from major development activities which include good schools and health facilities. While the authors have addressed several issues that affect the aboriginal people, they have not discussed gender equality.