Mick Gooda, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner stated at a meeting in Brisbane, Australia that "it is an uncontested fact to say that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples do not have the same health outcomes as non-Indigenous Australians." (Gooda, 2010) There is significant evidence that shows that the Indigenous Australian communities are continuing to suffer of overall ill health, as they experience a lower level of access to primary health services. These services are made readily available for the general population of Australia, however not for the traditional owners of the land we live on. (AIHW, 2012) There is also evidence to demonstrate that Indigenous Australians that were born between the years of "1996-2001 are estimated to have life expectancy at birth of 59.4 years for males, and 64.8 years for females." This is roughly 20 years less than the average non-Indigenous Australian. (AIHW, Indigenous life expectancy, 2012) These services should be made readily available to everyone in this great country we call Australia, as these services are basic human rights. Are we, the Australian population not supposed to live in "a fair society where individuals and groups are free, equal and empowered" (Gooda, 2010). How is our society fair and equal when basic…
The Indigenous population has been rapidly increasing since the 1967 Referendum to include indigenous people in the Australian census. Since the census, Indigenous Australians have been included as part of Australia. This shows Australia's increasing acceptance and understanding of Indigenous Aborigines, and the growing need to rectify the problems associated with the mistreatment of Indigenous Aborigines in the past. From 1911 to 1971, the population figure of Indigenous people lingered around 80,000 people. However, there was an exponential increase in Indigenous people, where in 2001, there are about 450,000 people.…
Contrary to popular belief, the victory of the referendum did not mean equality between Aboriginals and the rest of the nation. The referendum didn’t create equal opportunity and living standards between native Australians and the rest of the country. Even today a sense of inequality regarding the treatment and rights of Aboriginals continues to be a part of Australia. As still illustrated, even after actions made by the government to improve Aboriginals life quality the average life span of other Australians is 17 years higher than that of an Aboriginals2. This alone depicts that not enough has been done by the government to make the aboriginal population equal to everyone else. One of the direct reasons for this lower lifespan is the lack of government-funding provided to the aboriginal community in relation to their health. According to the Australian Medical Association indigenous peoples health needs were underfunded by four hundred and sixty million dollars in 20102. The lack of medical assistance provided to Aboriginal communities is immensely lower than that of the…
Inequality refers to how individuals, families and communities are placed in society as a result of factors linked to education, income, age, gender, ethnicity, employment and geographical location. Much of the inequality suffered in Australia stems from the political and economic principles of government that underpins our society. It applies to individuals and groups who are disadvantaged and excluded in society, who do not hold power positions and do not have access to power structures. This results in a society that is oppressed and disorganised, in which there is inequality of power and resources, and one where social justice is denied in the form of:…
The way certain racial minority groups are stigmatized and labeled as inferior from others is a major reasoning why these stereotypes still exist (Copes, Topalli 2008). Taking in consideration that stereotypical views have continued to create conflict, means that class and racial differences raise concerns of empowerment (Gabbidon 2007). The society needs to pay more attention to racial issues involving visible minorities and in this essay Aboriginals will be specifically mentioned. In other words, if racial segregation amongst Aboriginals in Canada were to be more acknowledged either past or present, this group would not be negatively labeled. Aboriginals have a long structural history of being segregated from the rest of the Canadian population, and because of…
(2011). Aboriginal income disparity in Canada. Canadian Public Policy / Analyse De Politiques, 37(1), 61-83. doi:10.3138/cpp.37.1.61. This article takes an in-depth look at the income disparity between Aboriginal versus non-Aboriginal workers in Canada. The data source for this research was information collected from the 1996, 2001, and 2006 Censuses of Canada. Not only do the authors compare earnings between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal workers as a whole, they also break it down into smaller categories to examine what other aspects within the Aboriginal population can influence economic disadvantage such as education, gender, age, marital status, household size, languages spoken, urban region, and ethnic identity. The findings show that although there is indeed a severe income disparity between Aboriginal people and British-origin persons in Canada, there is an overall trend toward this gap narrowing over…
Spatial inequality is used to describe the difference in wealth of different geographical regions. This is determined by many factors and is applicable to many different regions. It is the differences and bias in varying districts on a global, national, state and local level. Spatial inequality affects many aspects of peoples’ lives beginning from their wealth and income. From that aspect the effects it places on peoples’ lives broadens to profession, employment, housing, available conveniences and infrastructure. Spatial inequality affects the quality of one’s life in a community and communal infrastructure such as hospitals, schools and public transport. It stems from many things, such as education levels of the people living in the area and education to name a few. Spatial inequality is a term addressing the extremities of the wealthy and those living in poverty. In Australia there have been clear shifts in the spatial composition of Australia’s economic development to favour particular cities and suburbs within those cities. Though it is seen as a negative thing spatial inequality is a vital feature of society and is essential in developing countries for the advance of economic growth and development. However, with the heavy differences between social classes becoming more and more obvious and varying, many groups, governments and individuals are using methods to bridge the gap between the wealthy and poor.…
Australian government released a policy to help close the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians in 'life expectancy, educational achievement and economic opportunity'.…
There is a clear relationship between the social disadvantages experienced by Indigenous people and their current health status [1]. These social disadvantages, directly related to dispossession and characterised by poverty and powerlessness, are reflected in measures of education, employment, and income. Before presenting the key indicators of Indigenous health status, it is important, therefore, to provide a brief summary of the context within which these indicators should be considered.…
Gender inequality has been ongoing debate in the workforce for years. Men have always been on the top with higher wages and positions while women are expected to be doing the unpaid domestic jobs. However, as a result of globalization there are more job opportunities for women, although men are still the dominant gender in the workforce. In this paper we will look at how three characters from John Wiseman’s ‘Barbie in a Borderless World? A Case Study’ has been affected due to globalization and their gender order.…
Many individuals classify as the prosperous or unfortunate, and the differentiation amongst the two groups continue to expand yearly; this categorization is known as income inequality. The sociological perspective, more so the structural functionalism, also identified as functionalism, can be used to further examine income inequality. Structural functionalism was introduced by Talcott Parsons, and it accentuates that efficient healthcare and excellent wellbeing are two fundamental factors for a human being to function well. Each person’s health helps the society function because when multiple individuals are unhealthy, the society is at risk imbalance.…
Within Canadian history, aboriginals or first nations have played a major part in it. Although it may not be of a good cause, it has left an imprint within history and it is a prime example of Canada injustice towards a group. Aboriginal groups are victims of the Canada’s inequality and social injustice actions, which include horrible treatments of racism and discrimination. Such treatment has resulted in a statistically situation of poor outcomes within the Aboriginal group. The living standard of Aboriginal peoples in Canada falls far short of those who aren’t Aboriginals, and they continue to encounter barriers in gaining equality. Aboriginal life expectancy is lower; they have fewer high school graduates, higher unemployment, and almost…
Economic inequality in the United States has increased tremendously throughout the past decades and has consequently led to many social conditions that negatively impact the lower and middle class. The unequal distribution of income and wealth is primarily due to the capitalist government economy that deregulates markets as well as globalization and technological advances. Political inequality is similarly another consequence that results from the economic disparity that further affects democracy and political representation of many Americans. This likewise leads to the creation of social movements, in which many unprivileged Americans seek government attention to overcome the inequality that exists amongst the socioeconomic classes.…
The purpose of this essay is to examine the fact that there continues to be discrimination against Aboriginal peoples, as well as to argue that more political Aboriginal representation and discussions of…
Although there has been a stark rise in inequality across the globe, the United States has seen an even higher and faster increase in inequality compared to more developed countries. Why has this country, known for it's economic success and higher opportunities, leave more and more people below the poverty line? A variety of factors, both external and internal, have contributed to this decrease in social mobility. One of the factors contributing to this staggered distribution is the rise in technology. This advancement in technology in the past decades have spurred the advancement of some jobs while making others obsolete. The jobs that technology complements, including statisticians and financial analysts, require people to earn college degrees.…