Australian assimilation policies of the 1930's.

Essay by coffee-cupCollege, UndergraduateA+, January 2004

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Australian assimilation policies of the 1930's.

The following statement, "The assimilation policies of the 1930's had a devastating effect on the Indigenous community, which is still being felt today. While promoted as protection for the Aboriginal children, the policy actually aimed at wiping out the Aboriginal race", is incorrect and unsupported.

It was not the actual assimilation policies that caused the devastating effects on the Aboriginal communities but the influence of the White Settlers. Before the white settlers came the aboriginal communities lived simple and satisfying lives. When the white settlers came they brought with them the complications of their own society and introduced the Aboriginal communities to it. Drugs such as alcohol and tobacco, along with other possibly more dangerous drugs were introduced to the Aboriginal people. Unfortunately many were not able to cope with all of this. Many of the parents in that time became alcoholics, who did not have jobs and physically abused their partners and children.

Things are not all of that different today. The influence of the white settlers changed the Aboriginals way of life dramatically for the worse, but many still refuse to admit the high levels of domestic violence, substance abuse and child abuse that goes on in their communities. "Aborigines are reluctant to admit that girls are being raped by their own" (Major T, Address at a meeting between the Prime Minister and Cape York Officials, date unknown)

Many claim that the effects of the "stolen generation", which is a result of the assimilation policies is what is actually still being felt today in most aboriginal communities. The stolen generation is referred to an estimation of 5625 half-caste children that were removed from their families, for no apparent reason, to be set up in foster families or in missions. Because many of...