hope this helps out.. (if it doesnt make sense just disregard it!)
Due lack of equality within Australian society it often leads to conflict over the struggle to gain more power. In a recent news article ‘Indigenous health spending up 18%’ on the news.com.au site on the 20/7/05 it outlines how Indigenous Australians are receiving only 18% more than the general Australian public in health care, this could lead to an uproar from the Indigenous community the institutional discrimination that the Aboriginal community has been subjected to by the government is bound to end up in conflict. Legislation has been put in place to try and cooperate with the community but many individuals have become restless with their unequal status within society. Most of the conflict with Aboriginal people arises from police endeavours to enforce 'street offences' legislation, which seeks to impose on Aboriginal people the views of the European culture about the appropriate use of public space While sections of the Aboriginal population have either adopted, or independently share, the values of the dominant community on these issues, the values are not always consonant with, for instance, notions about public drinking, noisiness, language, dress and general decorum. It is the dominant society that creates the law, and it is the role of the police force to enforce this law.
The history of non-indigenous Australians trying to control the aboriginal community dates right back to generations before the stolen generation, from 1788 to 1988 white civilisation in Australia has destroyed hundreds of tribes and thousands of years of living culture.
But its not all conflict, there has been evidence of cooperation in recent years. The major influence that the media can have on socially constructed values in the ideal of cooperation between the two social classes. ‘Aboriginal art representing cooperation’ was a media release by the Australian Federal Police in July 2001 depicts how the launch of the ACT police liaison network and the Aboriginal artwork that will promote the new network shows that two cultures that have been living through conflict for so many generations can begin to work together towards a better community. This shows a definite change in social attitudes towards the Aboriginal community, the institutional discrimination is still in place in many industries but this example shows that attitudes have changed over time, both cultures recognise that reconciliation is a reachable goal. ‘That's why I am pleased to sees today's outcome. Police, government, the Indigenous Chamber of Commerce and local members of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community have worked together on this project, setting the scene for cooperation in the future." Is the main comment from the media release that shows that living in harmony is achievable.
In recent years institutions have become increasingly aware of the inequality due to things such as Oxfam and have worked together with big businesses to decrease inequality by working together.
