The costs of inaction on these issues are potentially huge. To this sum must be added the indirect costs of long-term economic marginalisation and associated social problems, as well as continued international scrutiny of Australia's most visible human rights issue. It is the common experience of some people that allows them to be treated differently as a group. Aboriginal people have special needs because of their common experience and not because of their race. In each case a measure of unequal treatment is fair.
Justice is a complex concept unable to be reduced to a set of simple platitudes.
If we take its demand seriously, then we will find ourselves having to wrestle with the particular circumstances giving rise to each person's claim for a fair go.