My hope is that a similar effort will be made to control the diseases to which Aborigines are especially prone. Education is the key word to equality in national citizenship. Australia urgently needs more Aboriginal doctors, lawyers, engineers, accountants, health workers, social workers and para-legal workers. Those who have succeeded in those occupations are of sterling worth, but they are too few. In my own profession, I have seen the strain placed on the small number of Aboriginal lawyers.
Great emphasis is placed upon role models today.
During the currency of the Deaths in Custody Royal Commission I voluntarily, at the request of the Aboriginal Community, enquired into the running of the Aboriginal Rights Movement in South Australia. While very substantial moneys were properly being spent on the Royal Commission, the Legal Rights Movement, which represents Aborigines in court proceedings, was struggling with very inadequate funding and competing for funds with other high priority necessities such as housing. I know that the provision of legal aid for all Australians who are unable to pay legal fees is at present a very difficult problem, but it is essential, if the disproportionate numbers of Aborigines in custody are to be reduced, that they have adequate legal representation and that sufficient para-legal people, preferably Aborigines, are trained and employed to meet the needs of Aborigines. In particular, Aborigines should have the same opportunities for bail during remands as other Australian citizens. To effect this it is essential that the court can have confidence that an accused person is likely to appear when his case is called on for hearing.