Huge spending on specific indigenous programmes directs talent in indigenous communities to careers in qualifying for, and administering, government funding. It weakens incentives to change behaviour in ways which might mean losing such funding. Australian institutions must be open to all Australians willing to participate in them. But that does not get you very far, as individuals, families and groups ultimately have to do it themselves. Indigenous Australians can only achieve similar health, employment and income profiles to other Australians if they participate fully in the economic and other life of Australia.
Public policy can partly bridge the gap by ensuring access to the normal services and programmes.
But much of the bridge has to be built by indigenous Australians themselves if they want achieve the full benefits of participation in society. This does not mean surrendering their cultures, but adapting them to the modern world. Which is, to a greater or lesser extent, what everyone else has had to do.