That vacuum saw Paul Keating renege on the third prong of his promised response to the High Court's Mabo decision - a comprehensive plan to ensure social justice for Aborigines. The Coalition's Michael Wooldridge, deeply committed to Aboriginal advancement, has begun moving some decision-making and responsibility for Aboriginal community health to communities on the ground. This attachment of rights and responsibilities in a constructive way is what Pearson is talking about. It is senseless for progressives committed to the survival of Aboriginal people and their culture to tiptoe around Aboriginal welfare dependence because they fear that engagement would fuel racist flames. Everyone sees the problem, and without a progressive philosophy to tackle it, the solutions may end up promoting a largely unstated goal of many on the Right - assimilation.
Reconciliation is about each culture learning from and adjusting to the other.
It should enrich the lives of all Australians. I don't fear what will happen if progressives publicly debate the future of Aboriginal welfare. I do fear what will happen if they don't. Margo Kingston is in the Herald's Canberra bureau.