Australasian Political Studies Association Conference 2003
Hosted by the School of Government
University of Tasmania

Public Policy Stream

Starting Aboriginal Broadcasting: Whitefella Business?

Peter Brian Westerway
Department of Government and International Relations
University of Sydney

Abstract:

In an ideal world, the public policy process would be rational, normative and transparent. However, detailed policy analysis and development is necessarily the domain of the Australian Public Service and, since ministerial advices are confidential, this part of the process is effectively hidden from public view.

This paper utilises Thomas Kuhn’s notion of paradigms to examine the hidden side of Aboriginal broadcasting policy during the period 1967-1979. In that period exogenous social and technical developments challenged the prevailing paradigms in both broadcasting and Aboriginal affairs.

The dual broadcasting system, comprising national and commercial sectors supported by a statutory regulation paradigm, proved to be incapable of responding to a more prosperous, better educated and multicultural Australia interested in alternative sources of education, information and entertainment. As anomalies were identified, policy began to shift towards the diversity paradigm, notably seeking to accommodate ethnic communities, but also providing a wide range of public (community) broadcasting services.

The prevailing assimilation paradigm marginalised Indigenous Australians and sought to manage conflict by eliminating differences. In this period Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander activists together with liberal settler Australians sought to redefine the debate, replacing binarisms based upon race and culture with formal recognition of a First People. In terms of policy they attempted to shift towards a self-determination paradigm.

The problem for a succession of Interdepartmental Committees (IDCs) charged with developing an Aboriginal broadcasting policy was how to reconcile a broadcasting policy already according priority to diversity with an Aboriginal affairs policy not yet committed to replacing assimilation. After many delays the first Working Party on Aboriginal Broadcasting unwillingly challenged ministerial assumptions. The result was policy gridlock.

Yet one factor remained constant. Policy-making – even policy-making about Indigenous peoples – was still the province of settler Australians. Starting Aboriginal broadcasting remained ‘whitefella business’.