A Comparative History of Social Provision for Indigenous Australians and Māori

Abstract

AbstractThis chapter contrasts biculturalism in New Zealand and, in particular, the development of Whānau Ora—a potential milestone innovation in Māori affairs—with inconsistent and limited implementation of social policies to promote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander self-determination. The chapter explores the path dependency between initial colonization and continuing assimilation. Initial interactions between colonizers and Indigenous Australians and Māori continue to shape social policy responses today. Aotearoa New Zealand experiences stronger comparative examples of sovereignty vis-à-vis Australia due to rights possible under the Treaty of Waitangi and there is divergence in how Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are achieving self-determination relative to Māori. Yet both jurisdictions feature remarkably similar struggles in enacting the fullness of self-determination, trying to achieve congruence between social policy, political sovereignty, and Indigenous culture and worldviews. Self-rule guarantees only part of the self-determination picture until capabilities and resources are aligned to traditional authority, culture, values, and aspirations. In both Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand there is still a long way to go.