Natural speed.
Children six times more likely to be the victims of neglect, adults seven times more likely to be murdered, women 34 times more likely to need hospital treatment after being abused at home, and men 13 times more likely to serve time in prison. On and on it went- the government's latest lack-of-progress report on the welfare of Australia's 500,000 Aborigines.
"It's unacceptable, and it requires decisive action," Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said when releasing the report showing no improvement.
Almost a quarter of male prisoners, a third of female prisoners and half of all detained juveniles are Aborigines. Infant mortality, even suicide, is double the rate for other Australians. The report released last week showed no advance in reading and writing skills with 60 percent of indigenous children failing to finish high school.
Ted Wilkes from Perth's Curtin University said he also despairs of government attempts to better the welfare of his fellow Aborigines -particularly programmes to keep them away from alcohol and drugs and keep them out of prison.
Everyone agrees things are dire, that something must be done.
Aboriginal elder Joy White, speaking in Darwin, said "All our people are dying, and it's through alcohol and drugs," she said. "And we are struggling, our people, because we don't have the same rights as any individual living in Australia. We have no name whatsoever."
Quite the wrong intonation at the end of the second paragraph. Not a joyful text, and it should have been obvious... How could you have have left this pass?