WA: Kalgoorlie set to trial reconciliation scheme
By Liza Kappelle
PERTH, Aug 29 AAP - Kalgoorlie-Boulder will be the site of a national pilot reconciliationscheme following claims racism is endemic in the West Australian Goldfields.
In an Australian first, Federal race discrimination commissioner William Jonas hasrecommended the city appoint an independent mediator between Aboriginal and non-indigenousgroups in a bid to improve race relations.
Dr Jonas said today the mediator would help develop a protocol for indigenous consultationwhich could be later used in other towns and cities with racial tension problems.
"I think it's very exciting," Dr Jonas told AAP.
"It's a bit of a pilot scheme - we know lots of places where race relations could be improved."
Dr Jonas visited Kalgoorlie-Boulder last month after some Aboriginal groups and thecouncil asked for help from the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (HREOC).
Aboriginal groups complained racism was prevalent in Kalgoorlie-Boulder, while thecouncil said its efforts to promote practical reconciliation were being sabotaged.
Dr Jonas stressed that the council had worked "very hard" to achieve reconciliationbut said a facilitator was needed to help groups communicate better with each other.
"Race relations are quite bad there," he said. "A lot of talk takes place but they'renot actually talking to each other."
There was a lack of understanding about indigenous culture in the town and a lack ofunderstanding among Aboriginal people about their rights and responsibilities, Dr Jonassaid.
So HREOC offered to train community representatives about these issues and put in amediator to help people develop the consultation protocol.
"I think it would be wonderful if Kalgoorlie developed into a bit of a model for reconciliation,"
Dr Jonas said.
Kalgoorlie-Boulder chief executive officer Ian Fletcher said the council had immediatelyput up $25,000 towards employing the mediator, and it was hoped that could happen as quicklyas possible.
"We see the recommendation as a way forward," Mr Fletcher said.
AAP lk/alm/cjh/de
KEYWORD: RACISM
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