The Wire

Last week the Wire reported a one- billion-dollar plan for Indigenous people in Treasurer Costello’s Federal Budget. But the final report released yesterday sings a very different tune. While tax cuts and one-off bonuses will relieve Middle Australia, our indigenous population remains considerably neglected. Although the government has recorded a healthy trade surplus in the economy, Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islanders are still expected to live 17 years less than non-indigenous Australians. I spoke with Executive Director of Oxfam Australia, Andrew Hewett, Treasurer of NACHO, and Democrat Senator Andrew Bartlett about the shocking divide between white and black Australia.