One of the sad realities of human nature is our propensity to seek immediate solutions that at first glance appear simple and effective yet ignore the complexities of a given situation. In Australian history, particularly for Indigenous people, there are many examples of ‘simple’ solutions that have had devastating consequences, and the only good thing that has come from these is the lesson to not repeat the same mistakes.

We are a group of senior Aboriginal people living in Western Australia who have long argued and advocated on the issue of Aboriginal child protection. We believe that any approach which assumes that Aboriginal people are incapable of identifying and implementing their own solutions is both insulting and incorrect.