Former Labor senator Patrick Dodson strongly criticizes Australia’s Aboriginal youth incarceration rates and child removals, labeling them as an ongoing genocide against the Indigenous population and a source of national shame. He argues that these actions are part of a systematic effort to erode and eliminate the Indigenous presence in the country. According to Dodson, the statistics are unequivocal and justify the use of the term “genocide” to describe the situation.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children are disproportionately represented in out-of-home care and detention systems. Dodson, who has been a long-standing advocate for reconciliation, emphasizes the urgent need for action on reconciliation priorities, such as establishing a national truth-telling commission and a treaty process, despite the failed voice referendum in 2023. He calls on Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to advance these initiatives, maintaining that they do not undermine the referendum’s outcome.
Dodson, known as the “father of reconciliation,” has been closely involved with major reconciliation efforts throughout his career. He recently published Reconciliation Memoirs, reflecting on his life’s work and the ongoing challenges in achieving equity and justice for Australia’s First Peoples. His memoir and other contributions to the reconciliation movement underline the necessity for honest engagement with the nation’s complex history and the commitment to resolving the lingering injustices against Indigenous Australians.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/may/29/genocide-patrick-dodson-condemns-australias-aboriginal-youth-incarceration-rates
