Policy and reality: Patterns of everyday living in Darwin's Indigenous 'town-camp' communities

Abstract

There is a history of many, often conflicting, ideologies driving the policies affecting Indigenous people throughout Australia. While these various ideologies have driven government policy they have also shaped the everyday living of many Indigenous communities. This paper looks at the impact of these policies upon the living conditions of Indigenous people with particular reference to Indigenous people currently living in public housing in the settlements around Darwin in northern Australia. This research shows that there is some disjuncture between the broader policy directives and the reality of the government provided houses being built today. Despite the ideology of self-determination ..