Reconciliation and Social Justice Library

A MATTER OF SURVIVAL - STRONG SKILLS IN ENGLISH

3.7 Regardless of the health of their community language, virtually all people that the committee spoke to were adamant that they wanted their children to gain a high level of competence in Standard Australian English. Proficiency in the 3Rs is seen by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as necessary for them to have equal access to services and employment. Proficiency in English is seen as empowering Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people within the wider Australian community and making them less dependent on the wider community. However, communities did not want proficiency in English to be at the expense of the community language or culture.