ABORIGINAL Catholic leader Vicki Walker is hoping the Federal Government will adopt a wholistic approach as Prime Minister John Howard pledges to tackle the problem of domestic violence in indigenous communities.
Mr Howard made the commitment at a meeting with 16 Aboriginal leaders in Canberra on July 23, with family violence emerging as a key issue.
After the meeting, he said violence was the most important issue facing the indigenous community in Australia.
‘Violence is a hugely important issue because it is destroying communities,’ Mr Howard said.
Ms Walker, who chairs the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Catholic Council, disagreed with Mr Howard’s statement that violence was the most important issue facing indigenous communities.
‘It’s certainly an important issue within Aboriginal communities,’ she said.
‘But when we look at issues in Aboriginal communities we need to take a wholistic approach.
‘We can’t brand one (issue) as more important than another. I don’t think we can presume that solving domestic violence is going to solve all our problems.’
