The truth of exemption: facilitating healing through truth-telling of Australia’s exemption policies

The problem

Truth-telling is a crucial to justice, healing and reconciliation. When it comes to Aboriginal exemption policies, which allowed some Indigenous people to be ‘exempt’ from oppressive legislation between 1860 and 1967 in exchange for their Aboriginal identity, little is known about the (ongoing) effects on families and individuals. Many non-Indigenous Australians do not even know the policies existed. But permission to leave reserves and missions and gain access to things like housing and education came at the cost of cultural identity and family dislocation, both which have major and complex transgenerational impacts. Low general awareness of this history – as well as shame among Indigenous people – exacerbates the problems.

The research

Building on a long and successful collaboration between two Indigenous Elders and the lead investigators, including Dilin Duwa’s Ash Francisco, this research responds to a critical need for research and truth-telling around exemption policies. The project, which is guided by three key innovations – placing elders at the centre; producing culturally safe, empowering narratives; and having a predominantly regionally based team to reflect exemption histories, including  involvement from Rural School of Health – will facilitate access to archives and the sharing of stories for Aboriginal people, and disseminate culturally appropriate information about exemption policies to the public. Outputs include an anthology of family stories, school curriculum materials, three symposia, and methodological articles that advance the elder-led collaborative model that is being developed by the team.

The impact

By engaging in truth-telling about Australia's exemption policies, this research will benefit both affected families and non-Indigenous Australians. Indigenous people will be able to research their family history and share stories safely, and the wider Australian community can learn about the nation’s history of attempts to assimilate Indigenous people, leading to a better understanding of the diversity of Aboriginal identities the transgenerational impact. The project – underway – could create new narratives based on survival and negotiation – over shame – while acknowledging the loss of culture, language and community connection. Together, this can begin to remediate the damage done by exemption policies and practices and build stronger cross-cultural relationships.

Department: Management and Marketing/Dilin Duwa 
Area: Exemption policies, truth-telling