Abstract
There is an emerging global recognition of the inadequacies of conventional socio-economic and demographic data in being able to reflect the relative wellbeing of Indigenous peoples. This paper emerges out of a recent desktop study commissioned by an Australian Indigenous organization who identified a need to enhance local literacies in data collection and interpretation in order to monitor the wellbeing of the Indigenous people within their region, manage governments in respect of their civic responsibilities to this population, and proactively and imaginatively plan for the future of the Indigenous people in their region. In canvassing available data and the growing Indigenous wellbeing literature, it became apparent that conventional statistical collections used to report on the status of populations are governed by a series of assumptions regarding three related concepts: wellbeing; demography; and economic productivity and prosperity. These assumptions have direct implications for how Indigenous peoples are represented to governments and broader society. The paper draws together the existing threads of literature regarding Indigenous wellbeing research to posit a possible broader framework for organising various kinds of Indigenous wellbeing analyses. In doing so, it identifies important shortcomings and deficits in the kinds of data that are available to Indigenous peoples in presenting themselves and their aspirations to governments with. It also opens up a critical analysis of the opportunities and obstacles for Indigenous communities in undertaking such research.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Agius, P., Davies, J., Howitt, R., Jarvis, S., & Williams, R. (2004). Comprehensive native title negotiations in South Australia. In M. Langton, M. Tehan, L. Palmer, & K. Shain (Eds.), Honour among nations? Treaties and agreements with Indigenous people. Melbourne: Melbourne University Press.
Alderete, E. (2004). The importance of statistics on Indigenous Peoples for policy formulation at national and international levels. United Nations Workshop on data collection and disaggregation for Indigenous Peoples, PFII/2004/WS.1/4, New York.
Andersen, T., & Poppel, B. (2002). Living conditions in the Arctic. Social Indicators Research, 58, 191–216.
Anderson, K. (2002). Tenuous connections: Urban aboriginal youth sexual health and pregnancy. Ontario: The Ontario Federation of Indian Friendship Centres.
Anderson, K. (2006). New life stirring: Mothering, transformation and aboriginal Womanhood. In D. Lavell-Harvard & J. Lavell (Eds.), Until our hearts are on the ground: Aboriginal mothering, oppression, resistance and rebirth (pp. 13–24). Toronto: Demeter Press.
Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2010). Framework for measuring wellbeing: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, 2010, Catalogue no. 4703.0, Commonwealth of Australia, Canberra.
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. (2009). Measuring the social and emotional wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Canberra: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.
Biddle, N., & Prout, S. (2009). The geography and demography of Indigenous temporary mobility: An analysis of the 2006 census snapshot. Journal of Population Research, 26(4), 305–326.
Brady, M. (1995). WHO defines health? ‘Implications of differing definitions on discourse and practice in aboriginal health’. In G. Robinson (Ed.), Aboriginal health: Social and cultural transitions (pp. 187–192). Darwin: NTU Press.
Brooks, D., & Kral, I. (2007). Ngaanyatjarra lands population survey, unpublished report, Shire of Ngaanyatjarraku, Warburton.
Browne, J., Laurence, S., & Thorpe, S. (2009). Acting on food insecurity in urban Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities: Policy and practice interventions to improve local access and supply of nutritious food. Available at: http://www.healthinfonet.ecu.edu.au/health-risks/nutrition/other-reviews. Accessed December 15, 2010.
Calma, T. (2005). Overcoming Indigenous disadvantage key indicators report 2005: A human rights perspective. Available at: http://svc013.wic009tp.serverweb.com/social_justice/conference/oid/tom_calma.htm.
Dodson, M. (2005). Indigenous Governance. Available at: http://svc013.wic009tp.server-web.com/social_justice/conference/oid/mick_dodson.htm.
Dwyer, J., O’Donnell, K., Lavoie, J., Marlina, U., & Sullivan, P. (2009). The overburden report: Contracting for Indigenous health services. Casuarina: Flinders University and Cooperative Research Centre for Aboriginal Health.
Foster, D., Mitchell, J., Ulrick, J., & Williams, R. (2005). Population and mobility in the town camps of Alice Springs, Report by Tangentyere Council Research Unit, Desert Knowledge Cooperative Research Centre, Alice Springs.
Garvey, D. (2008). A review of the social and emotional wellbeing of Indigenous Australian peoples—considerations, challenges and opportunities. Available at: http://www.healthinfonet.ecu.edu.au/sewb_review. Accessed December 15, 2010.
Government of South Australia. (2010). ‘Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands Food Security Strategic Plan 2011–2016’, Department of the Premier and Cabinet. Adelaide: Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation Division.
Greiner, R., Larson, S., Herr, A., & Bligh, V. (2005). Wellbeing of Nywaigi traditional owners: The contribution of country to wellbeing and the role of natural resource management, Report for Burdekin dry Tropics Board, Townsville. Available at: http://www.cse.csiro.au/publications/2005/nywaigiwellbeing.pdf.
Grieves, V. (2007). Indigenous well-being: A framework for governments’ Aboriginal cultural heritage activities. NSW: NSW Department of Environment and Conservation.
Guimond, E. (2003). Fuzzy definitions and population explosion: Changing identities of Aboriginal groups in Canada. In D. Newhouse & E. Peters (Eds.), Not strangers in these parts: Urban Aboriginal peoples (pp. 35–50). Ottawa: Policy Research Initiative.
Howitt, R., & Stevens, S. (2005). Cross-cultural research: Ethics, methods, and relationships. In I. Hay (Ed.), Qualitative research methods in human geography (pp. 30–50). Melbourne: Oxford University Press.
Hunt, J. (2010). Looking after country in New South Wales: Two case studies of socioeconomic benefits for Aboriginal people. CAEPR working paper no. 75, CAEPR, ANU, Canberra. Available at http://www.anu.edu.au/caepr/working.php.
Hunt, J., Altman, J., & May, K. (2009). Social benefits of Aboriginal engagement in natural resource management. CAEPR working paper no. 60, CAEPR, ANU, Canberra. Available at http://www.anu.edu.au/caepr/working.php.
Jordan, K., Bullock, H., & Buchanan, G. (2010). Exploring the tensions between statistical equality and cultural difference in Indigenous wellbeing frameworks: A new expression of an enduring debate. Australian Journal of Social Issues, 45(3), 333–362.
Kenny, C., Faries, E., Fiske, J., & Voyageur, C. (2004). A holistic framework for Aboriginal policy research. Ottawa: Policy Research.
Kral, I. (2010). Generational change, learning and remote Australian Indigenous youth. CAEPR working paper no. 68, CAEPR, ANU, Canberra. Available at http://www.anu.edu.au/caepr/working.php.
Kruse, J., Poppel, B., Abryutina, L., Duhaime, G., Martin, S., Poppel, M., et al. (2008). Survey of living conditions in the Arctic, SLiCA. In V. Møller, D. Huschka, & A. C. Michalos (Eds.), Barometers of quality of life around the globe (pp. 107–134). Berlin: Springer Social Indicators Research Series. Springer Verlag.
Kukutai, T., & Poole, I. (2008). From common colonisation to internal segmentation: Rethinking indigenous demography in New Zealand. Paper presented at the Canadian Aboriginal population in transition: Social, demographic, and epidemiological dimensions workshop, Alberta, Canada.
Larsen, J., & Schweitzer, P. (2010). Arctic social indicators: Follow-up to the Arctic human development report. Copenhagen: Nordic Council of Ministries.
Louis, R. (2007). Can you hear us now? Voices from the margin: Using Indigenous methodologies in geographic research. Geographical Research, 45(2), 130–139.
Marks, E., Cargo, M., & Daniel, M. (2007). Constructing a health and social indicator framework for Indigenous community health research. Social Indicators Research, 82(1), 93–110.
Memmott, P., Long, S., & Thompson, L. (2006). Indigenous mobility in rural and remote Australia: Final report. AHURI final report no. 90, Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute, Queensland Research Centre, Brisbane.
Moran, M., & Elvin, R. (2009). Coping with complexity: Adaptive governance in desert Australia. GeoJournal, 74, 415–428.
Morphy, F. (2007a). Uncontained subjects: “Population” and “household” in remote Aboriginal Australia. Journal of Population Research, 24(2), 165–184.
Morphy, F. (Ed.). (2007b). Agency, contingency and census process: Observations of the 2006 Indigenous enumeration strategy in remote Aboriginal Australia. CAEPR research monograph no. 28, ANU E Press, Canberra. Available at: http://www.anu.edu.au/caepr/mono.php.
Morphy, F. (2010). Population, people and place: The Fitzroy Valley population project. CAEPR working paper no. 70, CAEPR, ANU, Canberra. Available at: http://www.anu.edu.au/caepr/working.php.
Norris, M. J., & Clatworthy, S. (2007). Aboriginal mobility and migration: Trends, recent patterns and implications. In J. White, D. Wingert, D. Beavon, & P. Maxim (Eds.), Aboriginal policy research: Moving forward, making a difference IV (pp. 207–234). Toronto: Thompson Educational Publishing Inc.
Palmer, K., & Brady, M. (1988). The diet and lifestyle of Aborigines in the Maralinga region, South Australia, Maralinga Rehabilitation Studies. Adelaide: Maralinga Tjrutja.
Pholeros, P., Rainow, S., & Torzillo, P. (1993). Housing for health: Towards a healthy living environment for Aboriginal Australia. NSW: Healthhabitat.
Power, E. (2008). Conceptulaizing food security for Aboriginal people in Canada. Canadian Journal of Public Health, 99(2), 95–97.
Prout, S. (2008a). On the move? Indigenous temporary mobility practices in Australia. CAEPR working paper no. 48, CAEPR, ANU, Canberra. Available at: http://www.anu.edu.au/caepr/working.php.
Prout, S. (2008b.) The entangled relationship between Indigenous spatiality and government service delivery. CAEPR working paper no. 41, CAEPR, ANU, Canberra. Available at: http://www.anu.edu.au/caepr/working.php.
Prout, S. (2009a). Vacuums and veils: Engaging with statistically ‘invisible’ Indigenous population dynamics. Geographical Research, 47(4), 408–421.
Prout, S. (2009b). Security and belonging: Reconceptualising Aboriginal spatial mobilities in Yamatji country, Western Australia. Mobilities, 4(2), 177–202.
Prout, S. (2010). Developing measures of population mobility amongst Indigenous primary school students. CAEPR working paper no. 73, CAEPR, ANU, Canberra. Available at: http://www.anu.edu.au/caepr/working.php.
Prout, S., & Yap, M. (2010). Indigenous temporary mobilities and service delivery in regional service centres: A West Kimberley case study. CAEPR working paper no. 66, CAEPR, ANU, Canberra. Available at: http://www.anu.edu.au/caepr/working.php.
Purdie, N., Dudgeon, P., & Walker, R. (2010). Working together: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mental health and wellbeing principles, Commonwealth of Australia, Canberra. Available at: http://www.ichr.uwa.edu.au/files/user5/Working_Together_book_web.pdf. Accessed December 13, 2010.
Richmond, C., Ross, N., & Bernier, J. (2007a). Exploring Indigenous concepts of health: The dimensions of Metis and Inuit Health. In J. White, S. Wingert, D. Beavon, & P. Maxim (Eds.), Aboriginal policy research: Moving forward, making a difference IV (pp. 3–17). Toronto: Thompson Educational Publishing Inc.
Richmond, C., Ross, N., & Egeland, G. (2007b). Social support and thriving health: A new approach to understanding the health of Indigenous Canadians. American Journal of Public Health, 97(9), 1827–1833.
Sanders, W. (2000). Understanding the past, looking to the future: The unfinished history of Australian Indigenous Housing. In P. Read (Ed.), Settlement: A history of Australian Indigenous Housing (pp. 237–248). Canberra: Aboriginal Studies Press.
Schwab, R. (2006). Final report to the Warlpiri education and training trust advisory committee: Options for education and training, report prepared for the Central Lands Council, Northern Territory.
Silburn, S. R., Zubrick, S. R., De Maio, J. A., Shepherd, C., Griffin, J. A., Mitrou, F. G., et al. (2006). The Western Australian Aboriginal child health survey: Strengthening the capacity of Aboriginal children, families and communities. Perth: Curtin University of Technology and Telethon Institute for Child Health Research.
Smith, L. T. (1999). Decolonizing methodologies: Research and Indigenous peoples. London: Zed Books Ltd.
Statistics New Zealand. (2002). Towards a Maori statistics framework. Auckland: Government of New Zealand.
Taylor, J. (2002a). The spatial context of Indigenous service delivery. CAEPR working paper no. 16. CAEPR, ANU, Canberra. Available at: http://www.anu.edu.au/caepr/working.php.
Taylor, J. (2002b). The context of observation. In: D. Martin, F. Morphy, W. Sanders & J. Taylor (Eds.), Making sense of the census: Observations of the 2001 enumeration in remote Aboriginal Australia. CAEPR research monograph no. 22, CAEPR, ANU, Canberra. Available at: http://www.anu.edu.au/caepr/mono.php.
Taylor, J. (2003). Aboriginal population profiles for development planning in the Northern East Kimberley. CAEPR research monograph no. 23, CAEPR, ANU, Canberra. Available at: http://www.anu.edu.au/caepr/mono.php.
Taylor, J. (2004). Social indicators for Aboriginal Governance: Insights from the Thamarrurr region, Northern Territory. CAEPR research monograph no. 24, CAEPR, ANU, Canberra. Available at: http://www.anu.edu.au/caepr/mono.php.
Taylor, J. (2008). Indigenous peoples and indicators of well-being: Australian perspectives on United Nations global frameworks. Social Indicators Research, 87(1), 111–126.
Taylor, J. (2009). Indigenous demography and public policy in Australia: Population or peoples? Journal of Population Research, 26(2), 115–130.
Taylor, J., & Bell, M. (1996). Mobility among Indigenous Australians. In P. Newton & M. Bell (Eds.), Population shift: Mobility and change in Australia. Canberra: AGPS.
Taylor, J., & Biddle, N. (2008). Locations of Indigenous population change: What can we say? CAEPR working paper no. 43, CAEPR, ANU, Canberra. Available at: http://www.anu.edu.au/caepr/working.php.
Taylor, J., & Scambary, B. (2005). Indigenous people and the Pilbara mining boom: A baseline for regional participation. CAEPR research monograph no. 25, CAEPR, ANU, Canberra. Available at: http://www.anu.edu.au/caepr/mono.php.
Tebtebba Foundation. (2008). ‘Indigenous peoples’ indicators of well-being, poverty and sustainability’, Chapter 2 in Indicators relevant for Indigenous peoples: A resource book. Baguio City, Philippines: Tebtebba Foundation.
Tobias, T. (2007). Living proof: The essential data-collection guide for Indigenous use-and-occupancy map surveys. Vancouver: Union of BC Indian Chiefs and Ecotrust Canada.
United Nations. (2004). Report of the workshop on data collection and disaggregation for Indigenous peoples, United Nations economic and social council: Permanent forum on Indigenous peoples, E/C 19/2004/2, New York.
United Nations. (2006). Report of the meeting on Indigenous people’s indicators of wellbeing, United Nations economic and social council: Permanent forum on Indigenous peoples, E/C 19/2006/CRP 3, New York.
Walter, M. (2004). Collection and disaggregation of data concerning Indigenous peoples: An Australian perspective, United Nations workshop on data collection and disaggregation for Indigenous peoples, PFII/2004/WS.1/9, New York.
Warchivker, I., Tjapangati, T., & Wakerman, J. (2000). The turmoil of Aboriginal enumeration: Mobility and service population analysis in a Central Australian community. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 24, 444–449.
Young, E. (1990). Aboriginal population mobility and service provision: A framework for analysis. In: B. Meehan & N. White (Eds.), Hunter-gatherer demography: Past and present, Oceania Monograph 39, Sydney.
Young, E., & Doohan, K. (1989). Mobility for survival: A process analysis of Aboriginal population movement in Central Australia. Darwin: Australian National University North Australia Research Unit.
Zubrick, S. R., Lawrence, D. M., Silburn, S. R., Blair, E., Milroy, H., Wilkes, T., et al. (2004). The Western Australian Aboriginal child health survey: The health of Aboriginal children and young people, Telethon Institute for Child Health Research, Perth.
Acknowledgments
The funding for this research was provided by the Kimberley Institute Limited. Their support of this work is gratefully acknowledged. The research was undertaken while working at the Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research (CAEPR) at the Australian National University, where numerous conversations with Nicholas Biddle, John Taylor, and Frances Morphy, helped formulate much of the thinking which underpins this paper. I also wish to thank Gillian Cosgrove of CAEPR who prepared the graphics and table for this paper. I also wish to thank the anonymous reviewer for their helpful comments.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Prout, S. Indigenous Wellbeing Frameworks in Australia and the Quest for Quantification. Soc Indic Res 109, 317–336 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11205-011-9905-7
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11205-011-9905-7