Cultural values are very important for many people and the Australian Government is taking steps to protect them.
The Department of Culture, Media and Sport is working with the Australian Indigenous community to help them identify cultural values which are key to Indigenous culture.
It’s been a long time coming but there are now more than 20 cultural values identified.
“We’re starting with the oldest cultural values and we’ve made sure they’re very clear,” Culture Minister and former Labor MP and Minister for Indigenous Affairs, Dr Chris Higgins, said.
“The other key cultural values we’re working with are the value of equality, respect for our elders and the value that Indigenous culture holds for all Australians.”
The Department is also working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians to develop a national cultural policy and plan.
The cultural values listed on the Department of Arts, Culture, Sport and Heritage’s website are: Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islanders are Australians, and have been Australians for hundreds of years.
They were granted citizenship in 1901.
They hold an Indigenous identity, and are recognised as having a unique cultural identity.
The department is developing a national Indigenous cultural policy.
“They’re very important because the cultural values will inform our cultural identity and we need to understand the meaning of our identity and how we relate to other Australians,” Mr Higgins said.
Mr Higgins added that the department is also helping to develop an Aboriginal cultural and economic development strategy.
“It’s important that we have a plan in place, and the plan is to be more forward-looking than other governments,” he said.
In a statement to News.au, Mr Higgins also confirmed that the Department was working with indigenous groups to identify cultural heritage values.
“This is the first time we’ve had this kind of discussion and we’re doing it collaboratively with Indigenous communities to develop these cultural heritage management strategies,” he added.
Mr Dickson said the Department is not only working to protect the cultural heritage of Aboriginal and Indigenous Australians, but also of all Australians.
“What we’re really working on is to get all Australians aware of how important they are, and that’s a challenge,” he explained.
“And to have an environment in which people have a sense of pride and a sense that there’s a place for them in Australia, that’s something that will benefit all Australians,” he concluded.
ABC/ABC NewsTopics:government-and-politics,community-and/or-society,indigenous-aboriginal-and
