A 2006 poll revealed the Australian value of a 'fair go' as something that over 91 per cent of Australians uphold as important. But what’s happening in our own backyard to Aboriginal Peoples in the Northern Territory flies in the face of our social emphasis on the right to a 'fair go'.

Since the Australian Government imposed an Intervention on Aboriginal communities in the Northern Territory, many of the affected Aboriginal communities have endured a litany of inadequately researched, knee-jerk measures that have denied their human rights and the right to a 'fair go'.

Most importantly, the Australian Government have totally ignored the benchmarks and obligations defined by the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples – a declaration that the Australian Government is signatory to.

Article 19 of the Declaration identifies the Australian Government's obligations to processes that promote 'free, prior and informed consent' when consulting with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples.

Admittedly, even I scratched my pretty little head when first faced with that term - but I’m not sure that the Australian Government has the right to scratch their head on these issues.

Just so we’re all on the same page, please allow me to break it down:

'Free' means open, honest engagement free of intimidation, manipulation or pre-determined outcomes

'Prior' refers to the need to engage and consult in a manner that allows Indigenous Peoples the right to digest, understand, debate, develop consensus and provide input to any proposed activities. Proposed activities should never commence before consultation has taken place.

'Informed' being the conveyance of all relevant information so that Aboriginal Peoples can offer an informed endorsement of the proposed activity. Who, what, where, when and how should be covered as part of the consent process.

'Consent' means just that. It means asking and knowing the answers to questions like, 'Do Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples endorse and give the thumbs up to activities like income management, questionable signage dominating the gateways to their lands and effectively being forced to leave their traditional homelands because they aren’t serviced and supported as they should be?'

In my eyes, it’s fair to say that the Australian Government's Stronger Futures policies and legislation package has been developed in a manner that did not adhere to the basic community engagement principles of free, prior and informed consent.

As a result we need to seriously question how effective the Australian government’s proposed Stronger Futures package will be.