Why Are Australia Marginalised?

Australia is known as a country of freedom and fairness, however many groups such as youth, the unemployed, aged, and ethnic groups tend to become marginalised because of their minority status. Certain groups are marginalised because they are perceived as being different or undeserving of equality in society. This is called stereotyping and it leads to prejudice and discrimination. This essay explores three marginalised groups and discusses some of the reasons why they are marginalised and the effects on those within these groups. Exclusion from areas such as employment and other services and opportunities that other Australian 's take for granted, is a result of the marginality of indigenous Australian 's, woman, and those with

For anybody, being employed can have a crucial impact on their lives. It also has great importance on our social and material well being. Income, self-esteem, identity and sense of independence are just a number of benefits that people can gain from being an active and useful member of the workforce. Yet from a historical perspective, many disabled people have been denied such benefits because of their exclusion from mainstream social and societal activities such as worthwhile employment in particular. Interestingly, disable workers have in the past found themselves welcomed and encouraged into employment during time of shortage of able bodied workers during times of war (Barnes, Mercer & Shakespeare 1999, p.22). Disabled people who do manage to make their way into the work force tend to encounter numerous disadvantages such as advancement and on average earn around one quarter of the income of their able bodied counterparts (Barnes, Mercer & Shakespeare 1999, p.110). In addition, the majority of well paid, high skilled, and rewarding positions are commonly taken by non-disabled people (Barnes, Mercer & Shakespeare 1999, p.111). It is possible that employers are not interested or unmotivated to make possible changes or allowance for physically disabled people within their organization

Disadvantage and marginalisation of indigenous Australian 's began with the dispossession of land, displacement of their people, and separation of families. Indigenous Australian 's have difficulty in gaining access, to the same degree, to what white Australian 's have ready access such as housing, employment and general services. Indigenous Australian 's are one of the most disadvantaged groups in this country in social and economic areas such as employment, housing, income, and health. The burden of poor health among aborigines is of particular concern. The health disadvantage of indigenous people begins in infancy and continues throughout their life. The problem appears to become evident right from birth with aboriginal woman twice as likely as non-indigenous woman to have a stillborn baby and twice as likely to give birth to an underweight baby (ed. Healey 2000, p.4). During the period between 1991 and 1996, life expectancy for indigenous people was around 20 years than that of their non-indigenous counterparts. The lives of indigenous people are affected by many other health factors, one of most concern is alcohol related problems that impact on their well-being, family structure, and even aboriginal traditional life because they tend to drink more haphazardly. Some of the health risks to which indigenous people are exposed can be attributed the differences between the health of indigenous and non-indigenous people. Such risks include, poorer living conditions,