Indigenous fathers push back against stereotypes this Father's Day
As Australian families gather to celebrate Father's Day, Indigenous men are using the occasion to challenge long-held stereotypes and highlight the vital role they play in raising children and passing on culture.
Nearly two decades after the Northern Territory intervention, Aboriginal fathers and researchers say the shadow of that 2007 policy still lingers, reinforcing damaging perceptions of Indigenous men as absent or irresponsible.
What impact did the Northern Territory intervention have on Indigenous fathers?
Author and Kalkalgal man Thomas Mayo said the intervention intensified negative stereotypes that had persisted for generations.
“The stereotypes have been around for a long time,” he said. “We've seen them through the media, through racist cartoons that have basically told Australians that Indigenous fathers don't care about their children.”
Mayo, who was raising three young children at the time, recalled feeling scrutinised simply for being in public with them.
“We remember that just holding our children in a shopping centre, [we] had suspicious eyes on us as if our children needed protecting from us because we were Indigenous men,” he said.
He later became a single father, gaining full custody of his children when they were four, six and seven.
Has racism worsened since the Voice referendum?
Mayo said he believed racism towards Indigenous people had intensified since the 2023 Voice referendum.
“Since the referendum, racism has become much worse,” he said. “It's like we've gone backwards 50 years.”
Fatherhood researcher Richard Fletcher, who has spent about four decades working with fathers, agreed the intervention had left lasting damage.
“It painted a picture that Aboriginal children were in danger from the men in the family,” Dr Fletcher said.
How are services supporting Indigenous dads?
SMS4DeadlyDads, a free text-messaging service for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander fathers, has signed up more than 1,000 participants. The program provides information on pregnancy, children's development, supporting partners and personal wellbeing.
Gomeroi man Craig Hammond, an Indigenous lead with the program, said fathers could sometimes be overlooked during pregnancy and early parenthood.
“Everybody's there with the mum, you know, rubbing tummy and all that, but it's about supporting the dad through this stage,” he said.
Dr Fletcher said services should build on the strengths Indigenous fathers already possess rather than approach them as a problem.
“They don't need support to tell them what they're doing wrong,” he said.
Why is passing on culture central to Indigenous fatherhood?
For Mayo, fatherhood is fundamentally about passing culture, knowledge and identity between generations. His book Dear Son brings together letters from Indigenous men reflecting on family, masculinity and culture.
“[Dear Son] is an act of defiance that is full of love, celebrating Indigenous men and Indigenous culture,” he said.
Hammond said he also ensured his grandchildren knew where they came from and returned with them to country.
This Father's Day, Mayo hopes Australians will recognise the enduring contribution of Indigenous fathers.
“We should be celebrating the long history of Indigenous fatherhood passing on knowledge from generation to generation,” he said. “We continue to be good fathers right across Australia and raise good men.”