Indigenous fathers challenge stereotypes this Father's Day

For many Indigenous fathers, Father's Day celebration comes with a difficult reality: the belief that Aboriginal men are absent, irresponsible or dangerous remains deeply embedded in public perceptions.

Author and Kalkalgal man Thomas Mayo says those stereotypes have long been reinforced by media portrayals, including racist cartoons that suggested Indigenous fathers did not care about their children. He said the 2007 Northern Territory intervention turned that prejudice into "a national scapegoating of Indigenous men."

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The stereotypes have been around for a long time.

Mayo was raising three young children at the time and remembers feeling watched simply for being with them in public. He later became a single father and gained full custody of his children, then aged four, six and seven. He said he ironed their clothes every day and made sure they were cared for.

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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 also believes racism against Indigenous people has worsened since the 2023 Voice referendum. "It's like we've gone backwards 50 years," he said.

Fatherhood researcher Richard Fletcher said the intervention left a lasting impression by presenting Aboriginal children as being in danger from men in their own families. That perception, he said, adds to the normal pressures of raising children.

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The Northern Territory intervention back in the day really turned that stereotyping into a national scapegoating of Indigenous men.

The free SMS4DeadlyDads service aims to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander fathers rather than judge them. More than 1,000 Indigenous fathers have signed up for messages about pregnancy, child development, supporting partners and their own wellbeing. The program seeks to build confidence and strengthen fathers' connections with their children.

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It's like we've gone backwards 50 years.