GAMSAT Essay Example Affirmative Action

This is a exemplar Part A essay on affirmative action that uses a more nuanced structure focused on:

What are the issues?
What are individual or societal impacts?
Are there any solutions for the issues raised?

This structure can be more difficult to write if you do not have working knowledge of the GAMSAT theme as it requires you to explore the winners, losers and make recommendations for the future.

Previous GAMSAT topics that can use this structure have included feminism, taxation, democracy and altruism.

You can use this framework for any Part A essay that you encounter OR alternatively consider in each body paragraph the advantages, disadvantages and a balanced viewpoint.

Read this free GAMSAT Part A essay on taxation for an example of an alternative structure.

We all love the underdog. Movies like The Karate Kid and Hidden Figures show us how much we look forward to seeing a person conquer the adversities of life, despite their social standing or experience. The inequalities that they experience is a stark reminder of the social and financial inequities that remain in our society. Affirmative action policies in Australia have attempted to address many systemic inequities that we face today but there is much more to be done. We need to continue updating and addressing the root cause of these inequities if these policies can be used to create a standard of equity.

Affirmative action policies are positive in helping the disadvantaged. Through financial aid and medical care, many affirmative action policies seek to alleviate a few of life’s burdens. The Access Melbourne Scholarship provides financial help and a reduced ATAR score for rural or First Nations Students in courses at the University of Melbourne. This scholarship allows students to pursue tertiary education and create experiences likened to their peers. Through programs like this, many students become the first of their family to enter university. Similarly, community clinics provide priority access to refugee, asylum seeker and First Nations groups, acknowledging the hardships suffered by these groups. This allows for access to resources that may have otherwise been out of reach for different communities. Affirmative action policies seek to lessen the inequities suffered by disadvantaged groups.

However, affirmative action policies only touch the surface of systemic issues, and often fail to address the root of the inequity. It can be hard to create policies pertaining to social inequities when they do not consider targeting stem of the issues. This is seen in the 2020-2021 Closing the Gap report, where the lack of tangible targets and input from key stakeholders dilute the actions taken to address the inequities suffered by our First Nations people. Likewise, quotas in the workforce, such that for women in STEM become redundant when the opportunities are so far and few. The Morrison government recently invested $100 million into entrepreneurial and job opportunities for women in STEM. However, the lack of employment and growth in the sector is a failure for the government, and a lost opportunity to address the systemic disproportion between men and women in STEM. We must use the policies to create equity in our workplaces and wider society, and ensure that affirmative action policies continue to address the root of the problem

As we look to the future, affirmative action policies must aim to be measurable to create the equity it strives to achieve. In Closing the Gap, greater focus needs to be placed upon engaging with stakeholders and setting realistic targets. Whilst well intentioned, the cashless welfare card presented to Aboriginal Australians by the government in the Northern Territory was met with outrage from the community. Not only did it seem to perpetuate negative stereotypes about Aboriginal Australians, but the lack of input from Indigenous stakeholders was made apparent. This program could have benefitted from advice from the people it was affecting most, and a wider lens as to the social stereotypes through introducing such a card. Similarly, in creating space and opportunity for gay and lesbian youth to not be discriminated against, the Australian government refused to give transgender children the same protection. In protecting one group, the government failed to consider the discriminatory implications for another. This showcased their lack of engagement with LGBTIQ+ political advocacy groups who could have presented this dark reality. Affirmative action policies are important for communities now and must create a lasting space for people to thrive in the future.

Affirmative action policies are here to stay for the time being. They look to help disadvantaged communities and individuals while setting the foundations for a society that can bear the positive changes we need to see. Whilst there is still a distance to go in order to achieve this, we must continue to update policies to create meaningful change.

Questions for you: What are the main ideas presented? What other examples can you use as an overarching theme to discuss affirmative action? E.g. LGBTIQ issues, feminism etc.

Whilst Part A essays can follow a pre-determined structure of three main body paragraphs, they can also be fluid and include your own personal style. Importantly, essays should still incorporate three arguments and each paragraph should have a purpose!

Planning your own essay: What arguments can you present about affirmative action? What can we do to improve the situation? What are the benefits and disadvantages? This will form your three arguments. Comment them below and let me give you feedback! ⬇️