Labor launches Stronger Futures report

Minister for Indigenous Affairs Jenny Macklin

NORTHERN TERRITORY: Indigenous Affairs Minister Jenny Macklin says the federal government will do whatever it takes to lift education standards and tackle alcohol abuse in remote Aboriginal communities.

With the Howard government’s controversial intervention policy in the Northern Territory set to expire next year, the Labor government says it has been consulting with remote communities to decide what will come next.

Ms Macklin released the Stronger Futures in the Northern Territory report in Alice Springs today.

Those who took part in the consultations saw education of children as the most important issue and many urged the government to link welfare payments with school attendance, the report says.

“Government must not be a toothless tiger any longer,” it says.

“Kids won’t starve because of reduced payments because they get fed at school.”

The report said some people thought parents should be fined for not sending their children to school.

Speaking on ABC Radio ahead of the report’s launch, Ms Macklin said she had been urged to do everything in her power to make sure Aboriginal children attended school.

“We have gotten the message loud and clear,” she said.

The controversial NT intervention was launched following disturbing allegations of child sexual abuse in Aboriginal communities raised in the media. It was widely derided for its failure to consult with Aboriginal people on the ground.

Planks of the intervention included compulsory income management for 73 prescribed Aboriginal communities in the Territory, blanket alcohol and pornography bans, compulsory five-year leases on Aboriginal townships and changes to criminal laws to prevent Aboriginal customary law to be taken into consideration during sentencing and bail.

The Racial Discrimination Act (RDA) was suspended to pass the legislation.

Federal Labor promised to reinstate the RDA and undertake a review of the policy when it one office. But while it says it has re-instated the
RDA, it left in place many contentious aspects of the NT intervention, like the compulsory welfare quarantines.

Ms Macklin said the new policy would not be discriminatory and new legislation regarding the intervention will be in place before the end of the year.

The report said alcohol was a factor in more than half of all assaults in the Northern Territory and accounted for other serious social and economic harms as well.

One concern raised during consultations was that children weren’t being cared for when parents were drinking.

“It’s sickness; it’s a problem that you (government) need to address,” one respondent said.

The report noted frequent comments from people wanting their communities to remain dry, but said views were evenly split between those who saw benefit in continuing the restrictions and those who did not.

Gambling was also identified as a problem in some communities and some respondents mentioned they would like the local store not to sell packs of cards.

“One suggestion for dealing with gambling was a community lights-out time so that people could get to sleep and so children would be ready for school the next morning,” the report said.

But it said most people who commented on alcohol and pornography restrictions believed the prominent signs on display weren’t working to reduce drinking and grog-running.

“People raise their cans to the blue sign as they drive past and say cheers,” said one respondent.

As part of the consultation process, meetings were held in almost 100 communities and town camps, as well as larger centres.

The report did not make recommendations but in a foreword, Ms Macklin said there was “no quick fix” on overcoming entrenched disadvantage.

“It will take time, investment and a commitment to work together to deliver lasting improvements,” she said.

AAP