Report on the NT Emergency Measures: An Aboriginal Perspective

1. Report on the NT Emergency Measures: An Aboriginal Perspective Olga Havnen NT Combined Aboriginal Organisations

2. Overview • Legislation • What does it do • Where it will apply • NT context • issues • impacts • Concerns

3. Legislation • Northern Territory National Emergency Response Act, 2007 • Social Security and Other Legislation Amendment (Welfare Payment Reform) Act 2007 • Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs and Other Legislation Amendment (Northern Territory National Emergency Response and Other Measures) Act 2007 • Appropriation (Northern Territory National Emergency Response) Act (Nos. 1 & 2) 2007-2008

4. What does it do? • Suspension of RDA, territories powers • Compulsory acquisition • Changes to permit system • Management of communities • Welfare & other income support • community stores • Sentencing in Criminal law and bail • Alcohol and pornography • Ministerial powers, directions, seizure of assets

5. What does it do?... • 725 new positions • Attorney-Generals 16 • DEWR 140 • IBA 10 • DEST 17 • Health Ageing 42 • FACSIA 150 • Human services 350 (Centrelink – 300) • $88m for income quarantining for approx. 25,000 people

6. Where will it apply? • to all Aboriginal people living in prescribed areas including: • ALRA communities – 47 • Community living areas – 16 • Town Camps - 36

7. NT Context • disadvantage • Demographic trends • geography • needs

8. Socio-economic disadvantage across ATSIC regions

9. NT age distributions Indigenous Non - Indigenous Note also that 72% are resident on Aboriginal land

10. 9 towns of 1,000-2,000 50 localities of 200-999 570 places <200 80% Aboriginal people live outside urban centres 40% growth over past 2 decades

11. Source: Overcoming Indigenous Disadvantage: Key Indicators 2007

12. Housing needs • Estimates by Territory Housing to meet current unmet need is 5,000 dwellings over the next 3-5 years • Total unmet housing and housing related infrastructure costs is estimated to be $2.3b. • Fed commitment $800M over 4 years • Approx. $200m is new / additional $

13. Childcare and family safety facilities in NT Aboriginal communitiesSource: 2006 ABS Census

14. Issues • Child safety • Confusion, fear • Displacement / urban drift • Strengthening community policing • Suspension of RDA • 5 year leases • Permits • Income quarantining v’s Centrepay deductions • Lack of external review / right of appeal • Govt Business Managers

15. Issues… • Overwhelming influx of public servants, meetings e.g. over 160 visitors over 10 weeks • New housing – Govt Business Managers • No additional child protection workers • no additional services for victims or perpetrators

16. Issues …. • Health checks • Approx 17,000 children under 16 yrs • est. vary but approx. 3,400 checks completed • At best 67% screened, some larger communities less than 50% • not revealing anything new • No new referrals of child abuse are known to be reported

17. Getting it right • Compliance with international obligations, procedural fairness and natural justice • Non-discrimination • Development approach

18. Getting it right • resources for child protection and family support services • Need to address underlying causes of child abuse and neglect • Better alignment with recommendations of Anderson/Wild report

19. Getting it right • Development of a long term plan to address needs • Needs-based funding for infrastructure, housing and services – especially early childhood, pre-school and education; health; community policing • Improved cooperation and collaboration – both governments and Aboriginal people and communities • Coherent and consistent policy approach by both governments re investing in remote communities and outstations