We are one year on from the inception of the NT Intervention, and today is a day we should not be celebrating. It has been a long year for those in the NT communities of this paternalistic, top down approach that will make future generations ashamed.
This legislation was a knee-jerk reaction that seemed designed purely to gain election bounce for the Coalition (made even more ludicrous by the recent admission from former Minister Mal Brough that the whole plan was thought up in one 48 hour session), but it was the Rudd Government’s decision to stay the course that has been most disappointing. Frankly, we expected better.
Howard’s original ‘emergency’ lacked the in-depth kind of community involvement necessary to effectively undertake such a radical overhaul of Indigenous life in the territory. Laws were slapped together and rushed through Parliament only to land with a disappointing crash in the laps of Indigenous communities across the NT.
Since that day, most of the money being poured into the NT intervention is being spent on administration and not hitting the ground to address the underlying causes. Imagine what such a huge amount of resources could do to turn around lives in these remote communities, if it were properly thought out and effectively administered in conjunction with existing programs in the Indigenous communities.
Today should be the day that the Rudd Government and the Minister for Indigenous Affairs Jenny Macklin admit they made a mistake in backing the rushed approach taken by the Northern Territory Intervention. It is high time that they returned to the ALP’s core values and committed to an evidence-based community-development approach to Indigenous Affairs that respects human rights and empowers people.
Our Indigenous Affairs Minister, Jenny Macklin is clearly still struggling to resolve the contradictions between the punitive approach of the NT Intervention and the ALP’s philosophical commitment to a social inclusion approach to disadvantaged Australians.
For the whole of Australian history, the commitment of resources to address the problems in Aboriginal communities has been under-resourced. However, after so many years of crying out for these resources, they are now being so blatantly squandered on unnecessary, ill-conceived and ineffectual measures, while successful Aboriginal programs and organisations still go begging.
The Tangentyere Council Safe Families program is a prime example of one of these initiatives. This program focuses on reducing family violence and preventing children becoming part of the child protection system. They also provide limited reunification and placements and a strong emphasis on case management. It is staffed only by Aunties and Uncles from the local indigenous community, with 10 full time Indigenous residential care staff being employed.
The Federal Government used to contribute to this vital program, with 50% of Territory and 50% Federal Government funding under the Family Violence Partnership Program, so now they may face having to lose staff and resources. Current funding will cease in less than three weeks. This program serves as a perfect candidate to receive Intervention funding, and without support from the Federal Government, this community will lose a successful, effective child protection program.
While the resources poured into the NT intervention have the potential to turn around lives on remote communities, more needs to be done to ensure money is spent wisely on the things that actually make a difference, such as the Safe Families program.
The heavy handed and paternalistic approach on the NT emergency response isn’t working and very clearly was never going to work. The Rudd Government has always held up its commitment to evidence-based policy in Indigenous Affairs and yet it is still pushing on with these ill-conceived Howard-era policies, for which there was never an evidence base.
The suspension of the Racial Discrimination Act remains a sticking point and an international embarrassment for the Rudd Government. We do not need the upcoming review to tell us that this aspect of the intervention is and always will be morally wrong and ethically unjustifiable.
When the quarantining period comes to an end, those affected won’t have been educated and empowered to take control of their own finances, because that has not been a focus under the Intervention… and there still won’t be jobs for them to go to. Much more of these resources need to be focused on delivering basic health services and protecting children at risk, on fixing existing houses and building safe new homes for the future.
The Australian Greens today remain united and steadfast in our opposition to the approach taken by the NT intervention. We were the only Party to stand up as one in the Australian Parliament to condemn the intervention when it was announced … and we have maintained and continue to maintain our opposition;
• to the suspension of the Racial Discrimination Act,
• to compulsory seizures of lands,
• to indiscriminate quarantining of welfare
• and to the trampling of the human rights of Aboriginal people in the NT
We’ve had one whole year of this racist policy; of frivolous spending, and of total disregard for the basic human rights of Aboriginal people in the NT. We would much rather see these resources being spent on truly delivering for the Aboriginal communities.
It is not an anniversary to celebrate … it is a call to action.
Interesting to hear Mal ‘hair oil’ Brough on this issue.
He says the Federal interest should link subsistance payments to school attendance.
Has Mal ever had to walk 20km to anywhere?
It was Mals mob that cut public education funding until the only jobs an educater could find where privately funded.
It was Mals mob that “rationalised’ community based projects such that remote area communities could not justify assistance for want of a cost effective population Vs expenditure result.
If Mal had any real integrity he would not be telling people how to raise thier own kids, he would be lobbying for more educaters with support and autonomy to visit remoter communities and teach smaller groups where they are.
You dont get results by punishing parents for not having powder or wiggs, horses or gigs. You get results by understanding what it takes to get outcomes you claim to desire.
If kids need educating in remote communities, Australia needs to provide more educaters and the means to get them on site.
Simple Mal. Fix it. Dont kick it around.