Jenny Macklin (Jagajaga, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

I might just say to all of those opposite who are interjecting that probably the most significant indication of our commitment to the Northern Territory emergency response is not about one position; it is about dedicating $800 million from this budget to make sure that the Northern Territory emergency response continues over the next three years—$800 million that was not provided by the previous government but provided in this budget by this government to make sure that we have the funding for additional police to make sure that we are able to fund night patrols in remote country communities in the Northern Territory and to make sure that we continue the program of income management. It is now the case that 15,000 people in the Northern Territory are being income managed. As a result of that income management we are seeing more children getting better fed. These are very difficult issues that we have introduced and we intend to continue them, as is evidenced in our budgetary commitment.

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