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

In fact there have been 82 houses built, if you would like to know. Yesterday I released the most recent monitoring report. There is a monitoring report released every six months, and, instead of interjecting and making remarks that are inappropriate in such an important debate, I would suggest that those members who are interested actually read the report and see that there are now additional police on the ground in remote communities which never before had police in their communities. There have of course been tens of thousands of child health checks and specialist follow-up services with doctors and dentists. There are now an extra 140 teachers in schools in remote communities. There are safe houses that have been built and more creches that have been built. Very importantly, we are in the process of putting in place the new income management system which will improve parental responsibility to make sure that welfare payments are spent in the interests of children. Most significantly, for the first time we are introducing the new child protection income management system, which does mean that child protection workers can now refer parents for 70 per cent of income management in cases of neglect. This is the increased support that we are providing to the Northern Territory government. We also recognise that they too made a very substantive response yesterday and will continue to work to make sure that children get the support that they need.

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