Melissa Price (Durack, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On behalf of the Joint Standing Committee on Aboriginal and Torres Straits Islander Affairs, I present the committee's report incorporating dissenting reports entitled Inquiry into community safety, support services and job opportunities in the Northern Territory.

Report made a parliamentary paper in accordance with standing order 39(e).

by leave—I rise, as I said, to table the report of the inquiry into community safety, support services and job opportunities in the Northern Territory. This inquiry was conducted by the Parliamentary Joint Standing Committee on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs. I am the deputy chair of the joint committee, and Senator Pat Dodson, from the other place, is the chair.

As noted in the acknowledgement in the report, the report predominantly discusses provisions and initiatives relating to the stronger futures legislative package and its precursor, the Northern Territory National Emergency Response Act 2007, commonly known as the intervention. The terms of reference of the inquiry were as follows:

Community safety, support services and job opportunities in the Northern Territory, with particular reference to:

a. The preparation for the sunsetting of the Stronger Futures legislation

b. Community safety and alcohol management

c. Job opportunities and Community Development Program reform

d. Justice reinvestment communities services, and

e. Any related matters.

The most significant outcome of the sunsetting of the stronger futures legislation was the cessation of alcohol restrictions in parts of the Northern Territory. It is worth noting that, during the course of this inquiry, soon after 24 January 2023, the Commonwealth government announced a $48 million investment in Central Australia's community safety. This followed a visit by the Prime Minister to Alice Springs. Around this time, the Chief Minister of the Northern Territory and the Prime Minister announced the appointment of Ms Dorelle Anderson as the Central Australian Regional Controller. Ms Anderson's role was to consult broadly about the potential to reintroduce alcohol restrictions and to give consideration to an opt-out model for alcohol protected areas, and to report by 1 February 2023, which she did. On 14 February 2023, the Northern Territory reintroduced alcohol restrictions in town camps and communities.

On behalf of all committee members, I would like to thank all those who took the time to provide a submission and/or provide evidence either in person or by video. The committee is incredibly grateful to you for taking the time to share the often difficult life experiences of your community members. The committee understands that you have often been asked to repeat these often painful stories, and we are incredibly grateful for your contribution. Thank you to all the committee members for your participation. I give a special thanks to the committee secretariat, members of whom I note are sitting here in the House today. Thank you very much. I appreciate that you did the best you could under very extreme circumstances and under a very tight timetable. I commend the report to the House and move:

That the House take note of the report.

Sharon Claydon (Newcastle, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The debate is adjourned. The resumption of the debate will be made an order of the day for the next sitting.