Judith Adams (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to Senator Scullion, the Minister representing the Minister for Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs. Will the minister update the Senate on positive progress being achieved through the Australian government’s intervention in the Northern Territory?

Nigel Scullion (NT, Country Liberal Party, Minister for Community Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Adams for the question. I know that it reflects very great interest from the Australian public. Much of the time that we spent in this place last time was on passing a package of legislation to protect children in the Northern Territory. I am very pleased to report that, on the ground, there has been a rollout of practical measures to give the children of the Northern Territory a future by improving their circumstances. All 73 of the prescribed communities have now been visited by the survey teams. As of 6 September, 1,658 children in 29 communities had undergone a child health check. I was actually in Palumpa last week and, despite what is said by those people who are very negative about the impacts of the health checks, they have been widely welcomed by all in the community. There was none of the fear and loathing that had been predicted by those who did not support this legislation.

The council and community briefings on changes to income management are underway, and I understand that by 17 September these will have been implemented in Imanpa, Titjikala, Apatula and Mutitjulu. CDEP is an important issue. As we have heard related in this place, we need to ensure that people understand the significance of the rollout of the changes. So the teams have been visiting the communities to discuss the transition and to ensure everybody understands the transition of CDEP into real jobs. The Australian government will provide $73 million in the first year to create jobs where the Community Development Employment Projects participants in the Northern Territory have in fact been supporting the delivery of Australian government services. I am pleased to say that negotiations are underway and are being progressed with the Northern Territory government to convert their CDEP responsibilities into real jobs, and I would very much encourage the Northern Territory government to have a positive attitude towards those negotiations at that level as well as with local government.

The community clean-ups have been rolled out in those communities. They have identified what repairs need to be done on a practical level to what houses. The second phase of that clean-up, of course, will be to identify those repairs and ensure that they are completed.

In terms of governance and law and order I understand that 14 communities now have government business managers in place—who are actually servicing 18 communities—and that six more are right at the moment completing their training. Of course law and order has been an absolute fundamental of this initiative. The first wave of Australian Federal Police officers who have been on secondment in the Northern Territory are finishing up this week and the second wave of Australian Federal Police officers will be arriving. Police officers from Queensland are currently in training in Darwin. I would like to take this opportunity on behalf of Territorians to thank the police officers from all those states and territories which provided assistance, and particularly the Australian Federal Police.

There are a number of things which we are looking at in the area of education. It is very important that the community and individuals in the community understand the new roles and responsibilities, particularly with regard to alcohol and pornography. The print and radio advertisements informing the community of bans on alcohol and pornography will start this week. We have a high level of confidence in the task force team. They have been into the communities and indicated that people have a pretty good understanding. The task force in the Northern Territory is doing an absolutely sterling job and is making a real difference for the children in Indigenous communities in the Northern Territory.