Social Justice Commissioner’s statement on the government’s ‘national emergency’ measures
By Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner and Race Discrimination Commissioner Tom Calma
I have been calling forgovernments to turn commitments into action so Iwelcome the Prime Minister’s commitment to tackle
violence and child and alcohol abuse in Indigenous communities in the Northern Territory. I, like all Indigenous and
non-Indigenous people, want to see every Indigenous child enjoying the basic right to live free from violence in a safe
and supportive home and community.
I acknowledge the finding of the Anderson/Wild report that violence and child abuse have reached crisis levels in many
Indigenous communities. I hope that these latest announcements will lead to an injection of new funding into Indigenous
communities to provide services that have long been missing – such as policing, adequate housing and health services.
My concern with the federal Government’s proposal is that it doesn’t put in place the preventative measures that
Indigenous people need to stop the violence, and then prevent it from re-occurring. Nor does it provide the resources or
services to support Indigenous people once these changes are made. How will people be assisted to safely come off their
alcohol or substance addiction? Where are the rehabilitation services? Where are the trauma counselling and support
services for families?
There is a growing use of amphetamines, ice and other drugs in Indigenous communities - care must be taken to ensure
that these are also tackled and they do not become a substitute if blanket alcohol bans are introduced.
I am also concerned that some of the proposed measures have the potential to do more harm to Indigenous communities, for
example, the measures to abolish the permit system in the Northern Territory. Permits have never prevented child care
officers or police or any other government official from visiting Indigenous communities. The free movement of
non-Indigenous people through these communities is likely to create a new raft of difficulties for Indigenous people.
Permits have been a major tool in regulating access to communities – something that will be a key issue in preventing
grog running with alcohol restrictions in place.
The real obstacles to ending violence are insufficient professional and support staff, resources and basic
infrastructure that Indigenous communities need so that they can operate in a functional way.
We have seen this in schools in the Territory. I have a letter on my desk from Mapuru in Arnhem Land, a remote community
that has been writing to the Minister for over five years asking for a school to be built for their kids – and they are
still waiting. Mapuru is not alone. Only last year the Senate Estimates process exposed the complete incapacity of
Wadeye to provide enough primary places for the Indigenous kids that live in that regional centre.
What will happen to the parents of children in towns like Wadeye who can’t get their child into the local school because
there isn’t one or it is overcrowded? Under the government’s proposal they may become subject to controls on 50% of the
income support payments and lose their family assistance payments.
There are so many questions raised by the government’s proposal that need to be answered. How are Indigenous people
going to be made aware of these proposed changes that will so dramatically affect their lives?
Already today we have seen significant bipartisan and inter-governmental support for working together on these difficult
issues with the highest priority. Indigenous peoples should also be part of the conversation. I encourage both the
Australian and Northern Territory Government to work with Indigenous peoples in identifying the solutions to ensure that
any outcomes are sustainable in the longer term.
The stakes are great and protecting our children is of paramount importance, but there are many potentially adverse
consequences of implementing a quick response to a complex social problem without wide-spread consultation with the
communities and their leaders and practitioners who can provide professional advice and guidance.
ENDS