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Northern Territory intervention 2007

convergence on canberra 12 february 2008

inquiry into the protection of aboriginal children - "little children are sacred" report released june 2007

The Board of Inquiry was created by the Northern Territory Government in August 2006 to research and report on allegations of sexual abuse of Aboriginal children and to find better ways to protect Aboriginal children. Rex Wild QC and Pat Anderson co-chaired the Inquiry. On 14 June 2007 the Northern Territory (NT) Government released its "Report of the Northern Territory Board of Inquiry into the Protection of Aboriginal Children from Sexual Abuse 2007" also known as the "Little Children are Sacred". The report and recommendations can be found at http://www.nt.gov.au/dcm/inquirysaac/report_summary.html

In direct response to the report, in a joint press conference on 22 June 2007 Australian Prime Minister and Indigenous Affairs minister announced "a number of major measures to deal with what we can only describe as a national emergency in relation to the abuse of children in indigenous communities in the Northern Territory." The key measures announced included;

1. Widespread alcohol restrictions on Northern Territory Aboriginal land for six months. Banning the sale, the possession, the transportation, the consumption and (introduce the) broader monitoring of take away sales across the Northern Territory.
2. Medical examinations of all indigenous children in the Northern Territory under the age of 16 and we'll provide the resources to deal with any follow up medical treatment that will be needed.
3. Welfare reforms designed to stem the flow of cash going towards alcohol abuse and to ensure that the funds meant to be used for children's welfare are actually used for that purpose.
4. Enforce school attendance by linking income support and family assistance payments to school attendance for all people living on Aboriginal land.
5. Meals are provided for children at school with parents paying for the meals
6. Take control of townships through five year leases to ensure that property and public housing can be improved and if that involves the payment of compensation on just terms as required by the Commonwealth Constitution then that compensation will be readily paid
7. Intensive on ground clean up of communities to make them safer and healthier by marshalling local workforces through Work for the Dole arrangements.
8. Ban the possession of x-rated pornography in the proscribed areas and we're going to check all publicly funded computers for evidence of the storage of pornography
9. Immediate increase in policing levels.
10. Set up an Australian Government sexual abuse reporting desk
11. Appoint managers of all government businesses in all communities

The transcript of the press conference can be found at: http://www.pm.gov.au/media/Interview/2007/Interview24380.cfm

The government introduced legislation which was passed by the Senate on 17 August 2007.

community response to government announcements

Annual Social Justice and Native Title Reports The report, produced annually by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner Tom Calma, considers the impact of government activity on the exercise and enjoyment of Indigenous people’s human rights. Native Title Report 2007 - Chapter 9 - Northern Territory intervention and Indigenous land and covers Compulsory five-year leases, Town camps, Compensation, Effect of other laws and Rights in construction areas and infrastructure. Please seethe 2007 Native Title report: http://www.humanrights.gov.au/social_justice/nt_report/ntreport07/

Indigenous Community News Network - for up to date on news of the NT intervention from Central Australia.

Many Indigenous communities and organisation's were concerned by the Governments response to the report in particular, offence was taken to the Government's announcement that it was taking control of Aboriginal Lands under five year leases to the government, the scraping of aspects of the permit system on Aboriginal lands, the sending in of the military into Indigenous communities. The Australia Senate held an Inquiry and submissions to the Inquiry can be found at: http://www.aph.gov.au/senate/committee/legcon_ctte/nt_emergency/submissions/sublist.htm

Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care (SNAICC)
SNAICC is the national non government peak body in Australia representing the interests of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and families. The Combined Aboriginal Organisations (CAO) in the Northern Territory, in conjunction with other community sector organisations such as SNAICC, have announced proposals to keep children in Aboriginal communities safe from harm. It also produced a response to the federal government's intervention in the NT. The CAO responses can be found at: http://www.snaicc.asn.au/news/NTAboriginalOrgsResponse.html or you may download the report by the Combined Aboriginal Organisations (CAO) in the Northern Territory (8 July 2007) A proposed Emergency Response and Development Plan to protect Aboriginal children in the Northern Territory – A preliminary response to the Australian Government’s proposals (PDF)

Northern Territory Government - Closing the Gap of Indigenous Disadvantage - Generational Plan of Action
Closing the Gap is the Northern Territory’s Indigenous generational plan of action, aimed at closing the gap in outcomes between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Territorians. It contains a vision and objectives for the future socio-economic wellbeing of Indigenous Territorians and sets ambitious but achievable targets for the next 5, 10 and 20 years. It also identifies areas for action in the next 5 years, based on the best available evidence of which actions will be most effective in closing the gap. http://www.action.nt.gov.au/
The NT Governments response to the "Little Children are Sacred Report" Inquiry.

action

The Howard Government, with the support of the Labor opposition party passed legislation and a Senate enquiry was held into the Northern Territory National Emergency Response Bill 2007 which contains provisions to suspend Australia's Racial Discrimination Act. Australia's Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (HREOC) is concerned that the legislation seeks to sidestep the Racial Discrimination Act 1975 (Cth) (RDA). The RDA was Australia’s first law to protect human rights. The RDA implements Australia’s international obligations under the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Racial Discrimination (CERD). For up to date ways to take action visit:

Women for Wik - Monitoring the Federal Action in the Northern Territory - Statement - The Federal Action in the Northern Territory could provide a unique opportunity to improve conditions in Aboriginal communities, but there is also a real possibility that it may make things worse. As currently planned, it will undermine key aspects of Aboriginal societies - country, kin and culture. Moreover, by using a top-down approach, it has the potential to work against self-government and, in some instances, contravene human rights. This will not improve the lives of Aboriginal children in the Northern Territory.

Accordingly, we call on both Federal and Territory governments to recognise the importance of Indigenous identity and develop an environment of mutual respect through cross-cultural awareness, communication and engagement. Like the many Australians who walked the Sydney Harbour Bridge in support of reconciliation, we believe our generation can ensure a fair go for Indigenous citizens.

Website - http://www.womenforwik.org

The Intervention Reform Coalition of Darwin - Darwin Stands up In support of NT Communities

The Intervention Reform Coalition are a coalition of people who have come together to show their support for the rights of Aboriginal people to have a say in what happens in their communities, for Territorians to have a say in what happens in the NT and to show their concern about the way the intervention disregards hard fought for human rights.

The group includes people working in the areas of law, medicine, the arts, and the environment who after hearing from speakers Chris Howse (Aboriginal Justice Advocacy Committee), Tony Fitzgerald (Anti Discrimination Commission), Pat McIntyre (Barrister), Dr Paul Burgess and Olga Havnen (Combined Aboriginal Organisations and Women for Wik) at a public meeting, felt they needed to make a stand. The group supports the stand taken by the NT Combined Aboriginal Organisations.

Website - http://www.federalintervention.info/

National Aboriginal Alliance

Key Issues Key Issues of the intervention as identified by the Combined Aboriginal Organisations.

• Income Management Notes on Social Security and other legislation amendment
• Asset Seizure Summary of ministerial powers to seize assets of service providers in prescribed areas
• Punitive Measures Punitive aspects of Social Security and Other Legislation
• RDA Breaches Provisions in breach of the Racial Discrimination Act.

Website: http://nationalaboriginalalliance.org/

Responses from other Aboriginal and community organisations can be found in detail below:

northern territory "emergency response" 2007: news index

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related links

• Indigenous Community News Network - for up to date on news of the NT intervention
• Senate Report into the Social Security and Other Legislation Amendment (Welfare Payment Reform) Bill 2007 and four related bills concerning the Northern Territory National Emergency
• Board of Inquiry into the Protection of Aboriginal Children from Sexual Abuse
  The Board of Inquiry report released 14 June 2007.
• Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care (SNAICC)
  SNAICC, is the national non government peak body in Australia representing the interests of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and families.
• Tracking the Intervention - Four Corners
• Women for Wik
• Northern Land Council
  Representing the Traditional Owners in Northern part of the Northern Territory responsible for administering the Permit System (Darwin).
  
• Central Land Council
  Representing the Traditional Owners in Southern part of the Northern Territory responsible for administering the Permit System (Alice Springs)
• Australian Indigenous Doctors’ Association (AIDA)
  National organisation representing Indigenous Doctors in Australia
• National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO)
• Stolen Generations Alliance
• NT Land Rights Act (1976)
  Northern Territory Land Rights Act (1976)
• Aboriginal Medical Services Alliance Northern Territory (AMSANT)
• Australian Council of Social services (ACOSS)
• Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission
• Oxfam Australia: Close the Gap Campaign
• Australian's for Native Title and Reconciliation (ANTaR)
• Minister for Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs Media releases

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