The Building Blocks (Continued)
Safe Communities
All Australians have the right to live in a safe community, free from violence and abuse. While State and Territory Governments are primarily responsible for ensuring that Indigenous citizens enjoy the same level of safety as other Australians, the Australian Government also has a role to play. The Government recognises that without safe and stable communities, investment in areas such as housing and education will fail to make a difference.
Keeping vulnerable women and children safe has been a key priority for the Government in its work in the Northern Territory. Budget initiatives in 2012‑13 provide a long–term plan to ensure communities build on progress which has been made in community safety over the last four years.
2012‑13 Budget initiatives to close the gap in community safety
Stronger Futures in the Northern Territory — Community Safety and Justice
The Government is making a $619.3 million long–term investment in community safety in the Northern Territory.
More police
Funding will continue for 60 remote area police officers for a further ten years. The Government will also continue to support the Northern Territory's Child Abuse Task Force, the National Aboriginal Violence and Child Abuse Intelligence Task Force, and the Substance Abuse Intelligence Desks, including the Dog Operation Units. People in remote communities expressed concern about issues related to alcohol and drug abuse and these investments will continue to work on these issues.
The Australian Government is also funding an additional four remote area police stations, as well as funding to operate these stations, and the five permanent stations we have already funded in the Northern Territory, for the next ten years.
Night patrols
The Government is also continuing to fund community night patrol services for the next ten years. These services operate across 80 communities to support community members, especially women and children, and defuse violent incidents before serious consequences arise to achieve community safety outcomes. This program not only provides an important safety service, but it also employs more than 350 people in Northern Territory communities.
Legal support
The Government will provide additional funding for legal assistance and advice, primarily in remote communities, for a further ten years. These services ensure Aboriginal people have access to appropriate advice, support, referral and representation when in contact with the justice system.
Stronger Futures in the Northern Territory — Tackling Alcohol Abuse
To support communities to better tackle alcohol abuse the Government provided $75.6 million in the 2011 Mid–Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook to support community development of plans.
Stronger Futures in the Northern Territory — Continue investment in the Alice Springs Transformation Plan
The Australian Government is providing $13.7 million in funding to continue projects as part of the Australian and Northern Territory Government's commitment to:
- tackle the devastating and harmful effects of alcohol abuse on Aboriginal people, children and families
- improve school enrolment and attendance rates for Indigenous children
- ensure the safety and wellbeing of women and children escaping domestic violence remains a high priority for action
- deliver preventative measures that will overcome child neglect through strengthening parenting skills, education and support
- continue the Intensive Sustainable Tenancy Enabling Program to provide intensive services to people with complex social housing needs in Alice Springs town camps.
Cape York Welfare Reform Trial — Extension
The Government is providing $11.8 million to continue the Cape York Welfare Reform Trial in partnership with the Queensland Government, Cape York Regional organisations and four Indigenous communities in Cape York (Aurukun, Coen, Hope Vale and Mossman Gorge). It trials an Indigenous–led approach to rebuild social norms, help participants into the real economy and support small business. We will also be calling on the Queensland Government to support continuation of Welfare Reform activities and to make a financial contribution.
The 12 months bridging funding to 31 December 2013 will continue the income management model and other elements of the trial, including the Family Responsibilities Commission.
National Children's Commissioner
The Government is complementing these important national initiatives in this Budget by providing $3.5 million for a new National Children's Commissioner. The Commissioner will promote public awareness of issues affecting children, conduct research and education programs, consult directly with children and representative organisations and provide specialised advice to the government on issues affecting young people.
These new initiatives are anchored in ongoing work the Government is undertaking to keep Indigenous people safe, especially vulnerable women and children.
At the national level, progress is being made to support Indigenous community safety through commitments such as the National Indigenous Law and Justice Framework, announced in November 2009 to address the complex issues that mark the interaction between Indigenous people and the justice system.
The Indigenous Family Safety Agenda is a sub–set of this wider effort, funded by the Australian Government and targeting problems specific to Indigenous people. Launched in 2010, it provides a coherent policy framework aimed at addressing alcohol abuse, establishing a more effective police presence, strengthening social norms against violence and coordinating support services to aid the recovery of people who experience violence.
The Indigenous Family Safety Program aims to raise awareness and reduce acceptance of family violence, assist Indigenous communities to deal with violence and expand access to support services.
The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Substance Use in Indigenous Communities Initiative funds culturally appropriate substance–use prevention, early intervention, treatment, rehabilitation and aftercare. In addition, the Breaking the Cycle initiative is providing $20.0 million over three years from 2011‑12 to 2013‑14 to support new community solutions for fighting alcohol and substance abuse in Indigenous communities, including development of alcohol and substance abuse management plans.
Announced in May 2009, the Alice Springs Transformation Plan represents a substantial investment of more than $150 million and is making the Alice Springs town camps much better places to live. In partnership with the Northern Territory Government, the Plan has improved housing and infrastructure on the Alice Springs town camps, enhancements in complementary social services and the development of a number of initiatives to improve safety and reduce homelessness. Options for visitor accommodation have expanded and new social services are helping vulnerable people. The Plan has:
- rebuilt or refurbished 196 houses and build 86 new houses
- commenced substantial upgrades to power, water, electricity, street lighting and road infrastructure within the town camps
- significantly strengthened and enhanced local services to address entrenched disadvantage for Aboriginal people in key areas of alcohol abuse, family support, domestic violence, safety and security, early childhood, tenancy management and life skills development
- helped to break the cycle of homelessness through building new and expanding existing accommodation facilities in Alice Springs, to provide safe and affordable places for visitors to stay and transitional support for people moving into public housing.
New initiatives in this Budget will ensure this substantial investment is sustained, and the long–term benefits of improved safety, housing, services and opportunities for Indigenous Australians living in Alice Springs are realised. In particular, we can continue to tackle the devastating and harmful effects of alcohol abuse on Aboriginal people, children and families and continue to safeguard women and children escaping domestic violence.
The Government's Indigenous community safety work sits within a broader framework of leadership on keeping vulnerable people safe right across Australia. The Government has provided leadership in this area through the National Action Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children 2010‑2022, announced in February 2011. The Action Plan establishes a long–term direction for unified efforts by all levels of government to combat violence, in partnership with the community.
The National Framework for Protecting Australia's Children sets out an ambitious long–term effort to improve the health and safety of children and families. All Indigenous–related targets in the 2009‑12 action plan are being met.
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