Future of NT intervention uncertain By Michael Vincent 
As Indigenous affairs minister, Mal Brough was the main figure driving the Howard government's intervention into Indigenous communities (File photo). (Getty Images: Ian Waldie) Only yesterday, Clare Martin was saying she would be heading to Canberra to reverse some of the changes made by the Howard government as part of its Indigenous intervention in the Northern Territory. Today, she resigned as the Northern Territory chief minister, along with her deputy Sid Stirling. Now the campaign to undo the federal intervention will be left to the new Chief Minister, Paul Henderson. ___________________________________________________________________________________________ In the federal election on the weekend, Indigenous communities across the Northern Territory voted heavily in favour of Labor. They are now expecting the ALP to deliver on its promise of retaining the Indigenous work-for-the-dole scheme and permit system, and consulting more with Aboriginal people about the intervention. But some senior Labor figures say those reforms may take up to a year to put in place. As the mobile polling booths worked their way through 270 Indigenous communities, the focus of the federal intervention, locals lined up to clobber the Government. A senior ALP source says Labor got 88 per cent of the votes at the mobile polling booths. And in the community of Wadeye, where outgoing Indigenous affairs minister Mal Brough did so much work, the result was worse for the Coalition, with Labor taking almost 95 per cent of the vote. Liberals' urgingsDespite their defeat, both Mr Brough and outgoing prime minister John Howard specifically appealed on election night for Prime Minister-elect Kevin Rudd to keep the intervention. Mr Brough said the intervention would give Indigenous children a chance in life. "There's not a lot of things that make me emotional, but can I tell you, the work that we have started in the Northern Territory - and I hope that goes right throughout Australia - is going to give children a life," he said. "It's going to give them a chance. They are not going to have to put up with the things that people have just forgotten about and that is because of a Howard government." Mr Howard urged Labor to continue the intervention. "I hope that the new Government of this country maintains that intervention to the full because it's very important to the long-term benefit of the first Australians," he said. Mr Rudd has promised to the keep the Government's task force, but not without changes. The entry permit system for remote communities will be returned, with exceptions made for journalists and government contractors such as health workers. Most importantly, a system of consultation with Indigenous leaders will be created. Push to hasten reviewThe question now is, can those changes be made fast enough to keep communities happy? Even Labor's promised review of the intervention is not expected to take place until mid-2008. But Professor Mick Dodson has told Radio National he wants it sooner. "Mr Rudd has indicated five months ago that he would review it," he said. "It may be useful to bring his planned review forward rather than wait the 12-month period. "I understand it's... running into some difficulties. Perhaps it's time to assess and evaluate." While the Northern Territory Emergency Response Task Force waits for a new minister to be appointed, its work on the ground continues. CDEP 'vital'A senior Labor Party figure has told The World Today he will be watching the task force closely to see if it continues to move people off the Indigenous work-for-the-dole scheme, or Community Development Employment Project (CDEP). Another key Labor promise was to retain and reform CDEP, not just in the NT but across Australia - a task that is expected to take some time. The Labor Party's vice-president and Australia's first Indigenous state minister, Linda Burney, says the CDEP is vital. "The number of people working in health clinics, working in schools, working in national parks that were supported by CDEP was absolutely fundamental to pride and wellbeing and a sense of self worth, plus some really practical applications in terms of those workers and what they were doing in those communities," she said. Ms Burney says it is not up to her to say how soon Labor's intended changes should be implemented. "It will be the leader, the new Prime Minister Kevin Rudd. I just love saying that - the new Prime Minister Kevin Rudd," she said. "And it will be up to the parliamentary wing of the party to make those decisions. "The great thing is that what the new Prime Minister has at his fingertips is in fact some very knowledgeable and enthusiastic and absolutely willing Aboriginal people right across this country to work collaboratively and absolutely in consultation. "And I know that there's a commitment to that - to not only the Northern Territory and whether or not the intervention needs reforming, but actually a whole range of other really important Aboriginal issues right across this nation."
 Quote this article on your site | Views: 1009 | Print | E-mail
Powered by AkoComment Tweaked Special Edition v.1.4.6
AkoComment © Copyright 2004 by Arthur Konze - www.mamboportal.com
All right reserved |
