Federal NT intervention will cause more harm than good: new report
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The federal intervention into indigenous communities in the NT — started by the Howard government and continued under Rudd’s watch — is likely to cause more health problems than it fixes. That is the damning assessment of an exhaustive health impact assessment (HIA), due to be launched in Canberra today by the Australian Indigenous Doctors Association (AIDA). The long-awaited report calls for the government to reinstate the Racial Discrimination Act, to drop compulsory income management and to stop imposing external leadership on communities. It also concludes that the bans on alcohol and p-rnography are unlikely to work, and have the potential to cause long-term damage. The HIA was conducted jointly by AIDA and researchers from the Centre for Health Equity Training, Research and Evaluation at the University of NSW, and was funded by the Fred Hollows Foundation. It considers the likely impact of various elements of the NT Emergency Response (NTER) upon five dimensions of health: physical, psychological, social health and wellbeing, spirituality and cultural integrity. It is based upon an analysis of the relevant legislation and media announcements, consultations with four communities in 2008, experts’ reviews of the relevant evidence base from the health and social literature, and interviews with 21 key stakeholders, including government and NGO employees. Work began on the HIA in 2007 and it was completed in the middle of last year, but it has been released only after lengthy consultations with NT communities. HIAs are normally done before policy is implemented but there was no time for this with the hastily executed NTER. The document notes that some aspects of the intervention are likely to bring benefits. “It is likely that new investments in education, housing, and health care, for example, will make a contribution to improved physical health for some people,” it says. “However, the ways in which the NTER was introduced and is being implemented are likely to contribute to the continuation of the high “The HIA predicts that improvements in physical health may be outweighed by negative impacts on the psychological health, spirituality, and cultural integrity of a high proportion of the Aboriginal population in prescribed communities (and, arguably, in the NT). “The loss of trust in government will limit the ability of governments and communities to work together effectively in the future.” The document notes that throughout the HIA process, community members and stakeholders expressed “shock, frustration, shame and anger at the discriminatory, racist nature of the NTER”. “Many people had thought that the days in which governments would act in this way had passed, that their democratic rights as citizens of Australia were secure. The fact that the level of engagement in planning the NTER and its implementation was much lower than that which would be considered to be normal by all other citizens will have multiple negative, unintended impacts on the health and wellbeing of the residents of the prescribed communities and, more broadly on Aboriginal Australians across the country.” The AIDA president, associate professor Peter O’Mara, and the HIA steering committee chair, Dr Tamara Mackean, told Crikey they were hopeful the government would be open to refining its policies in response to their findings. How the government responds will say much about the implementation chances of one of the report’s central recommendations — the need for “respectful and significant engagement between governments, communities, professionals and leaders at all levels”. Former PM Malcolm Fraser made some pertinent points at the Sydney launch of his memoirs on Wednesday night. Asked what would help achieve progress in indigenous affairs, he nominated “respect”. He also noted that the current government has the same bureaucratic advisers as the previous one. |
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17 Comments
Rudd and Howard… mirror images on issues like this. It is a tragedy. When Rudd won, we had hoped for so much to change… and yet so little has….
But just maybe they will prove me wrong and change things in the light of this report.
(Anyone holding their breath on that expectation?… How long can we hold it for?)
I was going to vote ALP at the last election but my hand over ruled my head.
Thank heavens for that because we are still jailing children, treating aborigines like 10th class citizens in their own land, still torturing young unemployed kids (my grand-daughter who lives at home, has never had a full time job and has little ID was cut off 9 times until she stood her ground this week - she is just 19 years old), still killing Afghan civilians, still have soldiers in Iraq as guards for diplomats trying to get oil contracts and ripping people off over wheat, still don’t have a human rights charter - in other words, business as usual.
“How the government responds will say much about the implementation chances……”
Unfortunatley the chances are Buckley’s if the way the authorities have been responding lately to anything to do with remote Aboriginal Australia are anything to go by.
Only yesterday the National Welfare Rights Network issued a Media Release in which it expresses its alarm at the eroding of the Senate Committee Inquiry process by “…politically expedient partisan considerations.” They were referring to the Senate Inquiry into the “Landmark Reform to the Welfare System, Reinstatement of the Racial Discrimination Act and Strengthening of the Northern Territory Emergency Response”. That’s what they call it. Sounds pretty good n’est ce pas?
The hypocricy and oxymoronic deceit is beyond belief.
I’ll just give you one example (from the “Policy Statement’ provided to participants at the Senate Committee hearings):
“While the Government acknowledges that many people in communities want the road signs removed, it is necessary to retain some form of notification…..”
“… The Government nevertheless will work with the Northern Territory Government and individual communities to look at ways to make the road signs more acceptable to local people…”
A rose by any other name is still a rose.
Changing the wording isn’t going to change that these signs (“Restricted Area, No Alcohol, No Pornography”), are superfluos, stigmatising, offensive and gratuitous. These signs are the Intervention’s equivalent to a dog pissing on bushes to mark out its territory.
Malcolm Fraser’s comment is pertinent. Howard so bowdlerised the APS that they did whatever they were told, even when they knew it was a bad idea. When given a minister as useless as macklin they just plow right on. As much as it pains me to say it of a left woman, Jenny you should move on.
SBH - I agree!
SHEPHERDMARILYN - Me too! What’s happening with all the areas you’ve mentioned is worse than a disgrace - I’m most ashamed, particularly aboriginal people, asylum seekers, particularly children etc. That poor women on that boat in Indonesia is due to have her baby early next month, and there’s at least 30 little chn on that hell hole!
I used to be a member of the ALP - joined after Whitlam was sacked, but left when Hawke gave us the middle finger over that 3rd? uranium mine! That was it for me! After all the work done, mostly by women for yrs prior to me joining, and in one foul swoop he said, f**k you lot! He went against National Policy! I’d worked my butt of at each election, was a delegate to conferences etc, my in-laws kindly minded my kids on polling day etc! Disgusted! They’re worse now - no consultation with members these days! Just workers all!
I vote for The Greens first now in all levels of govt, and check out ‘good’ Independents too. I was glad to get rid of Howard; thought Rudd would be different, and I’m more than disappointed, devastated for all the reasons you outlined! It’s just worse than horrific!
JUNGARRAY - I’ve just heard where the policeman involved in the horrific death in Palm Island, Chris Hurley, has offered his sympathies to Doomadje’s family? How gross? 6 yrs too late I’d say! This so-called Inquiry is a sham. It’s as though the Qld Judiciary is saying, ‘we’ll keep on having inquiries until we get the right outcome’? one that vindicates the involvement of Hurley! Shameful! Then there’s the young aboriginal man who allegedly died due to lack of duty of care - he was only 18? His poor mother on the news last night, trembling and crying for her child - I’m a mother too, I was crying!
Jungarray, do you know how many people have actually been charged with any child assaults? I’ve heard, less than a handful. Did the numbers include those young people who are in love, but where the young woman is not 16 ( I know of one case, where the young man committed suicide, as he was harrassed, even though they were going to be married, and both families were very happy with their relationship?). How many white blokes? I understand that white truck drivers have been guilty of using young aboriginal girls as sex objects - even dyeing their hair! As you live in the NT, you may be able to clear this up! The media won’t cover this of course - ruins the justification for the invasion of their lives.
I’ve just heard about the Inquiry into the Navy, where allegations have been made, that young women recruits were forced into sex by senior officers? I call that rape! Will there now be an “intervention” into the Navy? Will those responsible be charged with sexual assault? Will the Army and AFP lead a motorcade onto each naval vessel? All males to give DNA? All young women counselled and subjected to medical ‘exams???’, and will the govt keep half of all the males incomes and force them to shop at certain designated stores? In each state?
It’s worse than disgraceful and pathetic. Richard Downs from the community that have walked off their land to a safer place(out of govt clutches) is guest speaker next month at a conference about an hr’s drive away - I’d like to go and listen to him and meet him! He and his community are getting lots of support from some Unions down south! Great isn’t it?
I enjoy reading your posts! Take care!
When Labor continued Howard’s Northern Intervention (racist) policy I wrote to the local Federal member I was going to vote Greens, for the first time in my life, instead of Labor. So I will continue to do.
I gave Hawke and co. the flick in 1987 when he sold us all out to Murdoch.
Kevin Rudd is a post-war clone of John Howard I cant believe that anyone could possibly not see this. Why continue with the intervention since its real purpose has been achieved. As far as I see it it was started with the purpose of kicking up a lot of dust and confusion during which the federal government was able to twist a few arms of people they had over barrells to find some aboriginal land in the Northern Territory to dump nuclear waste on. Simple really. If any aboriginals have been helped ( and many have ) then thats excellent but really that is just a by-product.
“If any aboriginals have been helped ( and many have ) then thats excellent but really that is just a by-product”. So succesful has the Brough/Howard-Macklin/Rudd propaganda barrage been, that even people that recognise the hidden agenda (land grab/unfettered exploitation of minerals/ progressing the potentially very lucrative nuclear waste industry- not to mention the final assimilationist neo-colonial push) believe that “many Aboriginals have been helped”.
THANECONNOLY… I live on a so called “Prescribed Area” under the Northern Territory Emergency Response and I can assure you that contrary to the spin emanating from Macklin and Snowdon’s offices any benefits resulting from the NTER (and there aren’t many) are more than offset by the serious damage to the social fabric of places like Yuendumu. The dissilutionment, the hurt (about the never retracted and oft repeated stigmatization that accompanied the roll-out of the NTER), compulsory blanket Income “Management” of welfare entitlements, offensive signs warning you are entering a “Prescribed Area, No Alcohol, No Pornography” implying that these are rife, a complete disempowerement and an obscene waste of money of virtually no benefit to the very people that the NTER was supposed to “help”.
The Gap that needs closing is the “rights gap” the “respect gap”. The Government talks about “forging a new partnership” with Indigenous Australia… it’s all empty words (as the Apology turned out to be in hindsight). A partnership is between equals. If the Racial Discrimination Act isn’t reinstated unconditionally such equality cannot exist.
jungarrayi - thaneconnolly - From what I’ve read and heard from people such as yourselves and Richard Downs from the NT, there’s been more damage done than people helped. My understanding is like yours, that people in communities have no say over their lives now. All the yrs spent by people demanding personal integrity and community integrity has been removed. The peoples’ opinion is neither sought nor allowed. I can only imagine how soul destroying that must be. As people say, ‘it’s like being on rations all over again’?
The withdrawal of the Racial Discrimination, together with resuming aboriginal land for 5 yrs is part of the Howard Govt Amendments to Native Title Act - in my view, the 5 yrs is for the applications for mining leases etc to be acted upon. The numbers of applications have increased from 180 a few yrs ago, to 400 in recent times. when this is coupled with the Nuclear Waste Dump, it’s very clear to see what’s going on, and it’s shameful. After 222 yrs, it’s war by another method! The 17 yr gap between life expectancy of indigenous and non-indigenous people is not going to improve, while successive govts continue their racist and paternalistic policies!
@Li45 - could not agree more with what you have said. I have voted Liberal, ALP and now the Greens - i am only 31. I come from a Liberal based family and would vote Liberal if i ever had to choose over the ALP.
Despite all of Abbotts short comings, I actually think that he truly wants to make a difference with our indigenous. I understand that for many years he has volunteered at various camps and is now pushing for the wild rivers amendment.
not expecting anyone to agree, but that is my very vague perception.
As reported by Dan Moss in the Centralian Advocate, Tony Abbott paid a visit to an Alice Springs “town camp” with an entourage of politicians and journalists (17 people in all). I have been told that this visit was unannounced and uninvited. They descended on and filmed an unfortunate amputee sitting in “third world conditions” (I saw it on the ABC TV News). Abbott gave him a spiel and asked him: “I’m here to help- what can I do?”
The fellow said he’d like some firewood! He didn’t mention a “Closing of the Gap” or a decent house, or a “real job”, none of that, just firewood! Dan Moss wrote: “Did Abbott go fetch firewood? No. He and the stage hands moved on to the next poor bugger to run the same spiel”
Call me cynical but the only difference he truly wants to make is to his rating in the polls.
That doesn’t mean the current spin doctors in power are any better or worse.
Looking out from within the lines on the maps (the compulsory aquired five year leases), someone like Senator Siewert (the Greens) is one of a minority of people that seem to genuinely care and more importantly understand what is going on.
Out here it isn’t compassion or charity or being patronised that is needed.
In the long term equal rights and status, dignity and respect are far more important than cargo cult houses and posessions. No more beads and mirrors and weasel words please!
“In Australia, our ways have mostly produced disaster for the Aboriginal people. I suspect that only when their right to be distinctive is accepted, will policy become creative”… Kim Beazley Sr.
NAPOLEON - If you’re right about Abbott re his past history with indigenous people, how come he allowed the intervention to take place? How come he didn’t visit during the 5 months before the ‘07 Election, and why hasn’t he furthered the argument for indigenous people to have dignity, autonomy and uphold their rights to land, culture etc?
Why hasn’t he screamed about the removal of the Racial Discrimination Act, and the injustice of quarantineing half their incomes and forcing them to pool money and pay hundreds of dollars in taxi fares to get to the designated limited stores(major supermarket chains? you know them - not in remote areas are they????) and back.
Why have the community stores closed down? Where’s the medical centres, and how many kids with chronic ear infections have been seen by a Specialist? How many indigenous men have been charged with sexual assault? How many white men, who allegedly use aboriginal girls as sex slaves have been charged?
Howard had photo ops with indigenous people too. He had meetings with aboriginal women re domestic violence, and once the TV cameras were turned off, guess what happened? How would you feel if your daily life was reduced to living like a slave for rations or a paltry pension on land that was taken for mining or ???????????
NAPOLEON - Prior to the Little Children Are Sacred Report(undertaken by the NT incidently, not the Federal govt?) there were 12 prior reports. Howard ignored them all! In fact, the Intervention was, in my view(and many others) organised to take over indigenous land, as the numbers of applications for mining etc had increased from 180 to 400! That’s the secret ‘ingredient’ in my view - nothing to do with protecting kids! They don’t give a s**t about the kids! Just in the way! Why are they removing aboriginal people from the camps that govts forced on them, on the pretence of new housing? How many houses have been built since June ‘07? Why remove everything that they’ve fought for over the yrs, including more autonomy? Because it gets in the way of the main game? Money, resources, mining, a nuclear waste dump etc.On and on it goes!
Neither Labor, Liberal and certainly not the Nationals give stuff about the lives of aboriginal people. That is a fact! More importantly, aboriginal people know it’s a fact! Sickening, absolutely sickening! Money and who makes it is the priority. Resources, where they are and how to get at them with the least amount of cost (to those with the money of course) is what it’s about!
NAPOLEON - Ask this question. IF the past govts and this one were really interested in the life expectancy gap etc why are indigenous people living in abject poverty after yrs of the mining of resources on their lands? Where did the royalties go? How many aboriginal people were employed? If white kids living in remote areas are educted by School of the Air or its equivalent, why are aboriginal kids in remote areas not as important? Why the make shift schools or no schools at all? Too many questions unanswered by many govts for too many yrs. I thought Rudd was going to be different - he’s not! And Abbott won’t either!Why? He doesn’t give a s**t! That’s why!
JUNGARRAY - You’re absolutely right! I’m not an aboriginal person either, but it’s pretty clear what the priorities are and have been for decades. As far as I can see, aboriginal people are going backwards, and what Kim Beazley Snr said is so true! In a rich country like this one, particularly when a lot of those riches came from aboriginal labour and land, it’s a disgrace. We should all be ashamed - I know I am, and damned angry. The Greens are the only ones who have the will to change the racist attitudes/policies etc - I’ll be voting for them next time, as I have for several yrs now!