Appendix 7 - Major themes from community consultations
Community consultation involved large and small community meetings, often divided between men and women and discussions with community-based organisations.
While there were diverse community views, both positive and negative, about specific NTER measures, the universal application of the NTER without consultation and the suspension of the Racial Discrimination Act 1975 caused resentment which was still being felt by many Aboriginal people.
People said that they felt confused and that the Intervention was 'too big, too quick and not understood'. Most people said that communities and government should work together to achieve common aims. In many cases people felt the government ignored their own efforts to address social problems.
Welfare reform and employment
Income management dominated community consultations with people highlighting benefits of having money for children, more food and better stores. In some places people linked income management to a reduction in drinking, gambling and fighting.
However, in most communities people opposed compulsory income management suggesting that it should be voluntary for people wanting to stay on it and targeted to people who abuse and neglect children.
People told many stories of negative unintended consequences: embarrassment in supermarkets, frustration in dealing with Centrelink and the impacts of reduced spending on mobility and daily life.
Community members welcomed action to generate additional jobs. However, people told of their confusion and concern about how this linked to the removal of CDEP. The subsequent arrangements under which CDEP was being reinstated were also not well understood.
In almost all communities the Board heard broad criticisms about the Work for the Dole program, the Job Network system and the role of the Community Employment Brokers (CEBs) to coordinate the placement of people into jobs. The CEBs were often seen as potentially useful resources that were not yet targeted effectively.
Law and order
A common view was that increased police in communities was a positive outcome of the Intervention, and that additional police were necessary. People felt strongly that police should be part of the community and understand the importance of culture, language and traditional authority. People believe that greater emphasis should be placed on community policing.
Many people spoke about the importance of night patrols and their potential role in community policing but also raised concerns about the capacity of local government shires to manage them, and the need for them to be community led.
In many communities people thought that the NTER had reduced alcohol abuse although many also said that cannabis use had increased. In a number of other communities people felt that the Intervention had made little difference to alcohol and drug use. In most communities people also stressed the importance of their own efforts in dealing with drugs and alcohol and supported alcohol management plans as an important part of addressing these issues.
Many people highlighted the offensive nature of the NTER signs referring to alcohol and pornography prohibition on prescribed land and felt that it labelled 'Aboriginal people as alcoholics and paedophiles' and strongly urged that the wording of these signs be changed in consultation with communities.
Enhancing education
People told of desperation about education and the role of schools. Many, particularly older people, felt that the situation had gone backwards in recent years and that there had been a decline in community involvement in schools, especially the number of Aboriginal people employed as teachers.
People spoke of the constant turnover of teaching staff and the growing disconnection of schools with communities. Some people talked about making schools relevant by including culture and language in the curriculum.
There was general support for the school nutrition program although concerns were raised about the cost of parental contribution, its management and the quality of food.
Some communities emphasised the importance of having pre-schools as a means of preparing children for primary school. Some people also noted specifically the critical importance of comprehensive early childhood development programs, in this context.
Almost all communities said that the Intervention had not had a noticeable impact on raising school attendance.
Supporting families
Frequent questions were raised about government commitment on the key issue of the intervention, the safety and wellbeing of children. People expressed frustration over lack of community involvement in government initiatives and knew little about them.
Of particular concern was the installation of several safe houses without consultation or involvement in their design or how they would be used. In some communities, women said the current design was inappropriate and that they were unlikely to be used in that form.
There was wide recognition by communities that neglect and abuse of children is a serious concern.
Child health check ups
While most in communities said they supported the child health checks the Board heard many stories of duplication and an inefficient use of resources because of lack of collaboration with health services and clinics based in communities.
While community-based health clinics said that the health checks didn't find much more than was already known, the commitment for follow-up treatment is seen as generally positive. Some people expressed frustration, however, that much of the committed follow-up treatment has not occurred to date.
Five-year leases and housing
It was said in some communities that the compulsory five-year lease acquisition exacerbated feelings of disempowerment. People were unhappy that this could happen without consultation.
Housing is a serious concern that was raised in every community meeting. Most houses are overcrowded and in shocking states of disrepair and many people complained about paying rent for houses that are basically unlivable.
People did not generally understand the link between new housing and infrastructure and land reform and there was criticism of government failure to properly explain its policy objectives about this.
Coordination
People in almost all communities talked about the scale of reform that they were experiencing and the coincidence of the Intervention with the abolition of community councils and establishment of a new local government regime.
In this context Government Business Managers (GBMs) were generally seen as important, although their role was not always fully understood. There were some diverse views about GBMs, both negative and positive, which related to the differing capacities of the individuals involved.
There was extensive comment in communities about the lack of coordination across locally based professional staff. Between the GBMs, Community Employment Brokers and shire service managers, there is not a clear point of authority or coordination. A number of Aboriginal people pointed to this as an issue that needed to be addressed to more effectively support their community's development.