1. Lack of Consultation
As stated, CAYLUS was a nationally recognised leader in the prevention of substance abuse. Our work directly lead to the remote communities being substantially safer places for children through the virtual elimination of petrol sniffing and the promotion of youth development programs on the ground in the communities. We operate on a community development model which results in partnerships with remote Indigenous communities in addressing issues of child welfare and safety and the increase of local capacity to provide services to youth : our victories are shared with Indigenous stakeholders because the communities are involved with the plans to change their environment for the better. Our independent reviews commissioned by our funding body comment on the broadbased support we have achieved in the region. As such, we expected some level of consultation with the NTER, whose objective was so similar to our own, and who may have been expected to want to learn from our outstanding success. This was not the case.
We arranged a meeting with Dr Sue Gordon AM, one of the heads of the NTER, at which we outlined our project and gave costings to roll out the youth development programs we knew would improve the environment for youth in the post-Opal remote communities. We had a model that we knew worked, and had costed the infrastructure needed in each of the communities in which we worked. We estimated $11 million was needed for infrastructure, plus an increase in the existing funding available to run the operation of these programs – approx $1 million per year above what was already being provided in the region. The submission is attached to this document. The NTER took no action in relation to this costing, and we are still attempting to get this crucial infrastructure funding. We estimate that these needs would have been fully met with 1% of the funding allocated to the NTER, and would have had a long-term positive effect on the safety and opportunities of the children, which is what the Intervention was all about.
We are heartened by the new directions outlined in relation to the NTER,
and especially the part of the Apology in which the PM stated a commitment
to developing local answers to problems. We respectfully suggest that improved
communication with stakeholders such as CAYLUS would improve the chance of
any further work in this region succeeding. There are issues specific to this
region that are inherent in the population demographic : the NT will soon
be 50% Indigenous. There are cultural and historic factors that make this
region a minefield for people who do not have the experience to work within
these circumstances. There are also opportunities that inexperienced players
will not realise.
While there was some truth in the opinion that excessive consultation was
one of the problems that hindered governmental action in the past, the NTER
went too far the other way into immediate action. This urgency may have been
caused by the political imperative of the impending federal election, but
the reality on the ground is that the situation is urgent, and the NTER is
the best chance to finally fix up the problems that plague this region, most
of which have a political solution through funding appropriate services at
reasonable levels, and enacting appropriate legislation especially in relation
to targeted income management and alcohol supply issues. We and other services
are keen to work with the NTER if it can be redirected into an initiative
that can enact the PM’s vision of local consultation, and believe we
have the local knowledge and experience to be able to make a real contribution
to finally fixing these problems.