The Hon Jay Weatherill MP
As Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation in South Australia, I submit the following feedback into the review of the Northern Territory Emergency Response.
I have received input from the South Australian Aboriginal Advisory Council, a body established to provide high-level advice to Government, in developing this submission.
The information available in respect to the impact is mainly anecdotal but comes from a range of sources including service providers.
The Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands in South Australia borders the Northern Territory. The people who live in the APY Lands and those in the neighbouring NT communities are mobile across this area and the wider region. Therefore the Emergency Response has had an impact in South Australia, not only on the APY Lands but also in other remote areas such as Coober Pedy, Ceduna and Port Augusta. There has been a noticeable number of Anangu travelling to regional areas, in particular Coober Pedy and Ceduna: in addition some Anangu have moved to Adelaide.
The quarantining of income has probably accelerated the movement of people from the Northern Territory into South Australia. Centrelink has informally reported an increase in people making enquiries at South Australian regional offices trying to get their payments changed to avoid their benefits being quarantined. When these people move to South Australia they often rely on the support of family members who are culturally obliged to help them. This can create significant difficulties for families already living on limited incomes.
The influx of people into regional towns appears to have resulted in an increase in drug and alcohol related problems including antisocial behaviour and violence against women. In addition there are child protection issues in respect to the children and a lack of adequate housing on the APY Lands or in regional towns for them.
In summary the Northern Territory Emergency Response has had an unintended consequence in the movement of people from the Northern Territory to South Australia. This influx has had an impact on the demands for housing, health, child protection, welfare, justice and other services in South Australia: this impact is likely to continue into the future.
The Commonwealth Government must consider these unintended consequences in respect to the Emergency Response and support the South Australian Government in responding to them.