Ampilatwatja Community Health Centre
What is working?
- More police available closer to the community I work in
What isn’t working?
- One size fits all approach by OASTIH.
- Alcohol free, stable communities being subjected to the same conditions as others with more social problems
- Too many government staff coming for quick visits to communities.
- Community members not being listened to.
- Aboriginal & Non Aboriginal people who have worked in communities for years not being listened to.
- Quarantining of welfare.
- 5 year leases.
- Burocrats & paper work
How is each NTER measure performing and how should each be taken forward?
- Child Health checks There has been a huge waste of resources collecting information that was already known–resources should be put into local health centres to provide sustainable improvements vs fly in fly out model
- Many inexperienced health staff have been recruited by NTER at great expense & achieved nothing to benefit the local people.
- Quarantining of welfare. This is discriminatory & disempowering for Aboriginal people.The local community shop has not improved since the intervention’
What progress has there been in improving the safety and well –being of Indigenous children?
- Money for school meals for children
- More teachers
Will the suite of measures deliver the intended results?
- No unless local people are consulted more & actually listened to & the is a sustained in put of resources
Have there been any unintended consequences?
- Yes. Aboriginal people are feeling powerless & feel they have been pushed back into the Mission Days again.
Will the NTER lay the basis for a sustainable and better future for residents of remote communities and town camps in the NT?
- Not unless the residents are listened to.
What alternative measures should be considered?
- Build on what is already in communities.
- Housing ,housing ,housing for Aboriginal people & others working in communities
Are there other ways of working that would better address the circumstances facing remote communities and town camps?
- Grass roots workers & community members being listened
Dr Ros Vaughan
Clinic Doctor
Ampilatwatja Community Health Centre