$842m funding package to strengthen remote services in the Territory

The Federal and Northern Territory Governments are strengthening critical service delivery for remote First Nations communities in the Territory, with eight new funding agreements.

The funding features some of the strongest ever transparency mechanisms to lift accountability and ensure remote communities directly benefit from the landmark partnership between the two governments and Aboriginal Peak Organisations Northern Territory.

The Federal Government is to invest $842.6 million over six years to strengthen remote services supporting families, wellbeing and community safety.

The investment includes:

• $205.8 million to strengthen cultural-responsiveness and increase the delivery of remote policing activities, ensuring safer communities.
• $135.9 million to expand and deliver up to 12 new Child and Family Centres and increase support for 19 remote women’s safe spaces.
• $89.2 million to strengthen early learning, improve school readiness and build strong foundations for lifelong learning and opportunity.
• $76 million to enable First Nations communities to lead local solutions that reduce alcohol-related harm.
• $55 million to expand Aboriginal Interpreter Services to improve access to services, including health and justice.
• $50.5 million to support the delivery of integrated, coordinated and culturally safe oral and hearing health services for children.
• $33 million to support improved outcomes for children in remote non-government schools, including attendance, attainment and engagement outcomes, and to support the development of the First Nations education workforce.
• $8.4 million to support the development and implementation of a Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning Framework.

These services are critical to making progress on the outcomes under the National Agreement on Closing the Gap and will also support continuity for more than 570 jobs, including 278 First Nations jobs.

“The National Agreement on Closing the Gap makes clear that all levels of government must step up. The partnership model puts stronger expectations on the NT Government and the Commonwealth to deliver outcomes our communities can see and feel,” Minister for Indigenous Australians, Senator Malarndirri McCarthy said.

Each new NTRAI funding agreement has been developed through shared decision making and a genuine partnership process with the NT Government and our First Nations partner, Aboriginal Peak Organisations Northern Territory.

Additional new funding agreements for place-based community and economic development, mediation and peacemaking activities, and Aboriginal Law and Justice Groups are expected to be finalised over the coming months.

Northern Territory Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro said community safety continued to be the number one priority for the Northern Territory Government.

“We welcome the renewed funding commitment, including $205 million for remote policing, which will help deliver safer communities across the Territory,” she said.

“Strengthening essential services in remote areas, particularly policing, education and healthcare, is critical to supporting Aboriginal communities and creating safer, stronger futures.”

Aboriginal Peak Organisations Northern Territory Convenor, Theresa Roe said the funding was critical to providing important services to remote communities in the Northern Territory.

“More importantly though, these services are being designed, monitored and evaluated in partnership with Aboriginal people and the key organisations that represent them.

“This ensures that Aboriginal people have a say in what are the priorities for Aboriginal people, rather than government.”

Special Envoy for Remote Communities, Marion Scrymgour said that without wrap-around investment in remote communities, “we will not see substantive change for the Northern Territory. Our remote communities face unique and systemic challenges, and all levels of governments must come together to address them.”