Aboriginal affairs plan launched as NT goes backwards
The Northern Territory government has launched a three-year Aboriginal affairs framework as the NT records the worst performance nationally on several Closing the Gap targets. Leading Indigenous organisations say they were not properly consulted before the plan was released.
The framework was released quietly last month and was been described as “the Country Liberal Party (CLP) government’s approach to Aboriginal affairs”. It aligned six stated “priorities” with the CLP’s three pillars for this term — reducing crime, rebuilding the economy and restoring the territory lifestyle.
Key Points
- NT releases three-year Aboriginal affairs framework via press release
- Framework aligns six priorities with CLP pillars of government
- NT going backwards on seven of 19 Closing the Gap targets
- Indigenous leaders say they were not properly consulted
- CLP ends treaty process and halts future LDM negotiations
- Government proposes restoring community councils abolished in 2008
Aboriginal Affairs Minister Steve Edgington said the document was intended to drive better outcomes. He described it as designed to integrate Aboriginal affairs across agencies and guide departments on “how to consider and integrate Aboriginal affairs in the delivery of its core business”.
The government says six priorities will guide the next three years:
- Creating safer communities
- Empowering bush communities
- Creating jobs and business on country
- Boosting health, wellbeing and culture
- Building community foundations
- Developing skills for the future
The framework’s release coincides with the NT going backwards on seven of 19 Closing the Gap targets — the worst performance of any jurisdiction — including in imprisonment and youth detention. The government maintains the framework is a “guide” for agencies and says delivering its key focus areas will improve Closing the Gap outcomes over time.
Despite the framework’s emphasis on shared decision-making, leading Indigenous organisations say they were not properly consulted before the plan was published. Northern Land Council (NLC) chair Matthew Ryan said he was told about it late in the process and criticised the approach.
Mr Ryan said communities want a “community-led and community-driven” framework and called for better consultation. He said he needs to present the document to the full NLC council so members can become familiar with it.
Leeanne Caton, a director of the Aboriginal Peak Organisations of the Northern Territory, said the framework was “disappointing” and lacked detail. She said that is “what you get” when a document is written by people without lived experience or who do not want to consult with Aboriginal people. Although critical of the overall plan, Ms Caton said restoring community councils could be positive if properly resourced.
She said the abolition of community councils in 2008 “took away any kind of economic development” in remote communities, with “jobs and equipment” that supported local income generation being lost. Ms Caton also warned that revenue-raising assets shifted to regional councils in 2008 may no longer be useful and “may not even” be returned to new community councils.
Mr Ryan said some, but not all, communities want community councils restored, and he called for “better investment” and a “better funding model” to support any changes.
Government response
In response to criticism about a lack of consultation, Mr Edgington said the government had taken the framework to the NT Executive Council on Aboriginal Affairs. He maintains the approach is intended to improve outcomes for Indigenous people in the NT by aligning departmental work with the framework’s priorities.
