Northern Territory Emergency Reponse
Community Safety
This is a key focus of the NTER, following the Little Children are Sacred report and the Government’s concern for the safety and wellbeing of children.
Family violence and child protection issues are complex as they are bound up with health issues, including alcohol and substance abuse, and socio-economic and environmental conditions as well as law and order challenges.
The Budget provides for the continuation of interrelated measures which together will improve community safety.
Through the Family Support Package ($9.8 million in 2008-09) families and children in 22 remote communities will continue to receive support and assistance from a local Aboriginal family and community worker and/or a safe house. A mobile child protection team based in Darwin will provide outreach services to families in remote communities.
To support the maintenance of law and order in remote communities, the Government provided $18.5 million in February for the deployment of 66 extra police from the Australian Federal Police and $3.9 million to support night patrol services.
To complement this commitment the Budget provides $29.3 million to continue the operation of night patrols, support the deployment of the 66 additional police, and support activities linked to the new alcohol and pornography laws in the Northern Territory.
Further youth alcohol diversion projects will be funded ($9.5 million in 2008-09) to reduce substance abuse among Aboriginal young people aged 12 to 18. Safe and healthy activities as an alternative to drinking and other substance abuse will provide positive experiences in areas such as the arts, sport and youth leadership. The activities will also promote school attendance and pathways to training and employment.
The National Indigenous Violence and Child Abuse Intelligence Taskforce is undertaking targeted intelligence operations relating to child abuse violence within Indigenous communities in the Northern Territory. These activities will continue with funding of $4.2 million in 2008-09. Intelligence will be provided to the Northern Territory Police to assist their investigations and prosecutions against the perpetrators of these crimes.
The Budget also provides $2.8 million in 2008-09 to Indigenous Legal Aid and interpreter services to meet the increased demand generated by the implementation of particular NTER measures.