Closing the Gap in the Northern Territory Monitoring Report - January to June 2010

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Closing the Gap in the Northern Territory Monitoring Report - Part One

Monitoring Report: January - June 2010

• Whole of Government Monitoring Report
• 1. Background
• 2. NTER Measures
• 3. Key Information
• Evaluations and Reports
• Looking Forward

Whole of Government Monitoring Report

Report Structure

This Closing the Gap in the Northern Territory (previously the Northern Territory Emergency Response) Monitoring Report provides an analysis of data captured between 1 January and 30 June 2010. However, in many instances information is provided for the entire period 1 July 2007 to 30 June 2010.

The monitoring report has two parts.

Part One

Part I of this report includes the following elements:

• Background on the Northern Territory Emergency Response (NTER) including the National Partnership Agreement, Closing the Gap in the NT.
• An overview of the NTER redesign process
• An outline of the evaluation and monitoring of the NTER
• An outline of the NTER measures
• Key points from this report

Part Two

Part Two of the Monitoring Report brings together information against each measure and includes achievements and progress to date against targets and/or milestones. It also includes what has not been achieved and any ‘lessons learned’ or impacts.

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1. Background

The Northern Territory Emergency Response (NTER) was announced by the previous Australian Government in June 2007 in response to reports of abuse and neglect of children outlined in the Ampe Akelyernemane Meke Mekarle “Little Children are Sacred”1 report.

The present Government takes the view that Indigenous children are entitled to the same level of protection and support as other children in our society.

The NTER has a wide range of measures that are primarily designed to:

• protect children and make communities safe, and
• create a better future for Indigenous people in the Northern Territory

The Australian Government has publicly committed to continuing and strengthening the NTER to ensure the protection of women and children, reduce alcohol fuelled violence and promote personal responsibility and positive community norms in Indigenous communities. The legislated period of the NTER is five years.

Closing the Gap in the Northern Territory National Partnership Agreement

The Closing the Gap in the NT National Partnership Agreement provides for the continuation until 30 June 2012 of a number of measures commenced in 2007 under the Northern Territory Emergency Response (NTER) and relevant legislation.

The agreement transitions the NTER to a three year development phase to build on and enhance existing measures. It maintains and strengthens core NTER measures while placing a greater emphasis on community engagement and partnerships, and building capability and leadership within Indigenous communities.

The objectives of the agreement are to:

• Ensure the protection of women and children
• Reduce violence and improve family and community safety including through restrictions of alcohol and pornography, enhancing compliance and community education
• Improve the quality of education, increase school participation and employment outcomes
• Improve health and wellbeing, particularly that of children
• Promote positive behaviours among Indigenous youth
• Promote personal responsibility

In light of the Closing the Gap in the Northern Territory National Partnership, and the subsequent budget measures, the Closing the Gap in the Northern Territory Monitoring Report has been reviewed and reorganized under the Council Of Australian Governments (COAG) Building Blocks:

• Early Childhood
• Schooling
• Health
• Economic Participation
• Safe Communities
• Governance and Leadership

The Strategic Indigenous Housing and Infrastructure Program (SIHIP) was not a measure under the NTER or Closing the Gap in the Northern Territory National Partnership and is not covered in this report. Although land tenure is a measure under the NTER, the Healthy Homes building block is not included in this report.

The Redesign of the NTER

The Social Security and Other Legislation (Welfare Reform and Reinstatement of the Racial Discrimination Act) Bill 2009 was passed by the Parliament on 21 June 2010.

This legislation repeals all provisions in the NTER legislation that suspended the operation of the Racial Discrimination Act 1975 (RDA) in relation to the NTER.

The legislation introduced a new non-discriminatory income management scheme that will apply to targeted categories of disengaged and disadvantaged welfare recipients in urban, regional and remote areas of the Northern Territory. People in these categories can apply for exemption from income management if they are full-time students, people with a sustained history of workforce participation, or parents who can demonstrate proper care and education of their children. There is also a new provision for people to volunteer for income management and to be paid a matched savings grant. The new model of income management will be carefully evaluated and this will guide the next steps in a progressive roll out to other disadvantaged locations across Australia. Other NTER measures have been redesigned to improve them and make them sustainable in the long term.

The RDA applies to the new non-discriminatory income management scheme from when it came into effect on 1 July 2010, and will be fully restored for all other measures from 31 December 2010 once transitional arrangements are finalised and the reforms have been implemented.

New Income Management

Looking Forward - New Income Management

Income management was first introduced in 2007 as part of the Northern Territory Emergency Response (NTER). Until the introduction of the new, non-discriminatory model, income management only affected people in receipt of income support or family assistance payments who lived in 73 prescribed communities, their associated outstations, or any of the 10 prescribed town camp regions of the Northern Territory.

The new income management model extends income management to people across all urban, regional and remote areas of the Northern Territory who have the greatest need for support, including those with a high risk of social isolation, poor money management skills, and those likely to participate in risky behaviours.

Implementation of the new scheme commenced in the Barkly region on 9 August 2010. Alice Springs, Katherine, East Arnhem land and other outback areas in Zone 2 commenced on 30 August 2010, the remaining outback areas zones commenced on 20 September 2010 and Darwin and Palmerston on 4 October 2010.

The rollout involves the transition of eligible NTER income management customers to the new scheme, the exit of NTER customers who are not eligible for the new scheme and the commencement of new income management arrangements for eligible customers who have not previously been affected, including urban residents.

The proportion of a person’s government payment(s) that is income managed is generally 50%, but rises to 70% in cases where a child protection issue is involved.

Under the new model, child protection income management can now be used as an additional tool in the management of child neglect. Under this measure, Northern Territory child protection workers will: determine whether or not income management would be helpful to a particular individual/family; make a referral to Centrelink to income manage an individual/family; and then, determine how long the child protection income management is to be applied within a range of three to 12 months.

A person who is income managed may use their income managed funds for items such as housing, food, clothing, utilities and other items defined as priority needs, but not for excluded items, such as alcohol, tobacco, gambling or pornography.

Income management measures are not designed to be punitive, but to positively provide structure and support to those who need it. The new scheme targets people who are likely to benefit from income management. Parents with children can qualify for an exemption by demonstrating responsible parenting activities, such as regular child health checks and immunisations, and participation by their child in age appropriate, social, learning or physical activities. Exemptions for people without children are based on a demonstrated record of, or participation in, employment and study.

To provide greater support to people who are income managed, the Government has allocated over $50 million to expand financial literacy initiatives, as part of the income management model. This includes access to matched savings incentives, financial counselling and other money management services.

Evaluation and Monitoring of the NTER

Monitoring

Much of the data in this Monitoring Report necessarily focuses on output measures such as increased police presence. The report also goes beyond this to look at the incidence of reported crime. However, these data are limited because crime may be under-reported and because factors such as increasing the number of police can result in an increase in reported crime. The actual incidence of crime may have remained unchanged or may have fallen.

While policy interventions designed to improve the operation of communities can have a significant immediate effect, this is the exception rather than the rule. It will take a concerted multi-year effort to achieve significant lasting change. While it is generally difficult to report on outcomes in this early stage, some outcome data, such as number of jobs created under the Jobs Package in communities, are included in this report.

Evaluation

The Closing the Gap in the NT National Partnership Agreement commits the Australian and NT Governments to jointly evaluate the programs and services under the agreement in 2011-12.

A draft Evaluation Strategy was prepared at the end of 2007 following the announcement of the NTER to guide monitoring, reporting and research for the evaluation. The draft strategy has been reviewed in light of the expanded focus of the National Partnership. The draft strategy includes several elements designed to provide an incremental evidence base relating to the short, medium and long term effects of the NTER.

Under the Evaluation Strategy:

• Surveys of Government Business Managers are undertaken annually.
• Departments are responsible for evaluation of individual measures, (such as primary health care expansion or income management) and information from these separate studies will be included in the NTER evaluation over the life of the National Partnership
• Impact studies of places, from a sample of NTER communities, are planned for 2010 and 2011. An approach is being developed involving participatory research methods to engage local people in a two-way research partnership
• An independent outcome evaluation will be undertaken in 2011-12 to examine the effectiveness of the NTER in improving the protection of vulnerable children and to examine the achievement of the objectives documented in the Closing the Gap in the Northern Territory National Partnership

1. Ampe Akelyernemane Meke Mekarle “Little Children are Sacred” Report of the Northern Territory Board of Inquiry into the Protection of Aboriginal Children from Sexual Abuse, 2007 ttp://www.inquirysaac.nt.gov.au/pdf/bipacsa_final_report.pdf

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2. NTER Measures

Table 1: NTER Measures by Portfolio

Measure	Lead Commonwealth Portfolio
Improving Child and Family Health	Department of Health and Ageing
Enhancing Education	Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations
Supporting Families	Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations
Promoting Law and Order	Attorney-General’s Department
Land Tenure	Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs
Welfare Reform and Employment	Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs
Coordination	Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs Ombudsman’s Office

The full suite of NTER measures have been implemented progressively in the prescribed areas specified in the Northern Territory National Emergency Response Act 2007 (NTNER Act). These areas generally have more than 100 residents and are known as the NTER communities.2  Some of the critical and sensitive measures, such as the introduction of income management under the Welfare and Employment Reform measure, apply to smaller communities such as outstations and town camps in the prescribed areas. Prescribed areas include all Aboriginal land granted under the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act 1976.

2. The term ‘community’ is commonly used to refer to the Indigenous communities in the Northern Territory that are located within the NTER areas in which the NTER measures apply.

3. Key Information 3

Early Childhood

Childcare:

Location Supported Playgroups:Between 1 January and 30 June 2010, 137 children, 2 youth and 119 parents/caregivers participated in Locational Supported Playgroups (LSP); Yuendumu delivered 34 playgroup sessions; Numbulwar delivered 69 sessions across 3 locations and Lajamanu delivered 12 sessions. Milingimbi delivered 44 sessions in 3 locations.

Intensive Support Playgroups: Between 1 January and 30 June 2010, 201 children and 159 parents/caregivers participated in two Intensive Support Playgroups (ISP).

• 89 parents/carers, and 105 children participated in the ISP in the Katherine communities of Kalano, Binjari, and Rockhole
• 70 parents/caregivers and 96 children participated in an Intensive Support Playgroup in Tennant Creek.

In June 2010 a Service Provider was funded to provide an Intensive Support Playgroup in Borroloola under Closing the Gap in the Northern Territory.

NT Crèches: The Government committed to construct 9 new crèches and upgrade 13 existing crèches under the NTER. As of 30 June 2010:

• Seven new crèches are operational: Milikapiti, Peppimenarti, Robinson River, Areyonga, Docker River, Papunya and Yarralin. Work is underway on a new crèche at Timber Creek
• 11 of the 13 crèche upgrades have been completed in: Ntaria, Nyirripi, Santa Teresa, Gunbalanya, Borroloola, Maningrida, Minjilang, Minyerri, Gapuwiyak, Wugularr and Atitjere. Work at Pirlangimpi and Warruwi is underway.

Parenting Programs:

Let’s Start Program: Between 1 January to 30 June 2010, 12 parents/caregivers and 9 children participated in the Let’s Start program.

Core of Life Program: Between 1 January to 30 June 2010, 65 parents/caregivers, 50 children aged 0 to 12 years and 79 youth were assisted by the Core of Life program.

Families as First Teachers Program: On 25 May 2010 an MOU was signed with the NT Government to provide 18 Indigenous Parenting Support Services under the NT Governments Families as First Teachers (FaFT) program. The following 7 FaFT sites are planned to be operational by January 2011: Borroloola, Gapuwiyak, Gunbalanya, Ngukurr, Wadeye, Yirrkala and Yuendumu. The others are all operational as of 30 June 2010, these include: Ali-Curung, Angurugu, Galiwin’ku, Lajamanu, Maningrida, Milingimbi, Nguiu, Ntaria/Hermannsburg, Numbulwar, Raminining and Umbakumba.

Qualified early childhood professionals work with Indigenous family liaison officers to develop place based family support programs developed in relation to identified community needs which value add to community cultural, social and physical assets.

The Families as First Teachers program is a strengths based approach which supports families in a holistic manner to give their children the best possible start in life. Partnerships with health, shires, schools and other agencies are critical for the delivery of integrated family services.

 

Schooling

School attendance: The average attendance rate for schools in the NTER communities was 60.7% in June 2010. The average school attendance rate in June 2008 was 59.6%.

School Nutrition Program: As at 30 June 2010, 69 schools (64 Government, five non-government) servicing the 73 prescribed communities were supported by the School Nutrition Program. In the period January to June 2010:

• An estimated 2,994 breakfasts and 4,177 lunches were provided each school day (7,171 meals in total)
• Over 200 people were directly employed by the SNP program in meals delivery, of whom 161 (78%) are local Indigenous people.

Teaching Staff: As at 30 June 2010, 141.5 additional full-time equivalent teachers have been funded by the Commonwealth and deployed by NT education providers. This comprises:

• 127.5 teachers deployed by NT Department of Education and Training (DET)
• 12 teachers deployed by NT Catholic Education Office
• 2 teachers deployed by NT Independent Schools.

Teacher Housing: The Commonwealth and the Northern Territory Governments have committed funding to build up to 50 additional houses for teachers in the Northern Territory. To date, 20 Northern Territory Department of Education and Training houses have been completed, 7 houses are near complete and 8 houses are up to 70% complete.

• In addition, the Catholic Education Office will build four houses in Wadeye, Nguiu and Santa Teresa.
• This is in addition to the Commonwealth's existing commitment to build up to 10 new houses for teachers in Wadeye.

Quality Teaching Package and Enhancing Literacy: In addition to undertaking the Northern Territory Emergency Response to Closing the Gap National Partnership transition processes, the following progress has been achieved for the period 1 January to 30 June 2010:

• Schools in 7 communities are delivering VET in the Middle programs
• Commencement of Inclusive Leadership model trials (cultural advisors, community mentors) in thirteen schools. Leadership and coaching programs have been held for remote school staff
• 20 Indigneous teachers working in remote Catholic schools are undertaking their four year teaching qualifications, with an additional 5 teachers graduating. 12 Assistant Teachers from Ramingining and Yirrkala are participating in the Diploma of Education
• 10 on-site literacy and numeracy coaches have been employed across the Arnhem, Barkly, Katherine, Palmerston and Alice Springs regions.

Health

Expanding Health Service Delivery Initiative: From 1 January to 30 June 2010:

• 202 new primary health care service positions were continued or established within the NT
• A unit was continued within the Aboriginal Medical Services Alliance NT to manage the community engagement, administration and logistics requirements of the work towards regionalisation of health services
• Hub services were continued in the areas of chronic disease and health promotion, and expanded to include hearing health and audiology services
• $2.8m was provided to establish the NT Continuous Quality Improvement framework across all 14 Health Service Delivery Areas
• $5.5m was provided to address immediate capital and infrastructure requirements including priority maintenance and upgrade of remote health staff housing and health clinics in 32 locations identified.

Remote Area Health Corps: In the period 1 January to 30 June 2010, the Commonwealth provided funding to the Remote Area Health Corps (RAHC) to place 205 health professionals throughout the NT on short to medium-term placements – 22 general practitioners, 109 nurses, 25 allied health professionals and 49 dental personnel. The contract with Aspen Medical has been extended to continue the operations of RAHC for 2010-11.

Child Health Services: From 1 January to 30 June 2010:

• 1,212 audiology checks were conducted and 1,005 children received audiology follow-up services
• 2,263 dental checks were conducted and 1,530 children received dental follow-up services
• 1,505 Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) checks were conducted and 1,221 children received (ENT) specialist follow-up services
• An independent evaluation of the CHCI and Expanding Health Service Delivery Initiative (EHSDI) commenced during 2009-10. Qualitative and quantitative information were collected through interviews (conducted in February and March 2010), observation, administered questionnaires and document review.

NT Mobile Outreach Service (MOS) Plus: From 1 January to 30 June 2010:

• Four teams located in Darwin (includes Katherine team), Alice Springs and Tennant Creek responded to all forms of child abuse-related trauma, including sexual assault, by providing culturally safe, best practice counselling and support services to Aboriginal children, families and communities in remote communities
• 19 staff employed in MOS Plus (as at 30 June 2010)
• In this period 91 visits to 52 communities delivering 119 case related4 and 404 non-case related5
services
• An independent evaluation of MOS and MOS Plus6 commenced on 30 June 2010. A final report is due on 31 July 2011.

Child Special Services Workforce Training and Development for remote workers: As at 30 June 2010:

• 55 workshops and information sessions to 804 remote health and community services workers to increase workforce capacity to respond to child abuse and related trauma, including mandatory reporting obligations.

Drug and Alcohol Services: In 2009-10, $2.6 million ($1.2 million under Expanding Health Service Delivery Initiative (EHSDI) and $1.4 million under the Closing the Gap in the NT – Indigenous Health and Related Services Measure) was provided to continue the key activities of the NTER. This includes:

• Increasing the drug and alcohol treatment and rehabilitation workforce across six Aboriginal primary health care services and five stand-alone services
• Increasing the capacity of six treatment and rehabilitation services
• Providing drug and alcohol treatment and rehabilitation workforce development.

Food Security and Community Stores: As at 30 June 2010, a total of 90 community stores have been licensed. In the period 1 January to 30 June 2010:

• no community store licences were revoked
• a total of 123 visits to community stores were undertaken which included assessments of the stores for licensing and case management visits.

Economic Participation and Welfare Reform

Jobs Package: As at June 2010, Commonwealth agencies and the Northern Territory Government confirmed that a total of 2,241 jobs had been funded under the Jobs Package since the introduction of the NTER. These jobs were all previously CDEP positions and this number is composed of 1,755 jobs in Australian Government service delivery and 486 in local government service delivery.

• As at June 2010 the number of jobs filled under the Jobs Package in Australian Government or local government service delivery was 2,233.

Income management: The rollout out of new income management in the Northern Territory began in the Barkly region in August 2010, and will proceed in a staggered rollout over coming months. Alice Springs, Katherine, East Arnhem Land and other outback areas in Zone 2 commenced on 30 August, with the remaining outback areas zones commenced on 20 September 2010 and Darwin and Palmerston on 4 October 2010

• As at 25 June 2010, there were 17,952 income management customers in the Northern Territory, an increase of 7.2% since 1 January 2010
• As part of the income management model, the Government has allocated over $50 million to expand financial literacy initiatives

BasicsCard: As at 25 June 2010, 95.1% (17,068 of 17,952) of income managed customers had a BasicsCard.

• As at 25 June 2010, customers have spent $192.5 million using the BasicsCard, primarily at stores that mainly sell food (73.3%) and clothing (16.2%)

Youth Diversion: $28.4 million, over the three years from 2009 to 2012, is being provided under the Closing the Gap in the NT - Youth in Communities program to maintain and strengthen youth services in the Northern Territory NT. Four projects previously funded under the NTER Youth Alcohol diversion measure have been identified for continuation of funding under this measure.

Locations for new projects were determined in consultation with relevant Australian and Northern Territory Government representatives, Shire Councils and peak service representative bodies. Applications for funding opened on 15 December 2009 and closed on 22 January 2010.7

Language, Literacy and Numeracy Program (LLNP): Between January 2010 and 30 June 2010 there have been 113 referrals to the Language, Literacy and Numeracy Program. There was a total of 353 referrals to the LLNP during 2009-10, with 115 eligible job seekers commencing training. Government has committed $3 million over three years from 2009-10 to deliver LLNP training services across nine Indigenous communities.

Working on Country in the Northern Territory: As at 16 April 2010, over 180 rangers across 30 Northern Territory communities were contracted through key Aboriginal organisations, delivering services on Indigenous-held or leased lands. This program builds on Indigenous knowledge of protecting and managing land and sea country, and provides funding for the employment of Indigenous people to deliver environmental outcomes.

Land Tenure

Five year leases: The Australian Government currently holds five-year leases over 64 communities under the Northern Territory Emergency Response. In October 2008, the Government requested the Northern Territory Valuer-General to determine reasonable amounts of rent to be paid to the relevant Aboriginal land owners.

To date, the Government has commenced rent payments in respect of 48 five-year leased communities. Payments for the two five-year leased communities on the Tiwi Islands commenced in the week beginning 27 September 2009. On 25 May 2010, the Government started paying rent for a further 46 communities.

The Government is currently working with the Land Councils regarding arrangements for the remaining communities where payments are yet to commence. All rent payments are backdated to the commencement date of the leases and the payments will continue to be made on an annual basis until the leases expire in August 2012.

In June 2010, the NTNER Act was amended by the Social Security and Other Legislation Amendment (Welfare Reform and Reinstatement of the Racial Discrimination Act) Act 2009. The amendments included the following additions to the five-year leases measure:

• The clarification of the objectives and permitted use of the five-year leases
• A requirement that the leases be administered in a way that respects Aboriginal culture
• An obligation that the Government negotiate voluntary leases in good faith if requested by the land owner.

Long Term Leasing Arrangements: Long term leases have been finalised or agreed in principle in 14 of the 16 Strategic Indigenous Housing and Infrastructure Program (SIHIP) communities receiving major capital works. In the first half of 2010, work has been focussed on finalising the outstanding housing leases, particularly in the southern region communities. With leases in place to support major housing investment, negotiation efforts will be refocussed on township leasing during 2010-2011.

Secure tenure arrangements are now in place in all 18 Alice Springs town camps allocated to receive work under SIHIP. 

Safe Communities

Most of the data provided below are from the NT Police. It is well known that reported crime does not always provide a good indication of underlying crime levels particularly when there is a significant change in police numbers.

Increased reporting of crime in the NTER communities is likely to be related to an increased ability to report crime given the substantial increase in police numbers. This is particularly the case in the 18 Themis8 communities which were provided with new police stations. Increased police numbers may lead to reductions in underlying crime despite increases in reported crime – the only way to establish this is to ask people about their experiences.

A study undertaken for the North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency (NAAJA) and the Central Australian Aboriginal Legal Aid Service (CAALAS) provides direct evidence on this point. The study, which was released in 2009, was primarily based on 331 surveys of Aboriginal people in 14 of the 18 Themis communities. The study concluded that ‘nearly half of people said that alcohol and violence was less of a problem in their community because of the police.’ The study also concluded that three quarters of people wanted police living in their community.

Police Presence: At 30 June 2010, there are 62 additional police deployed to remote communities compared to the number prior to the NTER.

• Five permanent police station upgrades have been funded: Maningrida, Gunbalanya, Ali Curung, Hermannsburg and Yuendumu.
• Eighteen Themis Stations are currently operational in communities
• Four overnight facilities have been installed at Titjikala, Milingimbi, Docker River and Umbakumba
• Over $50million has been allocated over the three years from 2009-10 to 2011-12) to build five new, permanent police stations in the Northern Territory priority areas of Gapuwiyak, Ramingining, Yarralin, Arlparra and Imanpa.

Confirmed Incidents: Incidents involving alcohol, substance abuse and drug related incidents continue to be of concern in the NTER communities.

• Alcohol related incidents recorded by police increased by 80% between 2006-07 and 2008-09, decreased by 2% between 2008-09 and 2009-10
• In 2009-10, 36% of domestic violence incidents were alcohol related. From 2006-07 to 2009-10, there was an 88% increase in the number of alcohol related domestic violence incidents that were reported to police. The number of alcohol related domestic violence incidents increased by less than 5% between 2008-09 and 2009-10
• Substance abuse incidents recorded by police increased by 73% between 2006-07 and 2007-08 and by 27% between 2007-08 and 2008-09. There has been a 10% increase between 2008-09 and 2009-10
• Drug related incidents recorded by police decreased by 10% between 2007-08 and 2008-09 and increased by 28% between 2008-09 and 2009-10
• Excluding assaults related to or against children, and assaults that are domestic violence-related, the number of confirmed assault incidents reported to police across the NTER communities dropped from 87 to 81 between 2006-07 and 2007-08, and rose to 116 in 2008-09 and to 124 in 2009-10
• The number of convictions for assault across the NTER communities rose from 343 in 2006-07 to 402 in 2008-09, a 17% increase, but remained stable from 2008-09 to 2009-10 at 401
• The number of lodgements in court for sexual assault offences in prescribed communities increased by 15% between 2006-07 and 2008-09, but remained stable from 2008-09 to 2009-10.

Child Safety: The number of convictions for child sexual assaults committed in the NTER communities was 11 in 2006-07; 10 in 2007-08; 11 in 2008-09; and, 12 in 2009-10. There was a total of 33 child sexual assault convictions over the period 1 July 2007 to 30 June 2010.

• The total number of confirmed incidents of child abuse in the NTER communities rose from 64 in 2006-07 to 294 in 2009-10. In the Themis communities, the number of confirmed incidents of child abuse doubled between 2007-08 and 2008-09, and increased 7% between 2008-09 and 2009-10. Fourteen per cent of the increase in incidents of child abuse between 2008-09 and 2009-10 occurred in the Themis communities.
• In 2009-10, 72% of confirmed child abuse reports across the NTER communities were accounted for by the category ‘child welfare’, relating to issues that would generally be considered to be child neglect.10
• The rate of substantiation of a notification for Indigenous children aged 0-16 in the Northern Territory rose from 16.8 per 1,000 children in 2006-07 to 23.7 per 1,000 children in 2007-08 and to 24.1 per 1,000 in 2008-09. Substantiations for Indigenous children in the Northern Territory were most likely to reflect neglect (43.4%), followed by physical (25.9%), emotional abuse (23.6) and sexual abuse (9.7%).

Mobile Child Protection Team: In the period 1 January to 30 June 2010, Mobile Child Protection Workers visited 56 of 73 prescribed communities.

• During this period, the Mobile Child Protection Team was involved in investigating and providing follow up services in 666 matters, from which 12 children were made subject to care orders.

Remote Aboriginal Family and Community Workers: In the period 1 January to 30 June 2010 there were 66 referrals from individuals and families in the NTER communities.

• In the same period there were 93 referrals from community services regarding child protection issues
• There were 146 referrals from the Northern Territory Families and Children (NTFC) branch of the NT Department of Health and Families. Some of the referrals from NTFC are ongoing family support cases. For example, currently 3 out of the 13 communities have 43 cases totalling 50 children.

Night Patrol: As at 30 June 2010, night patrols are active across 80 communities. During the period January to June 2010, the Australian Government funded night patrol service assisted approximately:

• 730 people to a recognised Safe Place
• 45,741 people, to a safe place including referral to other services(but not including to a recognised safe house)

Safe Places: As at 30 June 2010, 22 Safe Places were fully operational.

• 15 communities had new or refurbished Safe House facilities.
• In the reporting period 1 January to 30 June 2010, there were 96 Safe House positions filled, with 95 of these filled by Indigenous people.
• In the reporting period 1 January to 30 June 2010, a total of 410 clients accessed the Safe Places, including 18 men who accessed Men’s Places; 223 women who accessed Safe Houses; and 169 children, accompanying women, who accessed Safe Houses.

Alcohol Management: Alcohol Management Plans (AMPs) assist communities in addressing the harm caused by excessive alcohol consumption through supply reduction, demand reduction and harm minimization. A number of communities have already successfully negotiated and implemented AMPs. As a long-term aim, the Australian Government will be supporting the Northern Territory Government to increase the number of communities with AMPs.

• Alcohol Management Plans (AMPs) are in place in Alice Springs, Tennant Creek, Palmerston and Katherine
• A liquor supply plan is in place in Groote Eylandt
• Draft AMPs have been developed for Borroloola and Elliott
• Alcohol management planning is underway in Maningrida, Gunbalanya, Tiwi Islands (Wurrumiyanga (formerly Nguiu), Milikapiti and Pirlangimpi), Groote Eylandt (Angurugu and Umbakumba), Binjari, Titjikala, Ngukurr and specific clusters of Alice Springs town camps
• In additional to Alcohol Management Planning, the NT Department of Justice (DoJ) is funded to undertake supplementary activities to reduce alcohol harm. This includes building the evidence base around addressing alcohol related harm. An alcohol data unit was established in the NT DoJ and research projects on drinking paddocks, best practice social club models, and an evaluation of the East Arnhem AMP are being undertaken. The NT DoJ is also funded to run numerous demand reduction programs. These include: a broad scale and targeted community education and awareness program, a community education awareness campaign on unsafe drinking practices for Alice Springs, and a health promotion film on binge drinking in Groote Eylandt. Additionally, accredited training on alcohol and family violence has been provided to support harm minimisation for Binjari and Borroloola
• FaHCSIA has funded a number of programs to address alcohol related harm in Darwin. These programs are targeted at prevention, early intervention and harm minimisation, including ensuring that ‘at risk’ individuals are referred to specialised services and appropriate aftercare. Additionally, funds were provided to expand the Safe and Sober program in Alice Springs which provides ambulatory case management and care coordination for clients with drug and alcohol problems
• 227 highway and boundary signs have been installed and 129 community signs have been installed.

Legal Services: Between 1 January and 30 June 2010, legal service providers handled approximately 1,037 NTER related matters, comprising 377 advices, 91 duty matters and 569 cases, and undertook 220 outreach visits to communities.

Local Priorities Fund (LPF): During 2009-10, 219 projects totalling $12.043 million were approved for funding. LPF provides streamlined access to flexible funding to address urgent needs in prescribed communities that fall outside the guidelines of established programs.

Fifty six projects were in Remote Service Delivery communities, 19 were in Territory Growth Towns and 144 projects were approved in other communities.

Funded projects fall under the following categories: refurbishment of community facilities; community safety; environmental improvements; child safety; and community recreation areas.

Northern Territory Aboriginal Interpreter Service: During the period I January to 30 June 2010, 3,010 people sought access to an interpreter for NTER related matters through NTAIS. NTAIS provided 971 hours of interpreting for NTER related matters.

Governance and Leadership

Government Business Managers: As at 30 June 2010, there were 56 GBMs servicing 73 NTER communities, 35 town camps, and one community that is not prescribed under the NTER Act.

Northern Territory Indigenous Interpreters: During the period 1 January to 30 June 2010, there were approximately 249 trained interpreters used to provide interpreting services in the NTER communities. Trained interpreters delivered 1,980 interpreting sessions.

Northern Territory Aboriginal Interpreter Service: During the period I January to 30 June 2010, 3,010 people sought access to an interpreter for NTER related matters through NTAIS. The number of hours of interpreting provided for NTER related matters by NTAIS was 971.

Indigenous Engagement Officers (IEOs): During the period 1 January to 30 June 2010, there were 26 IEOs in 26 of a potential 30 communities across the Northern Territory.

Leadership Workshops: A series of leadership workshops were delivered targeting Indigenous Australian men, women and youth from prescribed communities.

Commonwealth Ombudsman: During the period 1 January to 30 June 2010, the Ombudsman’s office visited nine remote communities and 11 town camps in the NT with 181 complaints made to the office about the NTER and related programs. An encouraging trend is developing where there are fewer complaints arising from systemic problems than in the past. This has been attributed to the improved responsiveness of some agencies. In particular, there seems to be a better relationship between communities and Centrelink than was evident from earlier feedback about the NTER roll out. Current complaints indicate that people’s focus is firmly set on housing issues in particular repairs and maintenance of houses.

3. All information is for the reporting period 1 January to 30 June 2010, unless otherwise stated.
4. Case-related services may include the provision of therapeutic counselling and forensic sexual assault medical examinations. Non-case related services include community education and professional development. The number of services for case-related and non case-related services does not equate to numbers of children or child cases, ie case-related services can involve children and families and involve more than one session in the reporting period
5. Non-case related services include community education and professional development services to Aboriginal children, families and community members. NB All six month case-related data is derived from the summation of quarterly data.
6. MOS Plus expanded MOS in November 2009. Further detail is provided in Part 2 of this Report.
7. Further information on funded projects can be found in Appendix B at the end of Part 2
8. ‘Themis’ is the operation name selected from a pre-determined list by NT Police for their component of the NT Government response to the National taskforce against child abuse in Indigenous communities.
9. Nettie Flaherty and Chris Goddard, Child neglect and the Little Children are Sacred Report, Children Australia, Volume 33, Number 1, 2008

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Evaluations and Reports

The Let’s Start: Exploring Together Final Evaluation report was launched on 17 March 2010 at the NT Parliament House. Approximately 70 key stakeholders attended, including women and children from the Tiwi Islands and Mr Mick Gooda who is the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner and Director of Tiwi Education Board.

Let’s Start: Exploring Together Evaluation

In the Final Evaluation Report published in March 2010, the program was analysed and recommendations made to improve the cultural accessibility and retention of participants in the Indigenous communities. Teachers reported improvements in problematic behaviour of children who participated in the program, however it was acknowledged that in some communities there was a lack of commitment from the parents in completing the program. The Evaluation Report recommended an increase in communication about the program to parents, strengthening links with service providers to ensure ongoing support for the program, and the recruitment and maintenance of a core delivery team to promote consistency in the delivery of the program.The evaluation report can be accessed online at:

www.cdu.edu.au/letsstart/documents/lets-start-evaluation-report.pdf

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Looking Forward

Evaluation and monitoring of the Child Health Check Initiative and the Expanding Health Service Delivery Initiative

In June 2009, Allen and Clarke Policy and Regulatory Specialists Ltd (Allen and Clarke) were engaged to undertake an independent evaluation of the CHCI and EHSDI during 2009-10. The evaluation will assess the performance of these initiatives in relation to their appropriateness, effectiveness and efficiency and contribute to the refinement of policy and practice.

The evaluation is being conducted within the framework of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the NT Government, Aboriginal Medical Service Alliance Northern Territory (AMSANT) and the Department of Health and Ageing (DoHA) to guide monitoring and evaluation of primary health care expansion and reform through to 2012-13. The MoU is operationalised by a Management Committee comprising partner representatives, the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) and an Indigenous Advisory Group (IAG).

An Evaluation Design Report produced by Allen and Clarke and agreed by the partners was released on the DoHA and Allen and Clarke websites in December 2009. This report outlines the overall approach being taken in the evaluation.

Consultation on the final CHCI and EHSDI evaluation report is expected to commence from late 2010.

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Closing the Gap in the Northern Territory Monitoring Report - Part Two

Monitoring Report: January - June 2010

• Whole of Government Monitoring Report
• 1. Early Childhood
  • 1.1 Crèches
  • 1.2 Playgroups
    • 1.2.1 Intensive Support Playgroups
    • 1.2.2 Locational Support Playgroups
  • 1.3 Parenting Programs
    • 1.3.1 Let's Start Program
    • 1.3.2 Child Nutrition Program
    • 1.3.3 Core of Life Program
    • 1.3.4 Parenting is Caring for Kids Project
• 2. Schooling
  • 2.1 School Attendance
  • 2.2 School Nutrition Program
    • 2.2.1 Evaluation and Monitoring: School Nutrition Program
  • 2.3 Quality Teaching Package and Enhancing Literacy ($15.7m in 2009-10)
  • 2.4 Additional Teaching Staff
  • 2.5 Teacher Housing ($11.0m in 2009-10)
• 3. Health
  • 3.1 Expanding Health Service Delivery Initiative
  • 3.2 Northern Territory Hospitalisation Data
  • 3.3 Child Health Check Specialist Follow-up Services
  • 3.4 Child Special Services
  • 3.5 Drug and Alcohol Treatment and Rehabilitation Services
  • 3.6 Food security and community stores
• 4. Economic Participation
  • 4.1 Expenditure through Income Management
  • 4.2 BasicsCards
  • 4.3 Income Support
    • 4.3.1 DEEWR Income Support Analysis
  • 4.4 Jobs Package
  • 4.5 Job Placements
  • 4.6 Work Experience
  • 4.7 Non-payment periods
  • 4.8 Off-benefit outcomes
  • 4.9 Increase literacy and numeracy
  • 4.10 Community Development and Employment Projects (CDEP) program
  • 4.11 Youth in Communities (YIC)
• 5. Land Tenure
  • 5.1 Five Year Leases
  • 5.2 Long term Leasing Arrangements
• 6. Safe Communities
  • 6.1 Police
  • 6.2 Alcohol, Drug and Substance Related Incidents
  • 6.3 Domestic Violence Related incidents
  • 6.4 Assault
  • 6.5 Restraining Orders
  • 6.6 Sexual Assault
  • 6.7 Child Sexual Assault
  • 6.8 Child Abuse
    • 6.8.1 Child Protection Data
  • 6.9 Night Patrol Services
  • 6.10 Safe Places
  • 6.11 Mobile Child Protection Team
  • 6.12 Remote Aboriginal Family and Community Workers
  • 6.13 Legal Services
  • 6.14 Alcohol Restrictions
  • 6.15 Alcohol Management Plans
  • 6.16 Audit of publicly funded computers
  • 6.17 Substance Abuse Intelligence Desk (SAID) and Dog Operations Unit
  • 6.18 Northern Territory Aboriginal Interpreter Services (NTAIS)
• 7. Governance and Leadership
  • 7.1 Commonwealth Ombudsman Support
  • 7.2 Government Business Managers
  • 7.3 Northern Territory Indigenous Interpreters
  • 7.4 Community Engagement
• Appendix A: Commonwealth Ombudsman's Report
• Appendix B - Youth in Communities Project Information
• Abbreviations and acronyms
• List of Tables

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Whole of Government Monitoring Report

Introduction

This Closing the Gap in the Northern Territory (previously the Northern Territory Emergency Response) Monitoring Report brings together performance information for each measure under the Northern Territory Emergency Response (NTER) for the period 1 January to 30 June 2010. In some cases, information since the start of the NTER (June 2007) is also provided.

Report Structure

The Monitoring Report is comprised of two parts. Part One provides an overview of the monitoring data, as well as a background on the NTER, and the changes that have occurred since it began and includes all of the main developments in dot point.

Part Two (this report) provides detailed information and analysis by sub measure. This includes the progress and associated issues in relation to each identified performance indicator, including the necessary caveats. All Australian Government information was provided by the agencies responsible for the relevant sub measure. This report also contains data from the Northern Territory Government (NTG).

Analysis provides:

• Summaries of developments and progress
• Reasons for the non-achievement of milestones or targets
• Any ‘lessons learned’ and challenges
• Any changes in policy direction
• Data limitation and action in place to rectify these.

This reported is primarily structured following the Closing The Gap Building Blocks:

• Early Childhood
• Schooling
• Health
• Economic Participation
• Safe Communities
• Governance and Leadership

The Strategic Indigenous Housing and Infrastructure Program (SIHIP) is not a measure under the NTER or Closing the Gap in the Northern Territory National Partnership and is not covered in this report. Therefore, the Healthy Homes building block is not included in this report, although land reform is a measure under the NTER.

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1. Early Childhood

• 1.1 Crèches
• 1.2 Playgroups
  • 1.2.1 Intensive Support Playgroups
  • 1.2.2 Locational Support Playgroups
• 1.3 Parenting Programs
  • 1.3.1 Let's Start Program
  • 1.3.2 Families as First Teachers
  • 1.3.3 Child Nutrition Program
  • 1.3.4 Core of Life Program
  • 1.3.5 Parenting is Caring for Kids Project

This Building Block seeks to improve access to quality early childhood education and care services, including pre-school, child care and family support services such as parenting programs and support. Appropriate facilities and physical infrastructure, a sustainable early childhood education and health workforce, learning frameworks and opportunities for parental engagement are also important. Action in the areas of maternal, antenatal and early childhood health is relevant to addressing the infant and child mortality gap and to early childhood development.

1.1 Crèches

Performance Indicators	Total to 30 June 2010	Milestones Or Targets	Data Source	Comments /Targets
No. of Indigenous people employed in Childcare from the Jobs Package	204	n/a	Job Status Report	Total indigenous child care positions filled to June 2010 = 204
NTER Year 1 Families measure - building of up to 9 new crèches	8	9		Work on Timber Creek crèche is underway.
Upgrade to 13 existing Crèches	11	13		11 of 13 upgrades have been completed. Work at Pirlangimpi and Warruwi is underway.
No. of Indigenous people employed in Childcare under the crèches measure.	49	n/a	BBF service workplans	Note - this data was current at a point in time and may vary depending on community business and number of children attending each crèche

Progress

As at 30 June 2010, eight of the nine new crèches have been established with seven operational. Work on the ninth new crèche at Timber Creek is underway.

• Seven new crèches are operational: Milikapiti, Peppimenarti, Robinson River, Areyonga, Docker River, Papunya and Yarralin
• The new crèche at Lajamanu is not currently operating. The crèche was operating from a classroom that was refurbished under the NTER Crèche initiative. This classroom is now required by the local school to meet increasing enrolments. Options to establish a purpose built crèche at Lajamanu are currently being considered as part of the 2010-11 Budget measure to improve the quality of centre based BBF1 Services

Upgrades

As at 30 June 2010, 11 of the 13 crèche upgrades have been completed in:

• Ntaria, Nyirripi, Santa Teresa, Gunbalanya, Borroloola, Maningrida, Minjilang, Minyerri, Gapuwiyak, Wugularr and Atitjere
• Work at Pirlangimpi and Warruwi is underway.

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1.2 Playgroups

1.2.1 Intensive Support Playgroups

Key developments

From 1 January to 30 June 2010, 201 children and 159 parents/caregivers participated in two Intensive Support Playgroups (ISP).

• 89 parents/carers, and 105 children participated in the ISP in the Katherine communities of Kalano, Binjari, and Rockhole
• 70 parents/caregivers and 96 children participated in an Intensive Support Playgroup in Tennant Creek.

In June 2010, a Service Provider was funded to provide an Intensive Support Playgroup in Borroloola under Closing the Gap in the Northern Territory National Partnership.

Progress

Intensive Support Playgroups in Katherin

In the six months to June 2010, 89 parents/carers, and 105 children participated in the ISP in the Katherine communities of Kalano, Binjari, and Rockhole. Over the three locations 58 playgroup sessions were offered, 48 sessions were attended.

Mobile playgroups sessions are held in these local communities to allow Indigenous families without access to transport, the opportunity to regularly attend a supported playgroup. Maintaining strong relationships with Indigenous community members, taking part in community meetings and events, and working with other relevant community services assist in attracting new families to playgroup sessions.

Parents and carers participating in the ISP have developed their parenting skills and have displayed appropriate disciplinary techniques through staff role modelling and demonstrating positive behaviour reinforcement.

Socially, parents connect with both staff and peers, strengthening friendships and relationships within the communities. Parents engage with their child at varying levels and demonstrate play based behaviours similar to those portrayed by the workers.

As each child develops, so do their interests and needs. This is revealed in the activities they choose and ably respond to. Speech development, and responsiveness to staff is an observed progress that has strengthened with almost all regular attending children. Children who have completed their first semester of mobile preschool and attend playgroup also, display advancement in sharing behaviours and responsibilities.

Parents are engaging more with workers and asking important questions on how different services and networks function, offering them new knowledge and support to access these services like housing maintenance and repair and upkeep of their surrounds.

The family support workers have assisted families, some with complex needs, covering a broad spectrum of issues. They have linked these families to appropriate community services and networks.

Intensive Support Playgroups in Tennant Creek

In the six months to June 2010, 70 parents/caregivers and 96 children participated in playgroups at Tennant Creek.

During the period 1 January to 30 June 2010, playgroup sessions were provided in a supportive and caring environment to Indigenous children 0-5 years who reside in the 6 Tennant Creek Town Camps. Sessions emphasised building social and cognitive skills and early learning development with a specific focus on main stream learning for preparation for pre-school.

The playgroup provides children and their parents/carers the opportunity to participate in early learning development skills through interactive play, teaching, role modelling, social interaction and parental participation with a focus on fine motor skills, gross motor skills and cognitive development.

The playgroup has had good parent/carer attendance, with parents/carers encouraged to come along to see how their child has developed and to see the activities they do. Two fathers have been attending the playgroup which they say they really enjoy.

The playgroup provides breakfast for the children and morning tea for the parents/carers and children. The playgroup is no longer running sessions in the Town Camps due to safety issues including broken glass and dogs. Additionally, there are no toilets in the parks where the playgroup was held.

The playgroup has moved to more suitable premises within the child care centre. The playgroup still has no Team Leader, however recruitment is currently underway for a new Leader. Julalikari Council Aboriginal Corporation have advertised the position in the interim and in the meantime the playgroup coordinator is being supported by the coordinator of the child care centre.

Intensive Support Playgroups in Borroloola

In June 2010 a Service Provider was funded to provide an Intensive Support Playgroup in Borroloola under Closing the Gap in the Northern Territory.

1.2.2 Locational Supported Playgroups

Key developments

Between 1 January to 30 June 2010, 137 children, 2 youth and 119 parents/caregivers participated in Locational Supported Playgroups (LSP):

• Yuendumu delivered 34 sessions
• Numbulwar delivered 69 sessions across 3 locations
• Milingimbi delivered 44 sessions across 3 locations
• Lajamanu delivered 12 sessions to 28 Mothers

Progress

Yuendumu Locational Supported Playgroup

Thirty two adults and 35 children attended the Yuendumu Locational Supported Playgroup for the period January to June 2010. Ten of these families regularly attend playgroup, while the other families attend on an occasional basis.

The number of playgroup sessions has been increased from 2 to 4 per week to provide a more regular service, which families are sometimes happier to use once a week rather than every day.

The playgroup has provided an environment for participants to be involved in pre-literacy skills training and promotion of reading to young children. Six baby board books were completed and donated to the Child Care Centre. The Activity also included a broad age bracket of participants, involving grandparents as well as parents.

Parents, carers and children participated in different programs which engaged parents and carers with their children. This included preparation of nutritious meals they could then replicate in their own homes. Children took part with their parents, promoting healthy eating amongst them as well as their parents. Participants also designed and created their own personalized ‘Yuendumu Playgroup’ t-shirts with Aboriginal art forms, using traditional Aboriginal symbols and incorporating them in the design. The children wear these t-shirt around the community further promoting the service. Participants also engaged in bead making with their children which included traditional painting methods.

Partnerships are being established with the facilitator regularly meeting with key service providers in the community e.g. Mt Theo Youth Program, the health clinic and the child care centre to promote attendance at playgroup. Partnerships have also been developed with Aboriginal Elders in the community who are on the Walpiri Education and Training Trust Committee. Elders encourage the younger members of their families and the community to come to playgroup.

Numbulwar Locational Supported Playgroup

From January to June 2010, 38 adults and 46 children participated in the Numbulwar Playgroup, this included 17 young parents aged under 25 years.

Local Indigenous women run the playgroup along with a non Indigenous worker who is a long-term community resident and is a fluent speaker of the common language in the region.

Children and adults are exposed to wide ranging developmental and cultural activities in a fun and relaxed way. All are more comfortable in the setting and with each other. One on one time playing together is encouraged and the adults have become more accustomed to doing this. Reading with children has been a particular focus over this period and all parents are now comfortable at sitting down with their child and reading with them, it may be interpreting pictures in their own language or reading the script. Playgroup workers model gentle forms of parenting and regular hygiene routines and parents are encouraged to do the same at home. At times the adults have informal discussions around parenting issues and other times this is conducted in a more formal setting with guest presenters from e.g. health or education services.

Playgroup operates in an inclusive and friendly manner and the program includes cultural activities such as songs, dances, craft and outdoor activities all designed with due consideration to good practice development principles. The playgroup also participates in the School’s Culture Week and weekly Wubuy language program.

A book ‘The Story of Numbulwar Playgroup’ has been produced which includes photos of activities in the playgroup. This has been given out to families involved in the playgroup and other photos taken are used as a tool for explaining about appropriate developmental strategies and activities.

A Community Support Group of local Indigenous women who are involved in many areas of the community including education, health, local government and community spirituality has been established and its inaugural meeting held. This group provides insights and new ideas to use in the playgroup and help promote the playgroup, and its importance within the community.

The parents have met and heard health professionals (public health nutritionist), Community Health Worker, the MAF Support Worker and the Anglicare Project Officer who have presented at playgroup sessions.

Milingimbi Locational Supported Playgroup

From January to March 2010 no playgroup sessions were provided at Milingimbi due to the lack of a suitable venue and staff resignations. From April to June 2010, 44 sessions were held in 3 locations to 25 children aged 0-4 and 21 adults.  Post March the playgroup started operating from Milingimbi School Library Audio Visual Room, the park and the bush camp. The East Arnhem Shire Council had offered temporary space in the Sport and Recreation Centre but the area was assessed unsuitable due to the presence of electrical equipment and the nature of the other activities held within the facility.

During the reporting period efforts have focused on working to secure the facilities and staff needed to sustain the playgroup in the longer term.

The East Arnhem Shire Council (EASC) has offered a permanent space within the existing Sport and Recreation Centre once it is upgraded to a multipurpose Community Facility.  The playgroup will move to a permanent venue in November 2010 once the new Sport and Recreation Centre is completed.

The area allocated may also be temporarily shared with the DET FAFT Family Educator until FAFT can move permanently into the new Early Childhood Centre and a FAFT area being built within the school complex.

Lajamanu Locational Supported Playgroup

From May to June 2010, 28 adults and 31 children participated in the Lajamanu Playgroup, with 12 families regularly attending.

The Locational Supported Playgroup commenced operation in May 2010 at the Learning Centre with community members providing a lot of positive feedback on the playgroup and expressed a need for a playgroup in the community.

A shipping container is being organised as a playgroup venue and will be placed next to the park. The new location is expected to solve the transportation issue, encourage regular playgroup set up and family attendance.

Families are using the playgroup as a channel to seek information and build support for existing and future family support services such as the possibility of a crèche operating in Lajamanu.

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1.3 Parenting Programs

These include the Let's Start Program, Child Nutrition Program, the Core of Life Program and the Parenting is Caring for Kids Program.

1.3.1 Let’s Start Program

Key developments

• During the period 1 January to 30 June 2010, 12 parents/caregivers and 9 children participated in the Let’s Start program.

Background

The Let’s Start: Exploring Together for Indigenous Preschools Program, delivered by Menzies School of Health Research, aims to develop a preschool program in communities to support parents, enhance parenting practices, strengthen family units, develop children’s social skills and reduce problematic behaviour.

Progress

During the period from 1 January to 30 June 2010 the Let’s Start team commenced work on setting up the Let’s Start program in Pirlangimpi. This included consultations with mothers to be engaged in the program and other key stakeholders, including the School Principal and the Government Business Manager, to confirm support for the program for Term 4, 2010.

The Let’s Start program continued to strengthen links with Communities for Children to improve service coordination for NT children and families. This included delivering a presentation at the Communities for Children workshop facilitated by Anglicare NT (East Arnhem).

The Let’s Start: Exploring Together Final Evaluation report was launched on 17 March 2010 at the NT Parliament House. Approximately 70 key stakeholders attended, including women and children from the Tiwi Islands and Mr Mick Gooda who is the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner and Director of Tiwi Education Board.

As an outcome of the evaluation launch Let’s Start received media coverage about the positive impact of the program in remote Indigenous communities. Women in Pirlangimpi provided consent to be included in these articles. Let’s Start team members visited parents to provide photos of their participation in the program and also to give them copies of the newspaper articles and highlight their achievements. This was well received by the mothers and their children.

A meeting was held with the Government Business Manager and Indigenous Engagement Officer, Galiwinku at the Regional Office Centre to discuss the possibility of Let’s Start program delivery on Elcho Island. The meeting was in response to the Health Clinic Manager contacting Let’s Start to request the program. The Government Business Manager reported that Galiwinku does not have the infrastructure in place (ie accommodation/venue) to support the program. Let’s Start will revisit this option in 2011.

Six monthly program data collection for Danila Dilba Health Service was undertaken with individual interviews with three Indigenous mothers from the past program. All families interviewed reported improvement in their relationships with their child. Two other families could not be interviewed due to their relocation to another state and change of school.

Let's Start: Exploring Together Evaluation

The Let’s Start: Exploring Together program was based on a program started in Melbourne in the 1990s that targeted children aged 6 to 12 years in a 10 week manualised program which focused on developing the children’s conduct and social skills, parent-child interaction and parenting management training.

In its present form, the Let’s Start: Exploring Together for Indigenous Preschools Program participants are mainly referred from teaching staff, after an information session with parents at the school. The program is run in 10 week blocks of once-weekly sessions which are broken into supervised play-time, and parenting discussions.

In the Final Evaluation Report published in March 2010, the program was analysed and recommendations made to improve the cultural accessibility and retention of participants in the Indigenous communities. Teachers reported improvements in problematic behaviour of children who participated in the program, however it was acknowledged that in some communities there was a lack of commitment from the parents in completing the program. The Evaluation Report recommended an increase in communication about the program to parents, strengthening links with service providers to ensure ongoing support for the program, and the recruitment and maintenance of a core delivery team to promote consistency in the delivery of the program.

The evaluation report can be accessed online at: www.cdu.edu.au/letsstart/documents/lets-start-evaluation-report.pdf

1.3.2 Families as First Teachers

Key Developments

As at 30 June 2010, 11 sites were fully operational with a further 7 being finalised and expected to be operational by end of December 2010.

On 25 May 2010 an MOU was signed with the NT Government to provide 18 Indigenous Parenting Support Services (IPSS) under the NT Government’s Families as First Teachers (FaFT) program.  The FaFT program aims to support Indigenous families’ participation in their children’s learning and development processes.  As the FaFT program is well advanced in its implementation, leveraging this program facilitates speedier implementation of IPSS.

The partnership between the Commonwealth and the NT Government provides for the co-delivery of the IPSS/LSP and FaFT programs to: 

• streamlining administration
• consolidating funding
• providing a consistent framework across all sites.

The delivery of Indigenous Parenting Support Services is one of the Governments 2007 election commitments to implement new early learning and parenting support for Indigenous Families. This was announced as a part of the New Directions – An Equal Start in Life for Indigenous Children.

The IPSS, LSP and FaFT programs aim to promote positive outcomes for vulnerable Indigenous families and young children living in Australia. Whereas the IPSS program targets Indigenous parents/carers/families with children from 0 – 12 years, the Locational Supported Playgroups target Indigenous parents/carers/families with children from 0 – 5 with both activities having the broader focus of the Family Support Program of the 0 – 12 year old age groups.

The Families as First Teachers program is a strengths based approach which supports families in a holistic manner to give their children the best possible start in life. Partnerships with health, shires, schools and other agencies are critical for the delivery of integrated family services.

Qualified early childhood professionals work with Indigenous family liaison officers to develop place based family support programs developed in relation to identified community needs which value add to community cultural, social and physical assets.

The IPSS and FaFT programs will provide intensive support to parents/carers/families through one on one support and parenting programs, resulting in parents having increased confidence to resolve family issues. The place based programs will deliver playgroups (including LSPs), child development and parenting education workshops in collaboration with the local health clinic and school.

The FaFT program provides support for Indigenous parents/carers/families with children from 0 – 3 years. In light of the FaFT program increasing access to early learning programs for children 0 – 3 years, the whole family will be supported in enhancing parenting skills to support their children’s learning and engagement in school.

The 18 FaFT sites are located at: Ali Curung, Angurugu, Borroloola, Galiwin'ku, Gapuwiyak, Gunbalanya, Lajamanu, Maningrida, Milingimbi, Nguiu, Ngukurr, Ntaria Hermannsburg, Numbulwar, Raminining, Umbakumba, Wadeye, Yirrkala, Yuendumu

The following 7 FaFT sites are planned to be operational by January 2011: Borroloola, Gapuwiyak, Gunbalanya, Ngukurr, Wadeye, Yirrkala and Yuendumu. The others are all operational as of 30 June 2010, these include: Ali-Curung, Angurugu, Galiwin’ku, Lajamanu, Maningrida, Milingimbi, Nguiu, Ntaria/Hermannsburg, Numbulwar, Raminining and Umbakumba.

1.3.3 Child Nutrition Program 

Key developments

• During the period 1 January to 30 June 2010, 97 parents/caregivers, 79 children aged 0 to12 years and 5 youths were assisted by the Child Nutrition Program.

Background

The Child Nutrition Program provides prevention and intervention sessions to families with children at risk in the Northern Territory and is delivered by the Ngaanyatjarra Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (NPY) Women’s Council. Service delivery includes individual education, support and case management for families and children identified as failing to thrive or at risk, community education to improve the health and well being of NPY babies, young children and their families and a range of community development strategies that support and develop the capacity of NPY communities to support children in need of care and improve child health and wellbeing.

Progress

During this reporting period the Child Nutrition Program provided assistance to 97 parents/caregivers, 79 children aged 0 to12 years and 5 youths through the provision of the following:

• Case management for children identified as failure to thrive, growth faltering or at risk. Case management included education and support for families in their communities, working with clients in Alice Springs at Stuart Lodge, Town Camps and ASP Hospital; networking and liaison with other agencies; and organising/attending case management meetings
• Advocacy and case support for children and their families involved in child protection intervention
• Emergency Relief Funds to families with children under 5 years of age in the case of genuine emergencies. Brokerage funds were also provided. These funds are used to support case plans, and may include assistance for families with food, cooking utensils, bedding, feeding chairs, transport to/from health centres and accommodation in Alice Springs for intensive case work
• Health promotion and nutrition awareness activities such as bush picnics, formal school education sessions, community events, and workshops in family centres, child care and pre-schools
• Early intervention activities for families and communities through the Child Nutrition Program’s participation in regional youth and school health promotion activities (see dot point above), and by sourcing and producing nutrition based health promotion resources appropriate for use with schools, early childhood centres, and children and families in NPY communities
• Promotion of health food initiatives in community stores
• Resource materials on nutrition, health promotion and child development such as Mai Wiru-Mirrka Walykumunu nutrition manual, set of 17 A3 size nutrition posters, A2 size poster of Food and Feeding Guide for Infants and Children and DVD Maiku Kulintjaku. The resources are distributed throughout member communities to clinics, stores, family centres and individuals.

1.3.4 Core of Life Program

Key developments

• During the period 1 January 2010 to 30 June 2010, 65 parents/caregivers, 50 children aged 0 to 12 years and 79 youth have been assisted by the Core of Life program.

Background

The Core of Life's 'Pregnancy, Birth, Breastfeeding and Early Parenting' Program is a ‘hands on’ health education program providing current, research based information about pregnancy, birth, breastfeeding, and early childhood to both male and female adolescents. The program works by training facilitators who then present the program to young people. Facilitators may include midwives, school nurses, teachers, community members and youth educators. The program is delivered by Youth and Family Education Resources Pty Ltd (YFER).

Progress

During the reporting period Core of Life undertook two x 2 day facilitator training workshops at Jabiru and Gapuwiyak. There were 10 attendees at Jabiru representing the Gunbulunya Health Clinic, Jabiru Health and Jabiru School. At Gapuwiyak, 18 attendees comprising representatives from the clinic, education, Department of Health and Families, Women’s Centre and community participated in the training. Of the staff attending the two training sessions, 7 were non-Indigenous.

Core of Life also carried out 10 education sessions at Gapuwiyak, Nhulunbuy, Ski Beach, Jabiru and Yirrkala schools. A total of 127 youth participated in the sessions with approximately 50 % identifying as Indigenous. All sessions except one were organised by locally trained facilitators.

Follow up meetings were held with new Core of Life facilitators in sites such as Gove, Millingimbi, and Oenpelli to provide support with implementation and presenting of youth sessions.

1.3.5 Parenting is Caring for Kids Project

Key Developments

• From January to June 2010, 3 adults and 2 children participated in the Parenting is Caring for Kids Indigenous Children’s Program Activity.

Background

The Council for Aboriginal Alcohol Program Services (CAAPS) Indigenous Children Program (ICP) project involves a range of programs to address substance misuse, relationships, family health, school readiness, literacy and numeracy. Relevant training by staff enables them to assist families dealing with issues such as alcohol and drug abuse, sexual assault, child sexual abuse and suicide. The additional Closing the Gap in the Northern Territory (CGNT) funding enables more families to be assisted.

Progress

There were 19 adults, 4 youth and 16 children that attended the Parenting is Caring for Kids Project for the period January to June 2010. Eighteen parents stayed and completed their programs, therefore the children completed their programs.

This Project provided three activities over the period, sessions were held on a daily basis: Feelings and Emotions; Education and Skills training; and Play based activities. All children participated and benefited enormously. They learnt and practiced healthy eating habits (saying no to junk foods and soft drinks) and also learnt about good health and hygiene. They also displayed a significant change in their emotional and mental capabilities i.e. becoming independent of their parents. The children are taught with a variety of play tools/instruments including cards, rulers, counters, beads, buttons and anything that the children can visualise and count, divide, subtract, add and multiply.

Indigenous clients are encouraged to access mainstream services. The children who participated in the project were referred to services such as Relationships Australia (child psychologist), doctors, dentist, eye specialists, hearing specialists, dieticians and other mainstream services.

1. BBF (Budget Based Funded): Funding for BBF early childhood services is provided to assist them to meet key elements of the new National Quality Standards. BBF services provide child care and early learning opportunities to children in areas where the market would otherwise fail to deliver child care, including remote Indigenous communities (not limited to the NT).

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2. Schooling

• 2.1 School Attendance
• 2.2 School Nutrition Program
  • 2.2.1 Evaluation and Monitoring: School Nutrition Program
• 2.3 Quality Teaching Package and Enhancing Literacy ($15.7m in 2009-10)
• 2.4 Additional Teaching Staff
• 2.5 Teacher Housing ($11.0m in 2009-10)

This Building Block seeks to support responsive schooling that requires attention to infrastructure, workforce, curriculum, student literacy and numeracy achievement and opportunities for parental engagement and school/community partnerships. Transition pathways into schooling and into work, post-school education and training are also important. Life-long learning is important and attention is also needed regarding adult literacy and numeracy skills.

2.1 School Attendance

Parents of Indigenous children need to be involved in ensuring their children get a complete education. Children need to be encouraged to expand their expectations of themselves. Children of all ages will face learning difficulties if they are tired or hungry, both of which make them unable to fully concentrate on the tasks set by teachers. Regular school attendance is clearly essential for learning.

Key Developments

• Between June 2008 and June 2010, NTER school enrolments (i.e. combined preschool, primary and secondary) increased by 116 students (from 8,412 to 8,528).
• The average attendance rate for schools in the NTER communities was 60.7% in June 2010. The average school attendance rate in June 2008 was 59.6%.

Analysis

Table 2:1 includes students in both government and non government school in the NTER prescribed areas.

From June 2008 to June 2009 preschool enrolments increased by 72 students (from 803 to 875). Primary school enrolments increased by 261 students. A large decrease was reported among secondary students (196 students).

The large change between primary and secondary enrolments between June 2008 and 2009 is likely to be attributable to the implementation of Middle Years schooling in 2008/2009.

Since June 2009, preschool and primary school enrolments both decreased (by 75 and 44 students respectively). Secondary school enrolments increased by 98 students.

Since June 2008 average preschool and primary attendance rates have increased slightly by 0.9 and 0.4 percentage points respectively. Secondary school average attendance rates also increased over the same period by 2.5 percentage points.

Preschool attendance rates for the reporting period January 2008 to June 2010 ranged from a high of 60.2% in January 2008 to a low of 55.4% in June 2009. The attendance rate in June 2010 was 56.4%.

Primary school attendance rates ranged from a high of 70.2% in February 2009 to a low in January February of 62.9%. The primary school attendance rate in June 2010 was 63.3%

Secondary school attendance rates ranged from 59.4% in January 2008 to 56.0% in June 2010, with a high point of 60.5% in February 2009 and a low of 53.5% in June 2008. 

Table 2:1: Enrolment and Attendance for NTER Schools

	June 08		June 2009		% Points Change in A Jun 08-Jun 09	June 2010		% Points Change in A Jun 08-Jun 2010
	E*	A*	E	A		E	A
Preschool	803	55.5	875	55.4	-0.1	800	56.4	.9
Primary	5,273	62.9	5,534	65	2.1	5,490	63.3	.4
Secondary	2,336	53.5	2,140	57	3.5	2,238	56	2.5
TOTAL*	8,412	59.6	8,549	62	2.4	8,528	60.7	1.1

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2.2 School Nutrition Program

Key developments

• As at June 2010, 69 schools (64 Government, five non-government) servicing the 73 prescribed communities were supported by the School Nutrition Program
• In the period February to June 2010, an estimated 2,994 breakfasts and 4,177 lunches were provided each school day (7,171 meals in total)
• In the period February to June 2010, over 200 people were directly employed by the SNP program in meals delivery, of whom 161 (78%) are local Indigenous people.

The School Nutrition Program (SNP) is a breakfast and/or lunch program for school-aged children attending school within prescribed communities of the Northern Territory.

The program is administered by the Department of Education Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) on behalf of the Australian Government. The department funds SNP providers in each community to employ local workers to prepare and deliver the meals, ensure adequate kitchen facilities and equipment are available, and to support any related professional development activity.

Parents are strongly encouraged to participate in the program by making a voluntary deduction from Income Managed Funds, Centrepay or direct debit. As at June 2010 around 87% of all Income Managed Centrelink customers with school aged children made a contribution to the SNP.

2.2.1 Evaluation and Monitoring: School Nutrition Program

The Department of Finance and Deregulation Office of Evaluation and Audit (Indigenous Programs) conducted a performance audit of the School Nutrition Program in 2008. The report was published by the Minister for Finance and Deregulation on 25 September 2009, and is available on line.2

In 2010-2011, an evaluation of the School Nutrition Program is being undertaken to report in late 2011. The evaluation will be conducted in line with the recommendations from the above mentioned Performance Audit of the SNP. These recommendations include:

Recommendation 4 - OEA recommends that DEEWR collect and analyse the financial information of SNP service providers to better understand the ongoing viability of individual SNP services as well as the overall effectiveness of the current SNP funding model and arrangements.

Recommendation 6 - OEA recommends that DEEWR identify situations relating to SNP services where the risks to continuity of providing meals to children can be mitigated and work with SNP service providers to develop and implement appropriate contingency plans.

Recommendation 7 - OEA recommends that DEEWR develop an exit strategy that includes the consideration of devolution of responsibility for aspects of SNP to local providers and allows communities to become self sufficient with regards to their local SNP services.

In addition to the audit and the upcoming evaluation, DEEWR conducted a survey of School Nutrition Program (SNP) stakeholders between March and June 2009. The purpose of the survey was to inform SNP policy development and the Departments efforts to continually improve program managements. Four stakeholder groups were surveyed: parents of eligible children, program advisors, Government Business Managers/ Community Employment Brokers and school principals. This report can also be found on line.3

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2.3 Quality Teaching Package and Enhancing Literacy

Under the Quality Teaching Package and Enhancing Literacy measures of the Closing the Gap in the Northern Territory National Partnership Agreement, the Australian Government has committed $44.3 million over three years (2009-10 to 2011-12) to Northern Territory education providers to develop career pathways for Indigenous staff, increase the number of Indigenous staff with education qualifications and provide support and programs to enable teachers and students achieve improved outcomes in literacy and numeracy in 73 targeted remote communities. Schools have been progressively implementing site-based reforms during 2010.

The schools involved in reforms are a sub-set of those involved in the Low Socio-Economic Status School Communities National Partnership, thus the initiatives and reforms supporting schools align with, supplement and enhance those undertaken through the Smarter Schools National Partnership Agreements and are bound by the conditions set out in the Agreements, including reporting requirements.

School improvement plans are being developed by principals in participating schools in consultation with their school community. The plans will explicitly identify the strategies to address improvement in literacy and numeracy as well as other identified priority areas such as attendance and community engagement. School improvement plans will be published online via the Northern Territory Department of Education and Training website. The publication of school improvement plans for all Closing the Gap schools is due in October 2010.

The initiatives being implemented are a combination of systemic, regional/sectoral and school based. Systemic provided services are focused on building workforce capacity in schools supporting students in prescribed communities and/or enhancing the education experience for students and include:

• Extending services available to support conductive hearing
• Improved screening and induction programs
• Leadership and coaching programs for school leaders as well as Indigenous staff
• Leadership and pathways programs for Indigenous students
• Coordination of enhanced English as a Second Language (ESL)
• Development of an integrated service delivery for early childhood services
• Transforming Indigenous Education evaluation<
• Strategic coordination.

Achievements

In addition to undertaking the Northern Territory Emergency Response to Closing the Gap National Partnership transition processes, the following progress has been achieved for the period 1 January 2010 to 30 June 2010:

• Northern Territory Australian Early Development Index (AEDI) 2010 Action Plan has been developed and identifies key actions in priority areas
• Schools in 7 communities are delivering VET in the Middle programs to enhance the availability of flexible pathways programs for middle year’s students
• Enhanced services provided to support students with Conductive Hearing Loss. 37 Closing the Gap schools have accessed services, such as professional learning programs for classroom teachers, special education teachers and assistant teachers that focus on the provision of advice about improving classroom acoustics, and the provision of support in the development of action plans for individual and groups of students who are diagnosed with Otitis Media (middle ear disease) and Conductive Hearing Loss
• Establishment of a Remote Improvement Team to work intensively with targeted government schools to support improvement processes and whole school approaches to literacy. In particular the team focuses on:
  • Enhancing data analysis
  • Determination of whole school approaches
  • Supporting targeted professional development to enable effective leadership of programming and planning as well as teaching for assessment of learning.
• Workshops have been held for remote school leadership groups to establish the foundations for school improvement
• Commencement of Inclusive Leadership model trials (cultural advisors, community mentors) in thirteen schools. The trials assist principals to:
  • Improve liaison with community leaders
  • Develop strong cultural leadership and shared responsibility
  • Integrate local community culture in curriculum and school business
  • Improve cross cultural skills and knowledge of staff
• Establishment of five Critical Friends consultants to enhance school improvement planning processes. Schools are able to access these services on an as needed basis and are also supported through their respective sectors to undertake quality improvement planning
• Employment of a Remote Indigenous Education Manager to work closely with school leaders and facilitate enhanced community partnerships in education
• Continuation of a Remote Schools Specialist Support Team working with 5 remote Catholic schools in ESL, literacy and numeracy, early childhood, health and wellbeing and transition of secondary students to higher education.
• Leadership and coaching programs have been held for remote school staff
• Development of a specific selection process for the recruitment of quality teachers to remote schools
• Establishment of a Quality Remote Teaching Service team to improve workforce recruitment and selection to enhance teacher quality and retention
• 10 on-site literacy and numeracy coaches have been employed across the Arnhem, Barkly, Katherine, Palmerston and Alice Springs regions.

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2.4 Additional Teaching Staff

As at June 2010, 141.5 full-time equivalent additional teachers have been funded by the Commonwealth and deployed by NT education providers. This comprises:

• 127.5 teachers deployed by NT Department of Education and Training (DET)
• 12 teachers deployed by NT Catholic Education Office
• 2 teachers deployed by NT Independent Schools.

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2.5 Teacher Housing

The Commonwealth and the Northern Territory Governments have committed funding to build up to 50 additional houses for teachers in the Northern Territory. In addition, the Catholic Education Office will build four houses in Wadeye, Nguiu and Santa Teresa. The Northern Territory Catholic Education Office is in negotiations with relevant parties to progress this. This is in addition to the Commonwealth's existing commitment to build up to 10 new houses for teachers in Wadeye. To date, 20 Northern Territory Department of Education and Training houses have been completed, 7 houses are near complete and 8 houses are up to 70% complete.

2. http://www.finance.gov.au/oea/publications-and-reportsl.
3. http://www.deewr.gov.au/Schooling/Pages/TheSchoolNutritionProgram.aspx

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3. Health

• 3.1 Expanding Health Service Delivery Initiative
• 3.2 Northern Territory Hospitalisation Data
• 3.3 Child Health Check Specialist Follow-up Services
• 3.4 Child Special Services
• 3.5 Drug and Alcohol Treatment and Rehabilitation Services
• 3.6 Food security and community stores

This Building Block seeks to achieve improved health outcomes for Indigenous people. Increasing Indigenous Australians’ access to effective, comprehensive primary and preventative health care is essential to improving their health and life expectancy, and reducing excess mortality caused by chronic disease. All health services play an important role in providing Indigenous people with access to effective health care, and being responsive to and accountable for achieving government and community health priorities. Closing the Indigenous health gap requires a concerted effort in the prevention, management and treatment of chronic disease. Indigenous children and their parents need to access programs and services that promote healthy lifestyles.

3.1 Expanding Health Service Delivery Initiative

Key developments

• In the period 1 January to 30 June 2010, the Commonwealth Government provided funding to the Remote Area Health Corps (RAHC) to place 205 health professionals throughout the NT on short to medium-term placements – 22 general practitioners, 109 nurses, 25 allied health professionals and 49 dental personnel. The contract with Aspen Medical has been extended to continue the operations of RAHC for 2010-11
• Expansion of primary health care through the Expanding Health Service Delivery Initiative (EHSDI) commenced in July 2008 and continued throughout the current reporting period to June 2010. Over this period available data show that a total of 202 Full Time Equivalent (FTE) new health positions were funded in Aboriginal health services within the NT (9 medical practitioners/specialists, 52 nurses/program coordinators, 30 Aboriginal Health Workers, 54 Aboriginal Community Workers, and 57 ‘other’ positions including training and development support, health promotion, pharmacy, social work, business support and administration positions)
• The Department led a joint process to develop Regionalisation Guidelines assisted by representatives from other members of the NT Aboriginal Health Forum. A key part of the Regionalisation Guidelines concerns the development of a Competence and Capability Framework (CCF) that will be used to assess any proposal to establish regionally based Aboriginal community controlled health boards. The CCF is currently being developed by the NT Department of Health and Families. The CCF together with the Regionalisation Guidelines will guide the process of regionalising NT Aboriginal primary health care within the 14 agreed Health Service Delivery Areas
• A Hearing Health program was established with the Hub Services being delivered by the NT Department of Health and Families
• A 10 year integrated NT Aboriginal primary health care reform plan is in the process of being developed by the partner agencies that comprise the Northern Territory Aboriginal Health Forum (NT AHF). The plan is based on the WHO health systems framework as a basis for priority areas for primary health care system improvement.
• Agreement has been reached on an NT-wide Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) framework and the employment of two CQI coordinators. Funding has been provided to service providers to implement the framework within HSDAs through the employment of local CQI Facilitators
• The Regional Infrastructure Assessment project was completed and funding of $5.5m was allocated to primary health care providers in the NT to address immediate requirements to improve existing infrastructure supporting health service delivery in the NT.

Background

In September 2009, the Minister for Indigenous Health, Rural and Regional Health and Regional Services Delivery Warren Snowdon approved the Investment Plan for 2009-10 totalling $50.706m and agreed to an allocation of funds for the following elements: $41.5m for Primary Health Care Expansion and Transition, which includes increased services, regional reform and capital and infrastructure funding; $7.5m for Workforce, including $5m for the RAHC; $1.001m for Evaluation purposes; and $0.705m for Capital and Infrastructure. This commitment builds on the 2008-09 Investment Plan.

The process being undertaken to regionalise primary health care services, through HSDA Regionalisation Steering Committees, provides a mechanism for strong community engagement. The purpose of these committees is to ensure communities have an increased involvement in health decision making and to provide a platform from which to develop regional Aboriginal community controlled health services for those regions. The future primary health care delivery systems in the NT will be based on a number (probably 14) of HSDAs. These HSDAs establish agreed regional boundaries within which governance, health planning and health service delivery frameworks can be developed.

To address difficulties in recruiting short term clinical positions within NT primary health care services, the Remote Area Health Corps (RAHC) was established to supplement existing recruitment efforts. The primary focus of the RAHC is recruitment of urban-based health professionals, on a short term basis, to provide increased primary health care targeting priority health needs for Indigenous people of all ages.

Progress

During the period 1 January to 30 June 2010, there was steady progress in the health system reform process driven by a high level of cooperation between Northern Territory Aboriginal Health Forum (NTAHF) partners, the Department of Health and Families (NT DHF) the Aboriginal Medical Service Alliance Northern Territory (AMSANT) and the Department of Health and Ageing (DoHA). Key outcomes include:

• Continuation of the tri-partite governance of the implementation of the Expanding Health Service Delivery Initiative (EHSDI)
• Working towards implementation of a jurisdiction-wide Continuous Quality Improvement approach to build a sustainable and robust primary health care system
• Regional reform activities have continued in five HSDAs. Community consultations on the regional reform process have occurred in a number of other HSDAs
• Integrated health planning has occurred in the Barkly, West Arnhem, and East Arnhem Health Service Delivery Areas
• Five Regionalisation Steering Committees continued to identify future regional governance models. The Regionalisation Steering Committees guide the process of developing regional governance and service delivery arrangements, engaging local communities throughout the process
• Interim Guidelines to assist Regionalisation Steering Committees to identify specific deliverables and decision points within the regionalisation process have been cleared for use by the NT Aboriginal Health Forum and implemented through Regionalisation Steering Committees
• A consultancy to review workforce development in the NT Aboriginal Primary Health Care sector was established through the Aboriginal Medical Services Alliance of the NT
• DoHA funded services undertook planning for service delivery for the 2010-11 financial year against the existing NT Core Primary Health Care Services Framework. This Framework is to be reviewed in 2010-11 to further consolidate the nature and type of comprehensive primary health care services provided under EHSDI
• Completion of a regional infrastructure and capital needs assessment and commitment of $5.5m to address immediate requirements in Primary Health Care infrastructure including staff accommodation
• Hub services continued in Darwin and Alice Springs for chronic disease, health promotion and cardiac rehabilitation activity, and expanded to include additional activity in hearing health and audiology.

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3.2 Northern Territory Hospitalisation Data

Background

In previous Monitoring Reports, absolute numbers of hospital separations for children under the age of 5 have been published for the years from 2006. The purpose of looking at hospitalisations data is to see if there is a change occurring that might be related to changes in the health status of children particularly in areas related to their nutritional status and safety–key areas of concern for the CTG in the NT (NTER).

Presenting absolute numbers of hospitalisations has some limitations when used for this purpose. Hospital separations may increase or decrease for reasons unrelated to changes in the health status of the children. For example, the population of children may be going up or down or there may be changes occurring in the availability or type of treatment either in hospital or in a community setting. Data from one or two years may also be different to the long term trend because of random variation. To help identify real change that may be attributable to underlying change in the rate of health conditions among children, it is desirable to use data over a longer time period and to take account of underlying population change. It is also useful to look at trends in hospitalisation for Indigenous children in the NT in the light of trends for non-Indigenous children in the NT as well as Indigenous children in other jurisdictions as there may be factors at work across all these populations leading to increases or decreases in hospitalisations that are unrelated to the NTER. It is also useful to consider hospital indicators in the light of other available data from surveys or other administrative collections as these help complete the picture on health trends in the population.

With these considerations in mind, the Department of Health and Ageing has asked the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare to produce a customised version of the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Performance Framework for the Northern Territory. This will include an analysis of hospitalisation data for children over a longer time period than that previously presented in this report and take into account natural variation as well as the broader picture of indicators of health for the population as a whole.

It may also include analysis of data from the Healthy Under 5 Kids Program data collection which has collected data on nutrition-related indicators for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in the Northern Territory remote communities since 2004. Aggregate data from this collection are available publicly, however, detailed analysis will require approval from the relevant data custodians to access the collection. These analyses will be completed in time for the publication of some results in the next Monitoring Report.

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3.3 Child Health Check Specialist and Allied Health Follow-up Services

Key developments:

Between 1 January to 30 June 2010:

• 1,005 children received audiology follow-up services (1,212 services provided)
• 1,530 children received dental follow-up services (2,263 services provided)
• 1,221 children received Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) specialist follow-up services (1,505 services provided).

Background

The Australian Government has continued to fund a range of specialist and allied health follow-up services in high priority areas as agreed with the NT Government and set out under the Closing the Gap in the Northern Territory National Partnership Agreement.

Child Health Checks (CHCs) continue to be provided in the NT through a variety of mechanisms. Some are funded through the Medicare Benefits Schedule Item 715 (formely item 708) while others are provided as part of the Healthy School Aged Kids Program or the Healthy Under 5s Kids Program. The evaluation of the CHCI and the EHSDI, which will report in early 2011, will inform future policy and practice on wellness checks for Indigenous children in the NT.

Progress

Follow-up of CHC referrals through existing Primary Health Care (PHC) or specialist services available in the NT often commenced soon after the checks were completed. The Australian Government provided additional follow-up funding to both Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations and the NT DHF health clinics.

Data on follow-up service delivery is available from three sources: 1) audiological testing, 2) ENT services and 3) dental services:

• Audiological Testing: Audiological testing is done to assess hearing and is repeated during the course of care provided for children with ear disease to measure change in response to treatment. Audiology is not in itself a therapeutic intervention but part of a larger process of care. It is expected that many children will require further action following audiological assessment. These services are being provided to children who had a CHC, as well as other Indigenous Australian children aged 15 years or less who live within the prescribed areas of the Northern Territory
• ENT Services: Under the Closing the Gap in the Northern Territory National Partnership Agreement (NPA), the NT Government is to target all Indigenous children under 16 years of age from prescribed communities and town camps who have a referral from a CHC for ENT specialist care. Services include an ENT specialist consultation and, where necessary, ENT surgical procedures
• Funding for ongoing hearing and audiological services, including pre and post-operative care, will be supported through expanded primary health care services and the existing NT Government services
• Dental Services: Under the Closing the Gap in the Northern Territory National Partnership Agreement (NPA) the NT Government is to target all Indigenous children under 16 years of age referred for dental follow up through a CHC and those eligible for CHCs from prescribed communities and town camps. Services include oral assessment, oral health promotion and dental treatment including dental surgery under general anaesthetic
• Funding is also available to a number of Aboriginal Medical Services in the NT to provide follow up dental services. Services include oral assessment and dental treatment. Children requiring dental surgery under general anaesthetic are referred to the NT DHF. Dental follow-up funding from the Australian Government is available until June 2012.

Table 3:1: Number of ENT, Audiology and Dental Follow-Ups

	1 Jul 2008 - 1 Dec 2008	1 Jan 2009 - 0 Jun 2009	1 Jul 2009 - 31 Dec 2009	1 Jan 2010 - 30 June 2010
Number of children who have received audiology follow up*	2,167 checks for 1,991 children	1,356 checks for 1,208 children	525 checks for 508 children***	1,212 checks for 1,005 children
Number of children who have received dental follow-up^(2)	2,185 dental services for 1,626 children	2,060 dental services for 1,440 children	2,020 checks for 1,403 children	2,263 checks for 1530 children
Number of children who have received ENT follow-up **	N/a	N/a	505 checks for 427 children	1,505 services for 1,221 children

Data on follow-up service delivery was published on the Department of Health and Ageing (DoHA) and Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) websites in December 2009 and was based on activities up until the 30 June 2009. These data have now been updated and this report provides data available to the AIHW up until 30 June 2010. The following proportions on children with specific referrals for follow-up have been seen at least once (up to 19 July 2010):

• 59% (759) of 1,291children referred for audiometry
• 60% (1,939) of the 3,223 children referred for dental, and <
• 67% (1,096) of the 1,625 children referred from the CHCI for ENT.

Evaluation and monitoring - of the Child Health Check Initiative and the Expanding Health Service Delivery Initiative

In June 2009 Allen and Clarke Policy and Regulatory Specialists Ltd (Allen and Clarke) were engaged to undertake an independent evaluation of the CHCI and EHSDI during 2009-10. The evaluation is assessing the performance of these initiatives in relation to their appropriateness, effectiveness and efficiency and contribute to the refinement of policy and practice.

The evaluation is being conducted within the framework of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the NT Government, the AMSANT, and the DoHA, to guide monitoring and evaluation of primary health care expansion and reform through to 2012-13. The MoU is operationalised by a Management Committee comprising partner representatives, the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) and an Indigenous Advisory Group (IAG).

An Evaluation Design Report produced by Allen and Clarke and agreed by the partners, was released on the DoHA and Allen and Clarke websites in December 2009. This report outlines the overall approach being taken in the evaluation.

The evaluation of the CHCI component will build on the data collections developed to monitor the implementation of the CHCs and follow-up services and will also involve a qualitative component, including findings from a small number of case study communities.

The focus of the EHSDI evaluation is on whether the program is on track to expand primary care service delivery, improve service delivery structures and processes, meet the health needs of the Indigenous population, improve health outcomes and make the best use of scarce resources. It will be informed by data collected against the NT Aboriginal Health Key Performance Indicators (NT AHKPIs), other available health administrative data (eg hospital and registry data), administrative data from OATSIH and NT DHF on expenditure and services provided, and more in depth information from five case study communities.

The case studies are being used to explore issues in depth, and seek to understand why things were done, how they were implemented and what happened as a result. The case studies will collect both qualitative and quantitative information, using interviews (conducted in February and March 2010), observation, administered questionnaires and document review. The case study communities are Galiwin’ku, Ramingining, Wugularr, Canteen Creek and Nyirripi.

Plans for the longer term evaluation of the EHSDI will be made following completion of this (interim) evaluation noting that the NT AHKPIs will support long term monitoring and evaluation of the program as well as Continuous Quality Improvement and planning activities. Indicators will enable monitoring of: episodes of care, timing of first antenatal visit, birth weight, immunisation, nutritional status of children (including weight and anaemia levels), and chronic disease management.

Consultation on the final CHCI and EHSDI evaluation report is expected to commence from late 2010.

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3.4 Child Special Services

• Since the commencement of the Mobile Outreach Service in April 2008 to 31 July 2010 MOS teams have made a total of 357 visits to 82 communities and town camps in 12 eligible Health Service Delivery Areas (HSDA) of the NT
• As at 30 June 2010 Mobile Outreach Services Plus employed 19 staff and had teams located in Darwin, Alice Springs and Tennant Creek
• From 1 January to 30 June 2010 MOS and MOS Plus teams made a total of 91 visits to 52 communities and town camps across the NT; provided 119 case-related services to children and/or their family members and delivered 404 non-case related services to service providers and community members
• An independent evaluation of MOS and MOS Plus commenced on 30 June 2010. A final report is due on 31 July 2011
• As at 30 June 2010, the Centre for Remote Health (CRH) and the NT DHF delivered Child Special Services Workforce Training and Development funded activities to 804 participants from the health and community services remote workforce in the Northern Territory.

Background

The Australian Government provided funding to the NT DHF under the NTER to develop and implement the NT Sexual Assault Mobile Outreach Service (MOS) to respond to child sexual assault and related trauma in remote communities that had not previously received a service from the NT’s Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC). Through both the 2008-09 Better Outcomes for Hospitals and Community Health and the 2009-10 Closing the Gap in the Northern Territory ¬Indigenous health and related services budget measures, MOS is being implemented across remote NT communities.

Additional funding in 2009-10 expanded the program (now known as MOS Plus) in November 2009. MOS Plus now provides culturally safe counselling and support services in response to any form of child abuse-related trauma, and is being implemented in the context of the Health Services and the Closing the Gap in the Northern Territory National Partnership Agreements. The Australian Government’s commitment to funding a therapeutic response to neglect and abuse is complemented by appropriate non case-related services to children and their families and communities. MOS Plus is one of a range of investments that contribute to Closing the Gap in the Northern Territory, and complements the role of many primary health care providers in this challenging area. The program is also intended to increase referral pathways through partnerships with the broader remote health and community services sector. An Implementation Plan, agreed on 18 June 2010, can be accessed at the following link: http://www.federalfinancialrelations.gov.au/content/national_partnership_agreements/health/health_services/Northern_Territory_Mobile_Outreach_Service_Plus_IP.pdf. These funds also improve access to remote forensic sexual assault services. MOS Plus teams consist of professional counsellors and Aboriginal Therapeutic Resource Workers who provide casework services, community education and professional development services to Aboriginal children, families and community members in remote NT.

Child Special Services Workforce Training and Development for NT health professionals and other service providers funded in 2008-09 was delivered between April 2009 and 30 June 2010. It was delivered by the Centre for Remote Health (CRH) and the NT DHF in hub locations as well as a number of remote communities across the NT. The training was delivered to the remote health and community service workforce to increase their capacity to respond to child abuse and related trauma, including understanding mandatory reporting obligations. Additional funding made available through the 2009-10 Budget increased access to training and workforce development to remote primary health care staff and community based workers

Progress

MOS Plus: Since the commencement of MOS in April 2008 to 31 July 2010 MOS teams have made a total of 357 visits to 82 communities and town camps in 12 eligible HSDAs of the NT. As at 30 June 2010, MOS Plus employs 19 staff, and has teams located in Darwin, Alice Springs and Tennant Creek. The Darwin based team provides an outreach service to the Katherine regions.

Case-related and non case-related service data available from NT DHF for 2009–10 indicates that in the six month period 1 January to 30 June 2010 MOS and MOS Plus teams made a total of 91 visits to 52 communities and town camps across the NT, provided 119 case-related services4 to children and/or their family members, and delivered 404 non-case related services5 to service providers and community members.

As at 30 June 2010, Child Special Services Workforce Training and Development funded activities were as follows:

• NT DHF delivered 32 training workshops and information sessions to 491 human and community services workforce participants in remote NT communities
• CRH delivered 23 training workshops in regional hubs to 313 health workforce participants from remote NT communities.

Evaluation of the Mobile Outreach Service (MOS) Projects

The Department has commissioned an independent evaluation of the Northern Territory Sexual Assault Mobile Outreach Service (MOS) and the Northern Territory Mobile Outreach Service Plus (MOS Plus).

The objective of the evaluation is to assess the implementation of the MOS Projects model and their impact on and outcomes for Aboriginal children and young people in their families and communities.

The evaluation commenced on 30 June 2010, and a final report is due on 30 July 2011

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3.5 Drug and Alcohol Treatment and Rehabilitation Services

Key developments

In 2009-10, $2.6 million ($1.2 million under EHSDI and $1.4 million under the Closing the Gap – NT – Indigenous Health and Related Services Measure) was provided to continue the key activities of the NTER. This included:

• Increasing the drug and alcohol treatment and rehabilitation worforce across six Aboriginal primary health care services and five stand-alone services
• Increasing the capacity of six treatment and rehabilitation services
• Providing drug and alcohol treatment and rehabilitation workforce development.

In 2010-11, $2.6 million will be provided ($1.4 million under the Closing the Gap – NT – Indigenous Health and Related Services Measure and $1.2 million under the Closing the Gap – Indigenous Drug and Alcohol Services measure) to continue these activities.

Progress

Key elements of the 2008-09 Closing the Gap – NT – Follow Up Care Measure (Drug and Alcohol Component) were continued in 2009-10. The investment in workforce was complemented by other Australian Government funded AOD programs across the NT.

During 2009-10, organisations continued to work towards developing models of service delivery specific to the requirements of their communities and regions. The creation of employment opportunities targeting Indigenous Australians has been a significant achievement. Difficulties recruiting and retaining staff in some locations remain, although organisations will continue to actively fill vacant positions in 2010-11. Workforce support and development is essential to building a sustainable workforce and supporting primary health care services to integrate substance use interventions into core business.

Substance Use Treatment and Rehabiliation Services

Additional funding was provided in 2009-10 to six stand alone substance use treatment and rehabilitation services across the NT to enhance capacity and continue services provided 2008-09.

The services which received additional funding in 2009-10 to enhance capacity and continue services provided in 2008-09 are located across the regions of Darwin, Alice Springs, Katherine and Tennant Creek.

Workforce Support and Development

In 2009-10, NT DHF was funded to deliver a range of workforce support and development initiatives. This included continuation of the AOD Clinical Director position and workforce training and education activities. These activities were complemented by the work of the AOD Remote Workforce Coordinator, funded under the 2006 COAG Drug and Alcohol Measure.

Evaluation of the Alcohol and Other Drugs (AOD) Response Measure

On 1 August 2008, Origin Consulting and Bowchung Consulting were engaged to conduct an independent evaluation of the NTER AOD Response Measure.

The overall evaluation objective is to assess how well the measure has been implemented and the extent to which it has achieved its goals. In order to answer the overall evaluation objective, the consultants are to:

• assess the extent to which appropriate AOD related health and substance use services were put in place in the NT to support individuals and communities affected by the new Commonwealth alcohol legislation
• assess the extent to which innovative opportunities were created to reduce harmful drinking levels among individuals and communities affected by the new Commonwealth alcohol legislation in the NT, through the introduction of Measures under the NTER AOD Response Measure.

During the period 1 July to 31 December 2009, consultations with key stakeholders continued. A synthesis workshop was held in October 2009 where feedback was sought on the draft findings and recommendations. Organisations and service providers who received funding under this Measure were also provided an opportunity to comment on the draft findings and recommendations.

The previous monitoring report stated that the findings of the Evaluation of the Alcohol and Other Drugs (AOD) Response Measure would be included in this edition of the monitoring report. However, the timing of the Federal election and the extended caretaker period has delayed public release of this evaluation report. It is expected that findings from the evaluation will be included in the next reporting period.

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3.6 Food security and community stores

In order to provide food security to communities, it is essential that governments at all levels improve the capacity of stores operators and boards in Indigenous communities to soundly manage the business of a store to ensure the continuous supply of a good range of reasonable quality food to communities.

The way community stores operate and the quality of food they provide is critical to the Australian Government’s efforts to improve the lives of Indigenous people through the Northern Territory Emergency Response (NTER).

A licensing system was put in place for community stores in prescribed areas in the Northern Territory. Stores that are licensed are able to participate in the income-management arrangements.

Key developments

• At 30 June 2010, a total of 90 community stores have been licensed
• A total of 123 visits to community stores were undertaken from 1 January to 30 June 2010 which included assessments for store licensing and case management visits
• In the period January to June 2010 no community store licences were revoked.

Background

The NTER brought in a licensing scheme for community stores. The aim was:

• to improve the range and quality of groceries available in communities
• to make sure stores are well managed and able to take part in the income management arrangements.

The operation of community stores and the quality of food they provide is critical to the Australian Government's efforts to improve the lives of Indigenous people in remote communities of the Northern Territory.

There are longstanding concerns about the management of stores and the quality of food available in some remote stores. The community stores licensing process addresses these concerns by setting standards for food, grocery quality and store governance. Community stores are those that are primarily concerned with the provision of grocery items and drinks. Stores that are solely takeaway food shops or fast food shops are not licensed in this process.

Progress

The Assessment Process and the Application of Legislative Requirements for the Licensing of Community Stores

As at 30 June 2010 there were 90 licensed community stores in the Northern Territory. Licenses are issued for up to a period of 12 months (some licences may be issued for a shorter period such as 3 or 6 months if significant operational issues are identified during the assessment process that need to be rectified within a specified time).

The NTER Act 2007 specifies three primary assessable matters that are taken into account when considering if a licence should be issued to a store operator. This includes:

• The store’s capacity to participate in, and where applicable their record of compliance with, the requirements of the IM regime
• The quality, quantity and range of groceries and consumer items, including healthy food and drink, available in the store
• The financial structure, and retail and governance practices of the store
• The delegate may also consider other matters that could be relevant to the provision of high quality store services.

Section 104 of the NTER Act 2007 states that it is a condition of a community store licence that the holder of the licence must operate the store in a satisfactory manner having regard to the assessable matters.

A community store licence may be revoked or refused if, among other things, there are reasonable grounds to believe the store is in breach of licensing conditions and/or operated in an unsatisfactory manner. When a licence is revoked or refused, Centrelink will also cancel their Income Management agreement with the store. The effect of these actions is that income-managed funds are not able to be used in that store for any purchases.

Monitoring of Community Stores and Support to Community Store Owners and Managers

The Case Management Team within the Department works closely with the owners and managers of community stores and other key stakeholders to assist in improving governance and retail practices to maximise efficiencies in the operation of the store and to ensure that business decisions relating to the operation of the store (governance) are sound.

Case Managers regularly visit communities to monitor stores and to work with owners and managers to improve the capacity of the store, to meet licensing conditions, and to improve retail and governance practices. A total of 96 monitoring visits to community stores were undertaken from 1 January to 30 June 2010.

4. Case-related services do not equate to numbers of children or numbers of child cases.
5. Non case related services include community education and professional development services to Aboriginal children, families and community members. NB All six month case related and non case-related data is derived from summation of quarterly data.

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4. Economic Participation

• 4.1 Expenditure through Income Management
• 4.2 BasicsCards
• 4.3 Income Support
  • 4.3.1 DEEWR Income Support Analysis
• 4.4 Jobs Package
• 4.5 Job Placements
• 4.6 Work Experience
• 4.7 Non-payment periods
• 4.8 Off-benefit outcomes
• 4.9 Increase literacy and numeracy
• 4.10 Community Development and Employment Projects (CDEP) program
• 4.11 Youth in Communities (YIC)

This Building Block seeks to ensure that individuals and communities have the opportunity to benefit from the mainstream economy. Economic participation needs to extend to disadvantaged job seekers and those outside of the labour market. Welfare needs to promote active engagement, enhanced capability and positive social norms. The Government has developed both specific employment packages in the Northern Territory, as well as implementing nationwide reforms to the Community Development Employment Projects (CDEP) program, the Indigenous Employment Program (IEP), and mainstream employment services so Indigenous Australians acquire the skills they need to get and keep a job.

Income management works by ensuring a proportion of income support and family assistance payments cannot be spent on excluded items, comprising alcohol, tobacco, pornography or gambling goods and activities. Money that is not spent on excluded goods is available to be spent on necessities, including food, housing, utilities, clothing and medical care. There is no restriction on use of the proportion of a person’s payments that is not income managed.

Income management does not change a person's payment entitlements; it only changes the way they receive their payments.

4.1 Expenditure through Income Management

Key Developments

• As at 25 June 2010, the number of income management customers in the Northern Territory was 17,952, an increase of 7.2% since 1 January 2010.
• As of August 2010, the implementation of the new scheme of income management commenced in the Barkly region. Zone 2 – Alice Springs, Katherine, East Arnhem Land and other outback areas – commenced on 30 August with the remaining zones commencing on 20 September (outback areas) and 4 October (Darwin and Palmerston).

Progress

Between July 2007 and 25 June 2010, a total of $348.3 million had been income managed and $343.1 million had been spent. Most money was spent in stores that primarily sell food (68.1%), on housing costs (9.2%), in stores that primarily sell clothing and footwear (6.4%) and on store cards available for use at major supermarkets and department stores (3%). School nutrition programs accounted for 3.1% of spending.

At 25 June 2010, the most common income support payments received by income management customers were Newstart Allowance (36%), Disability Support Pension (23.4%) and Parenting Payment Partnered (12.4%). Almost a third (32%) of income management customers were also Family Tax Benefit (FTB) customers.

Looking Forward - New Income Management

Income management was first introduced in 2007 as part of the Northern Territory Emergency Response (NTER). Until the introduction of the new, non-discriminatory model, income management only affected people in receipt of income support or family assistance payments who lived in the 73 prescribed communities, their associated outstations, or any of the 10 prescribed town camp regions of the Northern Territory.

The new scheme extends income management to people across urban, regional and remote areas of the Northern Territory with the most need for support, including those with a high risk of social isolation, poor money management skills, and those likely to participate in risky behaviours.

Implementation of the new scheme commenced on 9 August 2010 in the Barkly region. Zone 2 – Alice Springs, Katherine, East Arnhem land and other outback areas, commenced on 30 August with the remaining zones commencing on 20 September (outback areas) and 4 October (Darwin and Palmerston).

The rollout involves the transition of existing NTER income management customers to the new scheme, the exit of existing NTER customers who are not eligible for the new scheme and the commencement of new income management arrangements for eligible customers who have not previously been affected, including residents of the cities and towns..

The proportion of a person’s government payments that is income managed is generally 50%, but rises to 70% in cases where a child protection issue is involved.

Child protection income management can now be used as an additional tool in the management of child neglect. Under this measure, Northern Territory child protection workers will: determine whether or not income management would be helpful to a particular individual/family; make a referral to Centrelink to income manage an individual/family, and then determine how long the child protection income management is to be applied ranging from three to 12 months.

A person who is income managed may use their income managed funds for items other than housing, food, clothing, utilities and other items (defined as priority needs), but not for excluded items, such as alcohol, tobacco, gambling or pornography. There is no restriction on a person’s use of the proportion of their payment which is not income managed.

Income management measures are not designed to be punitive, but to positively provide structure and support to those who need it. The new scheme is aimed at people who are likely to benefit from income management, with exemptions available for full-time students, people with a sustained history of workforce participation, and parents who can demonstrate proper care and education of their children. People will also be able to volunteer for income management.

To provide greater support to people who are income managed, the Government has allocated over $50 million to expand financial literacy initiatives, as part of the income management model. This will include access to matched savings incentives, financial counselling and other money management services.

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4.2 BasicsCards

The BasicsCard is a PIN-protected card which uses the existing EFTPOS system and enables people to easily access their income managed funds and is available for use at over 3500 merchants nationally, with more expected as the new model of income management is implemented across the Northern Territory. The BasicsCard may be used to purchase any items available through an approved merchant, except for excluded items.

Key Developments

• As at 25 June 2010, 95.1% (17,068 out of 17,952) of income managed customers had a BasicsCard
• As at 25 June 2010, customers have spent $192.5 million using the BasicsCard – primarily at stores that mainly sell food (73.3%) and clothing (16.2%).

Progress

Of the 118,148 BasicsCards that have been issued 75,427 were replacement cards. Of these, lost cards accounted for the majority (79.7%), followed by damaged (12.7%) and stolen cards (3.7%). Of the 6,068,814 attempted transactions to 25 June 2010, 30.0% were unsuccessful. The majority (79.3%) of the unsuccessful transactions were due to insufficient funds available to the card.

Issues

Since the introduction of the BasicsCard, there have been occasional outages to the EFTPOS system or for other reasons. This has highlighted the need to ensure that comprehensive contingency arrangements are in place when customers are not able to use the BasicsCard.

Determining a customer’s BasicsCard balance is a major issue for many stores. The BasicsCard balance issue can be burdensome for stores when customers do not know their balances as customers often try to purchase more than they can afford or use the store’s phone to contact Centrelink about the balance.

Income managed customers are currently able to check their BasicsCard balance via the Income Management Line (13 2594) which is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Customers can also phone the 1800 number (1800 057 111) which is free from home phones. There are facilities available in Centrelink offices for customer to check their BasicsCard balance at no cost to the customer, and they can also find out their balance by accessing the Centrelink website.

In addition, Centrelink has installed hot-linked phones in approximately 70 community stores in remote areas of the Northern Territory and Western Australia. Hot-linked phones provide customers with direct access to the Income Management Line to check their BasicsCard balance and to speak to a Centrelink Customer Service Adviser if required. The Government is also continuing to explore additional balance enquiry options in order to improve customer’s access to their BasicsCard balance.

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4.3 Income Support

Individuals are assessed for income support against a standard set of criteria. Age, family and financial circumstances are the main considerations when assessing a person for income support.

People aged 16 to 65 will be assessed against the working age benefits such as Newstart Allowance (NSA, Parenting Payment (PPS or PPP) and Youth Allowance (YA). These payments are the responsibility of DEEWR.

People aged over 65 are assessed for the Age Pension (AGE) or similar benefits. The Age Pension is the responsibility of FaHCSIA.

People who are of working age but for caring or health reasons are unable to participate in the labour force will be considered for a benefit such as Carer Payment or Disability Support Pension (DSP). These payments are the responsibility of FaHCSIA.

Table 4:1: Income Support Recipients in the NTER Prescribed Areas

	June 2009	June 10	Change (#)	Change (%)
Newstart	6133	5871	-262	-4
Parenting Payment Partnered	2251	2311	60	3
Parenting Payment Single	2233	2147	-86	-4
Youth Allowance (other)	947	1135	188	19
DEEWR IS payments	11564	11464	-100	14
Age Pension	2770	2879	109	4
Disability Support Pension	4525	5372	847	19
Carer Payment	432	500	68	16
Other	793	759	-40	-5
FaHCSIA IS payments	8526	9510	984	12
TOTAL	20090	20974	884	4

Source: DEEWR Centrelink data extraction

• The number of income support recipients in NTER prescribed communities increased by 4% between June 2009 and June 2010.  The number of Disability Support Pension recipients increased by 19%, Aged Pension recipients by 4%, the number of Carer Pensioners had increased by 16% and the number of Parenting Payment Partnered increased by 3%.
•  The number of Newstart allowees dropped by 4%, and Parenting Payment Single dropped by 4%.

4.3.1 DEEWR Income Support Analysis

The number of people in prescribed communities on participation payments (Newstart, Parenting Payment Partnered, Parenting Payment Single and Youth Allowance (other)) remained stable between June 2009 to June 2010, decreasing only slightly from 11,564 to 11,464.

• The number of people in prescribed communities on participation payments increased between June 2007 to January 2008 was stable from January 2008 to June 2008, decreased between June 2008 to June 2009 and was also stable from June 2009 to June 2010
• The number of people in prescribed communities on participation payments has remained stable since June 2009.
• The number of people receiving non-DEEWR payments has increased by almost 1,000  since 30 June 2009
• More than 1500 jobs have been created during the period from June 2009 to June 2010 – facilitated either by employment service providers or by converting CDEP jobs into ‘real positions’
• The number of people on student payments increased between December 2009 and June 2010 in line with the seasonal trend.

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4.4 Jobs Package

Table 4:2: NT Jobs Package

Performance Indicators	1 July 2009	30 June 2010	Data Source	Performance Indicators	30 June 2010	Data Source
Number of jobs created under the Jobs Package by Australian Government/NT Government	1706	2241	Job Status Report	Number of positions filled under the Jobs Package by Australian Government/NT Government	2233	Job Status Report

Key developments

• As at June 2010 the number of jobs created under the Jobs Package by Australian Government/NT Government was 2241
• As at June 2010 the number of jobs filled under the Jobs Package by Australian Government/NT Government was 2233.

Background

The intention of the NT Jobs Package is that positions/jobs are to be filled by Indigenous Australians who were previously supporting government service delivery through the CDEP program.

Analysis of indicator

The NT Jobs Package provided $91 million dollars in funding for the creation of around 1,670 jobs in Australian Government-funded service delivery and around 400 jobs in local government service delivery across the Northern Territory. This target was based on initial agency estimates about the number of sustainable jobs that could be created out of CDEP.

By June 2010, Commonwealth agencies and the Northern Territory Government confirmed that a total of 2,241 jobs had been funded. This number is composed of  1,755 jobs in Australian Government service delivery and  486 in local government service delivery. Of the 2,241 funded positions, 2,233 positions were confirmed as filled in Australian Government or local government service delivery.

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4.5 Job Placements

Table 4:3: Job Placements

Performance Indicators	Total 1 July 2007 - 30 June 2009		Total 1 July 2009 - 31 December 2009	Total 1 January 2010 - 30 June 2010	Milestones or targets	Data Source
Job Placements in the prescribed communities, town camps and outstations	1782	Job Placements in the prescribed communities	582	849	N/A	Employment Services System

Key developments

•  
As at June 2010 the number of Job Placements in the prescribed communities, was 849
• Job placements for the period 1 January 2010 – 30 June 2010 were 46% higher compared with the previous six month period.

Data Notes

Comparisons cannot be made with the period 1 July 2007 – 30 June 2009 due to changes with the methodology used to source the data. The method of reporting job placements has changed since the introduction of Job Services Australia on 1 July 2009.

Analysis of indicator

The above data series is a measure of successful job referrals made by the previous Job Network and Job Services Australia providers for job seekers (Indigenous and non-Indigenous) who resided in a prescribed community at the time of the job referral. Job placements for the period 1 January 2010 – 30 June 2010 were 46% higher compared with the previous six month period (which was the commencement of the new Job Services Australia contract). It is not a complete measure of job placements that have occurred in these communities, nor does it capture all placements into positions that have been created as part of the CDEP conversion Jobs Package - only those where a Job Services Australia provider has played a role in the job brokerage process.

The Department's administrative dataset does not record whether a job placement is part of the CDEP Conversion Jobs Package, but by cross correlating known factors such as employer name and job description against other external data sources we can assess whether a job placement is highly likely to be part of the Jobs Package.

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4.6 Work Experience

Table 4:4: Job seeker participation in Work Experience activities

Work Experience Activity Type	1 January 2010	30 June 2010
Accredited Education and Training (Vocational)	520	1,000
Addictions Intervention (Non-vocational)	<20	0
Brokered Unpaid Work Experience	<20	29
Cultural Services (Non-vocational)	0	35
Defence Force Reserves	0	<20
Green Corps	<20	<20
Medical/Health Related Services (Non-vocational)	0	<20
Mental Health Interventions (Non-vocational)	<20	<20
Non-accredited Training (Vocational)	52	103
Other	604	516
Other Approved Programs	1,382	1,899
Other Non-vocational	28	24
Part Time/Casual Paid Employment	56	80
Skills Training (Non-vocational)	27	24
Training in Job Search Techniques	<20	<20
Voluntary Work in community/non profit sector	<20	<20
Work for the Dole	79	125
Total	2,779	3,855

Data notes

The data above shows the change in the number of work experience activities job seekers on the Job Services Australia active caseload in the 73 prescribed communities have been participating in. Cells with a value less than 20 have been recorded as ‘<20’ to protect the privacy of individuals. Job seekers may be participating in more than one activity.

Analysis of indicator

Table 5 provides a breakdown of the Work Experience activities for job seekers in the 73 prescribed communities. It should be noted that, due to recording issues, the data significantly under report the number of job seekers who have participated in CDEP as a Work Experience Activity.

There has been an increase in participation in Work Experience activities between 1 January 2010 and 30 June 2010.

At 30 June 2010, there were 8,943 job seekers on the Job Services Australia active caseload in the 73 prescribed communities. Of these job seekers, 3,046 (34%) were participating in a Work Experience activity. At 1 January 2010, there were 9,163 job seekers on the Job Services Australia active caseload in the 73 prescribed communities. Of these job seekers, 2,347 (26%) were participating in a Work Experience activity.

At 30 June 2010, there were 2,196 job seekers in the Work Experience Phase of the Job Services Australia active caseload in the 73 prescribed communities. Of these job seekers, 1,142 (52%) were participating in a Work Experience activity. At 1 January 2010, there were 2,434 job seekers in the Work Experience Phase of the Job Services Australia active caseload in the 73 prescribed communities. Of these job seekers, 1,099 (45%) were participating in a Work Experience activity.

The new Employment Services have a greater focus on job seekers obtaining work experience. Job seekers can participate in Work Experience at any time, and each Stream will include a Work Experience Phase tailored to the needs of individual job seekers. In this Phase, Jobs Services Australia providers will facilitate Work Experience Activities for job seekers which will enhance their chances of finding employment and provide ongoing assistance through regular contact with providers. Job seekers can undertake Work Experience Activities if the provider and job seeker believe it will benefit them. Job seekers with activity test and participation requirements are required to be undertaking at least one compulsory activity, which could, for example, be a Work Experience Activity or job search, on an ongoing basis.

Job Seekers are able to undertake a range of Work Experience Activities including:

• Work for the Dole activities, including Full-Time Work for the Dole activities (it is anticipated that Work for the Dole activities will continue to be the primary means of undertaking Work Experience)
• Green Corps environmental activities
• Part-time study (for example through PPP and other accredited vocational training)
• Part time or casual paid employment
• Brokered unpaid work experience placements
• Voluntary work in the community and not-for-profit sector
• Paid or unpaid work in social enterprises
• Drought Force farm-based activities
• Defence Force Reserves
• Placement in other Australian Government or state government labour market or appropriate training or skills development programs, including Language Literacy and Numeracy, and Indigenous programs such as CDEP
• Participation in non-vocational programs and services (where appropriate).

Job seekers receiving income support who participate in Work for the Dole, Full-Time Work for the Dole, Drought Force and Green Corps activities, are eligible to receive a supplement of $20.80 per fortnight to assist them in meeting the additional costs of participation.

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4.7 Non-payment periods

Table 4:5: Non-payment periods

Performance Indicators	Baseline Data	1 Aug 07 - 31 Jan 08	1 Feb 08 - 30 Jun 08	1 July 08 - 31 Dec 08	1 Jan 09 - 30 Jun 09	1 Jul 09 - 31 Dec 09	1 Jan 2010 - 10 June 2010	Period to date (excluding baseline)
Number of activity tested job seekers serving a non- payment period	2 eight week non-payment periods for 2 people	66 eight week non-payment periods for 65 people	33 eight week non-payment periods for 32 people	19 eight week non-payment periods for 19 people	12 eight week non-payment periods for 12 people	6 eight week-payment periods for 6 people	0 eight week non payment periods for 0 people	136 eight week non-payment periods for 134 people

Data notes

The job seekers represented in this data resided in the 73 prescribed communities, their outstations and town camps at the time when the financial penalty was applied.

A Participation Report is a report submitted by an employment service provider to Centrelink via the DEEWR IT Systems when a job seeker fails to meet a participation requirement. The report is processed by Centrelink, who then discuss the matter with the job seeker to determine if they have a reasonable excuse for failing to meet a requirement. If a job seeker fails to meet a requirement and a provider has been unable to contact the job seeker to discuss the reason/s why, the provider can use their discretion and submit a Contact Request (instead of a Participation Report) to Centrelink if they believe formal compliance action is not the most appropriate path to take. Centrelink then re-engage the job seeker with their provider.

Analysis of indicator

A new job seeker compliance framework was introduced on 1 July 2009. These new arrangements take a fairer approach to job seeker engagement, ensuring any barriers to participation are considered and job seekers receive the right help, rather than the previous approach of an automatic eight week non-payment period once a number of failures to participate had been recorded. There was no direct financial penalty prior to July 2009 (ie No Show No Pay) for not attending a required activity, failure to attend a job interview or behaving inappropriately at a job interview. Rather, these failures would incur a participation failure. Three participation failures would inturn lead to an 8 week non-payment period.

The old and new compliance frameworks are not directly comparable, especially in the context of the other (smaller) penalties. Under the old system a failure to participate may have resulted in an eight week non-payment period if it was a third failure, even though it may have been the first time they had failed to participate in an activity (i.e: the other two failures were for appointments). Whereas the new system applies a penalty for each day missed on an activity. After three such failures are applied in a 6 month period, the job seeker is required to attend a Comprehensive Compliance Assessment and if found to be persistently and deliberately non compliant then an eight week non-payment period may be applied.

For the period 1 January to 30 June 2010, there have been 1726 Contact Requests. The Contact Requests represent over 61% of the combined Participation Report & Contact Request total in the NTER. This shows that providers are using their discretion not to take compliance action more than half of the time and instead are asking Centrelink for help to contact the job seeker.

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4.8 Off-benefit outcomes

Table 4:6: Off-benefit outcomes

Performance Indicators	Baseline Data	1 Jan 2009 - 30 Jun 2009	1 Jan 2010 - 30 Jun 2010	Milestones or targets	Data Source
Trend in ‘Off benefit outcomes’ by prescribed community	n/a	2504	1982	n/a	Research and Evaluation database

Data notes

The analysis of trends in ‘off benefit outcomes’ uses longitudinal data to examine changes in income support receipt for people who have been in receipt of the main activity tested allowances, Newstart Allowance (NSA) and Youth Allowance – other (YA(o)), at some time during each of the four periods. An exit from income support occurs when a recipient advises they no longer require income support, they transfer to another benefit or have their benefit cancelled due to a failure to meet allowance eligibility requirements.

For the purpose of this analysis a maximum of one exit is counted for an allowee in an analysis period. As allowees who have an exit may subsequently return to income support, the analysis is based on the first exit reason in the period. Allowees can be on NSA or YAL and participating in CDEP.

As this analysis is based on the allowee’s community at either the start of the period or at the start of receipt of an allowance, which ever is later, the exit from income support may have occurred at another community.

Analysis of indicator

Examination of exits for the periods 1 January 2009 - 30 June 2009 and 1 January 2010 - 30 June 2010 shows that the proportion of NSA/YA(o) allowees with at least one exit from income support decreased slightly from 30% (2504 recipients) to 25% (1982 recipients).

As many exits are for unknown reasons it is not possible to make a reliable assessment of how many exits are related to employment outcomes. Less than 3% of exits from NSA/YA(o) were to employment in both periods. The exits to employment are understated, as many allowees fail to notify Centrelink when they no longer require income support (this generally accounts for over half of all exits reported). Previous research has shown that for job seekers, in general, up to 75% of such exits result from commencing employment. It is not possible to estimate the equivalent figure for these communities at this time.

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4.9 Increase literacy and numeracy

Language, Literacy and Numeracy Program

Table 4:7: Language, Literacy and Numeracy Program

Performance Indicators	1 Aug 07 - 31 Oct 07	1 Nov 08 - 31 Jan 08	1 Feb 08 - 30 Jun 08	1 Jul 08 - 31 Dec 08	1 Jan 09 - 30 Jun 09	1 Jul 09 - 31 Dec 09	1 Jan 2010 - 30 June 2010	Total 1Aug 07 - 30 June 2010
Number of referrals to Language, Literacy and Numeracy Program (LLNP) in NTER communities and associated outstations.	0	218	591	530	366	240	113	2058

Key Developments

• Between January 2010 and 30 June 2010 there have been 113 referrals to the Language, Literacy and Numeracy Program. The total number of referrals during 2009-10 to the LLNP has been 353 and of those referrals 115 eligible job seekers have commenced training.

Data Notes

Please note information being reported from 2009-10 relates to funding provided as part of NTER for additional 162 places over 3 years as announced in the 2009-10 Budget. The 2009-10 referral data are not directly comparable with earlier periods as the LLNP training delivery, number of places and funding has changed substantially. These changes are leading to improved LLNP outcomes for Indigenous clients under NTER as noted below.

Analysis

The Government has provided funding of $3 million over three years from 2009-10 for an additional 162 LLNP places for Indigenous Australians across nine Indigenous communities under the Northern Territory Emergency Response (NTER).

Priority Indigenous Communities will be targeted for service delivery of LLNP training using a community-based model. The model aims to facilitate strong community engagement, utilising existing infrastructure and generating successful training outcomes through improved client participation and retention rates. A key feature of these community-based projects is the conduct of upfront scoping activities to determine which communities are likely to experience greatest success from a LLN training project and to assist initial engagement with the community, relationship building with community stakeholders, employers and other training and service providers, to develop partnering arrangements, determine training logistics and develop innovative training and delivery strategies to meet the needs of the community.

Difficulties in engaging Indigenous communities in the initial roll out of the LLNP have been used to inform the community-based model. The rate of referrals over the last 6 months are an indication that the ground work for engagement is now coming to fruition.

As at 30 June 2010, the total number of referrals during 2009-10 to the LLNP (under NTER) has been 353 and of those referrals 115 eligible job seekers have commenced training.

The level of engagement has been significantly higher (33%) during 2009-10 in LLNP when compared to the initial projects (18% for all previous NTER LLNP assistance for the period 2006-09). This indicates that lessons learnt have been applied to better engage with communities.

The NT DEEWR office expects to replicate these models in other communities with a view to achieving better outcomes across the Program.

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4.10 Community Development and Employment Projects (CDEP) program

The CDEP program assists Indigenous job seekers to find and retain employment and will contribute to meeting the Government’s commitment to halve the employment gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians within a decade.

The CDEP program, will assist indigenous job seekers by delivering Services and Projects in two streams; the Work Readiness Stream and the Community Development Stream.

• Work Readiness Services—assists job seekers to develop their skills, to improve their chances of obtaining employment, outside of the CDEP program

• Community Development—supports and develops Indigenous communities and organisations.

The overall aim is to support Indigenous Australians to achieve economic independence.

Key developments

• In the period between 1 January and 30 June 2010, CDEP services in the NT were delivered by a total of 27 CDEP providers throughout the entire reporting period
• In the period between 1 January and 30 June 2010, CDEP participant numbers in the NT decreased by approx. 2.5 %. At 1 January 2010 there were 4,788 active CDEP participants. At the end of June 2010 the total number of CDEP participants in the NT was at 4,667

Background

Reforms to the CDEP program were introduced on 1 July 2009. This has changed the nature of the program, with all New Participants in the program being in receipt of appropriate Income Support, not CDEP participant payments. Participants who were on the program at 30 June 2009 had their eligibility to receive CDEP participant payments grandfathered (subject to continued eligibility) until at least 30 June 2011. Between 1 July and 30 September 2011 CDEP wages will be phased out on a community by community basis as all CDEP participants will be moved onto income support.

Prior to reforms being introduced on 1 July 2009, the CDEP program had remained little changed since it was introduced over 30 years ago and, consequently, it had become a destination for many of its participants rather than a pathway to employment and economic independence.  It also provided an ongoing wage subsidy for many Indigenous people working in government service delivery or private sector enterprises when they should have been properly employed and paid a real wage.

The reforms to CDEP sought to address these issues and to date, almost 3,000 Commonwealth Government and 750 state and local government jobs have been created from former CDEP positions.  These include jobs in schools, child care, ranger services, municipal services, sport and recreation and aged care.  Many former CDEP participants are now employed in these positions.

Community Development Employment Projects (CDEP) program provides unemployed Indigenous people in remote communities with projects and services that meet their communities needs and give them the opportunity to improve their job skills.

Since 1 July 2009, CDEP has been available only in remote communities with limited and emerging economies. The NT Transition Payment ceased on 30 June 2008. On 10 December 2007 the Federal Minister for Indigenous Affairs announced a moratorium on any further transitions of CDEP providers in the Northern Territory. On the 30 April 2008 the Government announced the reintroduction of the CDEP program in all Northern Territory communities. A transition payment is not required as only new participants commencing on CDEP from 1 July 2009 will be on income support.

CDEP providers work in partnership with DEEWRs employment services and Indigenous employment program providers. Employment service providers work with individual job seekers to develop Employment Pathway Plans (EEP).

Progress

• In the period between 1 January 2010 and 30 June 2010, CDEP services were being delivered in the NT ICC regions Alice Springs, Darwin, Katherine, Nhulunbuy and Tennant Creek. CDEP services in the NT were delivered by a total of 27 CDEP providers throughout the entire reporting period
• In the period between 1 January 2010 and 30 June 2010, CDEP participant numbers in the NT decreased by approximately 2.5 %. At 1 January 2010 there were 4,788 active CDEP participants. At the end of June 2010 the total number of CDEP participants in the NT was at 4,667
• At the end of March 2010 there were 4,640 CDEP participants in the NT.

Looking forward

The focus of the CDEP program is now on developing employability through work readiness services and community development projects. Business development is no longer a performance indicator of the CDEP program (2009-12).

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4.11 Youth in Communities (YIC)

Key developments

Following from the NTER Youth Alcohol Diversion Measure (2007-2009), further funding of $28.4 million over three years (2009-2012) is being provided under the Closing the Gap in the NT - Youth in Communities program to maintain and strengthen youth services in the Northern Territory (NT). Four projects previously funded under the NTER Youth Alcohol diversion measure have been identified for continuation of funding under this measure.

Locations for new projects were determined in consultation with relevant Australian and Northern Territory Government representatives, Shire Councils and peak service representative bodies. Applications for funding opened on 15 December 2009 and closed on 22 January 2010. Further information on funded projects can be found at the end of the report6.

• Projects being funded under Youth in Communities will further improve recreational infrastructure and enable approximately 30 full-time youth workers and a similar number of trainee youth workers to be engaged in Indigenous communities across the NT
• A range of youth diversion activities will be delivered, with programs including sports and youth leadership initiatives, music workshops and employment and education projects
• In addition, over $2 million has been allocated for five new infrastructure projects that will support the delivery of youth services in remote locations.

Progress

A Senior Officers Group made up of representatives from the Northern Territory Government, Australian Government departments and relevant community and local government peak organisations was set up to help shape the strategic direction of the Youth in Communities program. With the assistance of an independent consultant, priority communities where investment would have the greatest impact were targeted.

Applications for Youth in Communities funding were advertised in December 2009 and closed on 22 January 2010. To support this process, industry briefings were conducted in Alice Springs and Darwin and a help desk established to field and respond to questions raised by potential applicants.

An evaluation consultant has been engaged to conduct an interim evaluation and final effectiveness evaluation between 2010 and 2012. A provider has also been engaged to provide professional development and mentoring support to workers employed to deliver Youth in Community services.

6. See Appendix B

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5. Land Tenure

• 5.1 Five Year Leases
• 5.2 Long term Leasing Arrangements

5.1 Five Year Leases

The Australian Government currently holds five-year leases over 64 Northern Territory Emergency Response (NTER) communities by operation of the Northern Territory National Emergency Response Act 2007 (NTER Act). These leases were acquired to facilitate the administration of the NTER, providing security of tenure and prompt access for the delivery of services, repair of buildings and development of infrastructure in communities. Twenty-six of the leases commenced 18 August 2007 while the balance of 38 leases commenced 17 February 2008. Regardless of their start date, all five-year leases will expire in August 2012.

Key developments

Rent

In October 2008, the Australian Government asked the NT Valuer-General to determine reasonable amounts of rent to be paid by the Commonwealth for the five-year leases that had been compulsorily acquired under the NTER.

• Rent payments for the two five-year leased communities on the Tiwi Islands (Milikapiti and Pirlangimpi) commenced in the week beginning 27 September 2009
• Following consultations with the Northern and Central Land Councils, the Valuer-General provided rent determinations for the remaining communities in May 2010
• On 25 May 2010 the Australian Government started paying rent to the Northern and Central Land Councils for the benefit of the Aboriginal land owners of the remaining 45 five-year leased communities on Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act 1976 land. The rent payments were backdated to the commencement of the leases, and include all rent payable for the period up until 1 April 2010. The payments will continue to be made on an annual basis until the leases expire in August 2012
• There are an additional 16 five-year leased communities that are known as community living areas. Rent payments have commenced for one of these communities and the Department is currently working with the Land Councils regarding arrangements for the remaining communities.

The Redesign of the NTER

In June 2010, the NTER Act was amended by the Social Security and Other Legislation Amendment (Welfare Reform and Reinstatement of the Racial Discrimination Act) Act 2009. The amendments included the following additions to the five-year leases measure:

• The clarification of the objectives and permitted use of the five-year leases
• A requirement that the leases be administered in a way that respects Aboriginal culture
• An obligation that the Government negotiate voluntary leases in good faith if requested by the land owner.

The Government must also develop clear guidelines to govern the land use approval process to ensure the transparent allocation of lots. These guidelines are a legislative instrument and must be in force by one day after the period of six months from the Royal Assent (29 December 2010).

Background

The five-year lease areas were originally set using aerial photographic maps. A later ground-based survey project has enabled a closer match of the lease boundary with the town footprint. This substantially reduced boundaries (an overall reduction of approximately 50 per cent) by leaving out areas not essential for service delivery.

The underlying title of the land is not affected by the leases. Aboriginal land owners still own the land. All existing arrangements have been retained. People using the land immediately before the commencement of the five-year leases have continued to do so.

The Government is responsible for approving new and changed uses of land in five-year leased communities.

Government Facilities within NTER Communities

The five-year leases have been used to underpin NTER measures including:

• the installation of Safe Houses
• the improvement of conditions through the Community Clean-Up Program
• the installation of Night Patrol bases
• the installation of GBM accommodation complexes.

The five-year leases also underpin housing refurbishments in 52 communities under the Strategic Indigenous Housing and Infrastructure Program (SIHIP) and reformed property and tenancy management arrangements.

Land Use Approvals

As leaseholder the Australian Government (through FaHCSIA) has a range of responsibilities including the management of five-year leased land. Prior to the five year leases:

• Neither Land Councils nor landowners were involved in the day-to-day regulation of land in townships
• the NT Government’s Department of Lands and Planning performed town planning functions, allocating administrative lots notwithstanding the absence of any underlying legal right to occupy the land
• A large proportion of those occupying land did so with no legal basis.

FaHCSIA continues to progress land use approvals using the process established from 1 July 2008 where all parties seek Australian Government approval (through FaHCSIA) for proposed new and changed uses of five-year leased land. As a result, for the first time a consistent and transparent process is in place to allocate land and provide certainty to users. Parties using land immediately before the commencement of five year leases have not been required to seek approval to continue using those areas, as existing arrangements were generally retained.

In processing land use requests, FaHCSIA undertakes a number of steps including receiving planning approval, ensuring competing claims to land are considered, and seeking information on community views through the GBMs.

From the commencement of the NTER to 30 June 2010 FaHCSIA received requests for approval to use approximately 981 areas of land, of which approximately 488 have been approved.

Where longer term use is envisaged, parties are encouraged to negotiate longer term leases with land owners. Longer term leases over five-year leased areas will not take effect until approved by the Minister for FaHCSIA. That leased area will then be excluded from the five-year leased area.

Permits

In summary, the current status in relation to permits is as follows:

• Government employees and contractors do not require a permit to perform relevant duties
• All those involved with the NTER including the above and also including medical teams and volunteers do not require a permit for the period of the NTER
• The public can access common areas of 52 major communities
• The public can reach the 52 major communities by air, sea and public road
• The public require permits for all non-public roads
• The public still require a permit to visit the vast majority of Aboriginal Land.

The permit system controls access to Aboriginal land held under the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act 1976. Except in specific circumstances it is an offence to enter or remain on any Aboriginal land without a permit. The Aboriginal Land Act (NT) allows the Northern Territory Land Councils, traditional owners, and in some cases, the NTG to issue and revoke permits. The police have the power to remove people where they are in violation of permit requirements.

The 2007 NTER legislation package made changes to the permit system removing the necessity to obtain permits for certain people in certain circumstances.

Government employees and contractors no longer require a permit to enter Aboriginal land in the NT to perform relevant duties. This change took effect with the commencement of the NTER legislation in August 2007. In addition, all those involved with the NTER, including medical teams and volunteers, do not require a permit for the period of the NTER.

Further changes introducing limited public rights of access took effect from 17 February 2008. As a result, common areas in 52 major communities are now accessible by members of the public without the need to obtain a permit if arriving by air, sea or public roads.

The day to day operation of the permit system remains the same as before the NTER took effect. The issuing and revocation of permits remains a matter for the Land Councils, traditional owners and the police as required. The process for responding to a person who is in violation of the permit requirements (by contacting the relevant Land Council and/or the police if necessary) is also unchanged, and the police still have the power to remove people where they are in violation of permit requirements. The government has encouraged people wishing to access Aboriginal land to continue to contact the relevant Land Council regarding visits to communities even in relation to areas where a permit is not strictly required.

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5.2 Long term Leasing Arrangements

The Australian Government has committed to ensuring secure land tenure arrangements are in place before making substantial investment in fixed assets like housing or other buildings or infrastructure on Indigenous-held land. This policy has now been agreed to by all relevant Governments through COAG National Partnership Agreements on Remote Indigenous Housing and Indigenous Remote Service Delivery.

During 2009, long term leases were finalised or agreed in 14 of the 16 SIHIP communities receiving major capital works. These include township leases for Nguiu and the Groote Eylandt region communities (Angurugu, Milyakburra and Umbakumba), and the negotiation of 40-year housing precinct leases for Gunbalanya, Galiwinku, Gapuwiyak, Hermannsburg, Lajamanu, Maningrida, Milingimbi, Ngukurr, Numbulwar and Wadeye.

In the first half of 2010 work has been focussed on finalising the outstanding housing leases, particularly in the southern region communities. Further discussions to advance leasing negotiations at Yuendumu and Yirrkala are expected in the latter half of 2010.

With leases in place to support major housing investment, negotiation efforts will be refocussed on township leasing during 2010-2011.

Secure tenure arrangements are now in place in all 18 Alice Springs town camps allocated to receive work under SIHIP.

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6. Safe Communities

• 6.1 Police
• 6.2 Alcohol, Drug and Substance Related Incidents
• 6.3 Domestic Violence Related incidents
• 6.4 Assault
• 6.5 Restraining Orders
• 6.6 Sexual Assault
• 6.7 Child Sexual Assault
• 6.8 Child Abuse
  • 6.8.1 Child Protection Data
• 6.9 Night Patrol Services
• 6.10 Safe Places
• 6.11 Mobile Child Protection Team
• 6.12 Remote Aboriginal Family and Community Workers
• 6.13 Legal Services
• 6.14 Alcohol Restrictions
• 6.15 Alcohol Management Plans
• 6.16 Audit of publicly funded computers
• 6.17 Substance Abuse Intelligence Desk (SAID) and Dog Operations Unit
• 6.18 Northern Territory Aboriginal Interpreter Services (NTAIS)

This Building Block involves improving family and community safety through law and justice responses, victim support, child protection and preventative approaches. Addressing related factors such as alcohol and substance abuse will be critical to improving community safety, along with the improved health benefits.

The impact of violence and other crime comes at an enormous cost to families, and in particular women and children. Providing a safe and stable home environment for children is also a critical foundation for making inroads into areas like education, health and employment. The Government has focused on a number of connected aspects to improve community safety, including increased child protection and support for families, addressing family violence, providing youth diversionary activities, increasing police numbers and facilities, providing legal services and addressing the impact of alcohol and drugs.

Monitoring and evaluation: Review of Policing in Remote Indigenous Communities in the Northern Territory

There have been two evaluations undertaken of Policing in Remote Indigenous Communities in the Northern Territory. 7

In November 2009, the Commonwealth and Northern Territory governments commissioned the Allen Consulting Group to undertake an Independent Review of Policing in Remote Indigenous Communities in the Northern Territory. 8 The review was published in April 2010 and outlined a number of recommendations for future strategies for policing in the NT.

The review methodology involved a four pronged approach – community consultations, stakeholder consultations, a literature and desktop review of existing Australian and international 'best practice', and the development and application of modelling and analysis. This yielded both quantitative and qualitative data which was used to review the current level of policing, the anticipated future requirements for remote policing, and develop a framework to determine the resourcing levels required in future.

The review evaluated the current level of policing in remote communities including service delivery standards (measured by response times and levels of accessibility), the current strategies of delivery options (rapid response options, hub and spoke models and community based policing models), the current amount of cultural training and development available to police, the access to and capacity of specialist officers and cross-services support, and the resourcing levels required.

Included in the review is an evaluation of the current effectiveness of the Northern Territory Police Remote Service Delivery strategy in providing adequate coverage to remote communities (including the Themis stations), the current and future funding bases for remote policing in the NT, the role of community engagement in preventative policing activity, the cross service capabilities available in remote communities (including Mobile Child Protection Teams and psychologists), the effect of resident mobility in Indigenous communities and the future capacity of NT police to meet demands for policing over the next five years.

The key recommendations focus on developing remote community policing service standards that can be applied consistently across all communities, and include the development of standards for night patrols to complement NT policing. A system of monitoring and adherence to these standards is also proposed, as well as the development of a command structure career stream primarily based on small station operations in remote communities. The transition of the current Themis stations into permanent police stations, or as an alternative, the provision of overnight facilities to accommodate relief staff is also recommended. The introduction of mobile police vehicles that can provide accommodation and operational facilities for relief police staffing is also proposed.

There were recommendations for an increase in recruitment and retention targets for female and Indigenous officers, and a locum pool of officers experienced in remote community policing be established to cover any staffing shortfalls. An increased focus on recruiting police that are suited to living and working in remote communities in the long term would help improve community engagement and community policing outcomes.

The Northern Territory Government and the Australian Government have established a Steering Committee to review recommendations and consider implementation strategies.

The Committee is co-chaired by FaHCSIA's NT State Manager and the NT Police Assistant Commissioner. Committee membership is made up of FaHCSIA, NT Police, NT Department of Chief Minister, NT Treasury, NT Office of Indigenous Policy and the Australian Government Attorney–General's Department.

The Steering Committee's Terms of Reference outline the Committee's intention to:

• Provide a joint response in relation to the nineteen recommendations in the final report
• Consider strategies or recommendations included in the Review that have not been costed in the final report
• Identify data requirements that may impact on the implementation of recommendations
• Develop an Implementation Plan, including budgetary implications and timeframes
• Give consideration to the downstream effect of additional police by integrating community justice initiatives
• Develop an overarching communications strategy to guide community engagement activities, media messages and key messages for service providers.

Initial work has commenced on recommendations that can be achieved within existing resources. Work on an Index of Need has commenced and information is being gathered from various government departments. The NT Police have commenced work on Service Standards, Performance Monitoring and Accountability, Training and Development and Cultural understanding.

There is also significant work being done around technological solutions to improve communication systems for remote police officers that will result in a low cost way to increase effectiveness.

The Steering Committee continued to meet fortnightly to progress this work.

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6.1 Police 9

Key developments

• Police Presence: At 30 June 2010, there are 62 additional police deployed to remote communities
• Upgrade: Five permanent police station upgrades have been funded; Maningrida, Gunbalanya, Ali Curung, Hermannsburg and Yuendumu
• Overnight Facilities: 4 overnight facilities have been installed at Titjikala, Milingimbi, Docker River and Umbakumba
• Themis Stations: Eighteen Themis Stations are currently operational in communities
• Over $50 million dollars has been allocated over three years to build five new, permanent police stations in Northern Territory priority areas of Gapuwiyak, Ramingining, Yarralin, Arlparra and Imanpa.

The discussion and analysis in sections 6.1 to 6.4 is based on data supplied by the Northern Territory Police and the Northern Territory Department of Justice.

The data includes police involvement in incidents that did not result in offences. For example, responding to complaints or observations of behaviour that either did not involve offending behaviour or were dealt with by dispersing people or other responses that did not involve further police intervention.

Northern Territory Police data are subject to revision and have been revised since the previous report. The extract now incorporates communities and common place names. The communities and common place names that are identified as being NTER related are constantly being reviewed and updated to ensure that a comprehensive dataset is reported on.

The NTER was principally addressed to the safety and well-being of children. It is particularly difficult to collect and report outcomes for this objective; however, some data are available and are reported below. Of course, the short-term impact of the NTER may be to increase reported crime and it is important to 'see through' such a short-term effect. If people in the NTER areas are more able to report crimes, then in the long run this is likely to have a positive effect on community safety, as perpetrators will be more likely to be apprehended.

While data on assault and violent crime largely reflects crimes committed against adults, a general normalisation of violence is not good for children or adults and creates an environment in which crimes against children are more likely to occur.

There is significant evidence that violence is normalised in some remote Indigenous communities. 10 Much violence remains unreported in official data and this needs to be kept in mind in interpreting the data provided below.

Sixty two additional police (compared to the number prior to the NTER) have been deployed. The additional police presence meant that the recording of all incidents across all categories rose, particularly in the 18 communities where Operation THEMIS is in place.

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6.2 Alcohol, Drug and Substance Related Incidents

Incidents involving alcohol, substance abuse and drug related incidents continue to be of concern in the NTER communities. Table 6.1 below shows the number of incidents relating to alcohol, substance abuse or drugs over the past four financial years.

Table 6:1: Confirmed Alcohol, Substance Abuse and Drug Related Incidents

	2006-07	2007-08	2008-09	2009-10
Alcohol related	2,462	3354	4412	4317
Substance abuse related	320	434	554	612
Drug related	189	258	233	298

The number of alcohol related incidents recorded by police across the NTER communities increased almost 80% between 2006-07 and 2008-09 but decreased by 2% between 2008-09 and 2009-10.

In Themis communities, alcohol related incidents increased by over 100% between 2007-08 and 2008-09 but have increased by only nine per cent in the twelve months since.

Between 2006-07 and 2008-09 substance abuse incidents increased by over 73%. There was a 27% increase between 2007-08 and 2008-09. Between 2008-09 and 2009-10 there has been a smaller increase of 10%. Sixty percent of the increase in substance abuse related incidents from 2008-09 to 2009-2010 occurred in the Themis Communities.

Drug related incidents increased by 28% from 2008-09 to 2009-10 after decreasing 10% between 2007-08 and 2008-09. The Themis communities accounted for just over half of the increase in drug related incidents from 2006-07 to 2009-10.

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6.3 Domestic Violence Related incidents

There was an 89% rise in domestic violence incidents recorded by police from 2006-07 to 2009-2010.   The largest annual increase of 40% occurred between 2007-2008 and 2008-2009. From 2008-09 to 2009-10, the increase was 18%. Incidents in THEMIS communities accounted for 55% of the increase from 2006-07 to 2009-10.

Table 6:2: Confirmed Domestic Violence Related Incidents

	2006-07	2007-08	2008-09	2009-10
Alcohol related	491	673	945	992
Total	1479	1689	2366	2792

A significant proportion of domestic violence incidents are alcohol related (36 % in 2009-10). There were almost twice as many alcohol related domestic violence incidents reported in 2009-10 compared to 2006-07. The number of recorded alcohol related domestic violence incidents increased by less than five per cent between 2008-09 and 2009-10,much less than the 37 and 40% increases in alcohol related Domestic Violence recorded between 2006-07 and 2007-08 and, 2007-08 and 2008-09 respectively.

Confirmed breaches of Domestic Violence Orders remained steady until 2009-10 when they increased by 50%, reflecting a similar increase in breaches of Other Orders.

Table 6:3: Confirmed Breaches of Domestic Violence Orders

	2006-07	2007-08	2008-09	2009-10
Breach - DVO	129	130	129	202
Breach - Other Order/s	36	34	38	58

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6.4 Assault

Relative to population size there is a high level of assault across the NTER communities and the Northern Territory.

Excluding assaults related to or against children, and assaults that are domestic violence-related, the number of confirmed assault incidents reported to police across the NTER communities dropped from 87 to 81 between 2006-07 and 2007-08 and rose to 116 in 2008-09 and to 124 in 2009-10 (Table 6.4). The number of confirmed aggravated assaults 11 recorded by police rose from 204 in 2006-07 to 357 in 2008-09 and decreased by 23% to 276 in 2009-10.

Most categories of personal harm reports showed significant increases from 2006-07 to 2009-10. Much of this increase is a function of increased reporting particularly in the Themis communities.

A high proportion of confirmed assault incidents are alcohol related. For example in 2009-10, 34% of confirmed aggravated assault incidents were alcohol related.

Table 6:4: Confirmed Personal Harm Incidents

Personal Harm reports	2006-07	2007-08	2008-09	2009-10
Armed Person	57	55	58	46
Assault	87	81	116	124
Assault - Aggravated	204	250	357	276
Assault - Indecent	13	13	14	19
Assault - Sexual	46	48	35	31
Attempt Suicide / Self Harm	105	112	141	162
Behaviour - Indecent	3	8	3	4
Mentally Ill Person	71	122	148	162
Missing Person	32	25	25	25

The table below shows that the number of assault cases lodged with the courts for offences in the prescribed communities increased 30% between 2007-08 and 2008-09 and decreased by 8% between 2008-09 and 2009-10.

This has been matched by similar fluctuations in the number of convictions for prescribed communities. The conviction rate has remained steady from 2006-07 to 2008-09 at 63% with an increase of 6 percentage points in 2009-10. Over the same period, there was little change in the number of assault cases lodged in court for the rest of the Northern Territory. Between 2006-07 and 2009-10 the conviction rate increased by 4 percentage points.

Table 6:5: Assault Lodgements and Convictions

	2006-07	2007-08	2008-09	2009-10
Prescribed Communities
Lodgement	543	485	631	583
Convictions	343	311	402	401
Rate	63%	64%	64%	69%
Northern Territory - Other
Lodgement	2,213	2,269	2,204	2,179
Conviction	1,255	1,234	1,405	1,333
Rate	57%	54%	64%	61%

The number of actual convictions for assault across the NTER communities rose from 343 in 2006-07 to 402 in 2008-09 and remained stable for 2009-10.

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6.5 Restraining Orders

Applications for, and restraining orders granted have increased by 44% and 49% respectively between 2006-07 and 2009-10.

Instances of sentencing for a breach of a restraining order in NTER communities decreased by 13% over the same period.

Table 6:6: Restraining orders

	2006-07	2007-08	2009-10	2010/11
Applications for ROs - Bush Courts	395	381	455	568
Restraining orders granted	346	320	377	515
Sentencing occasions for RO Breach	90	107	90	78

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6.6 Sexual Assault

The Northern Territory Department of Justice have provided data on lodgements in court for sexual assault across the NTER communities and the non prescribed areas of the Northern Territory.

Table 6:7: Sexual Assault Lodgements and Convictions

	2006-07	2007-08	2008-09	2009-10
Lodgements
Prescribed Communities	35	22	40	41
Northern Territory - Other	111	91	115	99
Convictions
Prescribed Communities	14	11	13	19
Northern Territory - Other	45	35	42	40

The number of lodgements in court for sexual assault offences in prescribed communities increased by 15% between 2006-07 and 2008-09 but remained stable for 2009/10. In the rest of the Territory there was a 26% increase between 2007-08 and 2008-09 and a decrease of 13% the following year between 2008-09 and 2009-10. The number of convictions for sexual assault in prescribed communities increased by 46% between 2008-09 and 2009-10.

While Indigenous Australians are over-represented in lodgements in court and convictions for sexual assault it is important to note that most convictions in the Northern Territory relate to offences committed outside the NTER communities.

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6.7 Child Sexual Assault

The number of convictions for child sexual assaults committed in the NTER communities in 2006-07 was 11. In 2007-08 it was 10, in 2008-09 it was 11 and in 2009-10 it was 12. The total number of child sexual assault convictions over the period 1 July 2007 to 30 June 2010 is 33.

The conviction rate for child sexual abuse is likely to understate the actual level of abuse and it is misleading to view it in isolation.

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6.8 Child Abuse

Issues of child welfare go well beyond sexual abuse, indeed, sexual abuse is a subset of behaviours that can have a lasting negative effect on children's' future. There is evidence that child neglect is a more common issue 12 than sexual assault in the NTER communities. This is confirmed by Northern Territory police data.

The data in Table 6:8 should be treated with some caution as they are based on the assessment of police – child protection authorities may reach a different conclusion.

The total number reported incidents of child abuse in the NTER communities rose from 64 in 2006-07 to 294 in 2009-10. In the Themis communities the number of confirmed incidents of child abuse doubled between 2007-08 and 2008-09 and increased by 7% between 2008-09 and 2009-10. Six per cent of the increase in incidents of child abuse reported between 2008-9 and 2009-10 occurred in the Themis communities. The vast bulk of these reports across the NTER communities were accounted for by the category ‘child welfare’ (72 % in 2009-10).

The category 'child welfare' relates to issues that would generally be considered to be child neglect. There has been a significant increase in the incidence of abuse relating to child welfare across the NTER communities, from 61 incidents in 2006-07 to 213 in 2009-10.

Table 6:8: Police Incidents - Reports of Child Abuse

Category	2006-07	2007-08	2008-09	2009-10
Child Abuse Material	2		2	2
Child Welfare	61	138	175	213
Child Welfare - Pregnancy	1	12	27	28
Child Welfare - STI		18	18	39
Prohibited Material (Prescribed Area)		7	8	12
Unclassified Adult Material		1	2
TOTAL	64	176	232	294

6.8.1 Child Protection Data

Actual child protection data are not available at the NTER community level. However data for 2008-09 are available for Indigenous children across the whole Northern Territory.13

In 2008-2009, Indigenous children in the Northern Territory were six times as likely as other children to be the subject of a substantiation of a notification of abuse and neglect.

In addition, the rate of substantiation of a notification for Indigenous children aged 0-16 in the Northern Territory rose from 16.8 per 1,000 children in 2006-07 to 23.7 per 1,000 children in 2007-08 and to 24.1 per 1,000 in 2008-09. Substantiations for Indigenous children in the Northern Territory were most likely to reflect neglect (43.4%), followed by physical (25.9%), emotional abuse (23.6) and sexual abuse (9.7%).

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6.9 Night Patrol Services

Night patrols assist people at risk of either causing harm or becoming the victims of harm in order to break the cycle of violence and crime in the communities. The service patrols local community areas, identifies people who may be at risk of coming into adverse contact with the criminal justice system and takes them to an appropriate place.

Key developments

During the period January to June 2010, the Australian government funded night patrol service assisted approximately:

• 730 people to a recognised safe place*
• 45,741 people, to a safe place including referral to other services (but not including to a recognised safe house)*

* The Department continues to work with service providers to improve the accuracy of data collected by night patrols.

Background

The Attorney-General's Department provides funding for night patrol services in 80 communities across the Northern Territory including the 72 of the 73 NTER identified communities, urban Aboriginal living areas in Alice Springs, Tennant Creek and Katherine and other communities affected by the NTER.

Progress

Patrols may periodically become inactive for short periods of time for a number of reasons including cultural or staffing issues.

Patrols are required to operate at least five nights per week with a minimum of two patrollers on duty at any one time. Service Providers report that for the period 1 January to 30 June 2010, the approximated number of people (men and women and children) assisted by night patrol service was 46, 471. The night patrol program provides funding to employ more than 350 full time equivalent Indigenous positions, supporting Indigenous employment in the Northern Territory.

The Attorney General's Department has supported the development and implementation of Memorandum of Understandings (MOUs) between their Service Providers delivering night patrol services and the Northern Territory Police, Fire and Emergency Services. These MOUs are being rolled out in all NTER communities to support clearer understanding of roles and responsibilities between the local patrol officers and enhancing this partnership to support safer community outcomes.

Challenges

Challenges identified by the Attorney General's Department include improving performance and financial reporting; increasing community awareness of the valuable role of patrols; and building the capacity of patrols to develop partnerships with other stakeholders to support better access to and use of referral services.

Looking forward

The Attorney-General's Department has introduced additional positions to the night patrols' staffing model framework to increase the support readily available to the patrollers while working in the community. It is anticipated that this model will more readily identify and address barriers which impact on the effective and efficient delivery of night patrols in the Northern Territory.

The Department is also introducing a standardised training program for night patrollers to ensure consistency in provision of the skills needed to effectively perform patrol duties and to enhance career path opportunities for Indigenous people working in night patrol and other community services.

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6.10 Safe Places

The main purpose of the Safe Places is to provide a safe place for men, women and children to go when fleeing family violence. A Safe Place can be either a Women's Safe House or a Men's Place.

Key developments

As of April 2009 there have been a total of 782 clients accessing the Safe Places. These clients include 38 men who accessed Men's Places, 444 women who accessed Safe Houses and 353 children who accessed Safe Houses (accompanying women).

Between the period of January to June 2010 a total of 410 clients accessed the Safe Places:

• 18 men accessed Men's Places
• 223 women accessed Safe Houses
• 169 children accessed Safe Houses (accompanying women).

The facilities house a number of other functions which include:

• Group safety and well-being programs, which could include parenting programs, men's healing and well-being programs, behaviour change programs etc.
• Linkages and referrals to counselling, legal and support services; and as needed
• Short term crisis accommodation followed up by a package of family interventions based on a plan developed in the Safe Place.
• As at June 2010, 22 Safe Places were fully operational (including utilities operating)
• 15 remote communities had new or refurbished Safe House facilities.

Background

The Family Support Package was announced in September 2007 as a direct response to recommendation 77B "increase the number of communities with safe house/places for women and children fleeing violence" contained in the "Little Children are Sacred" Report. The three elements of this package respond most directly to the Report's overall theme of protecting Indigenous children. See table below for opening dates.

Various safe house models were explored to ensure the needs of all victims of family violence are met and that the resulting accommodation and accompanying services provide suitable care. A key feature of the package is to develop a coordinated Indigenous family violence management strategy for a number of Northern Territory communities based around existing services and infrastructure. Leveraging existing support services such as health facilities, schooling, police, and community service, thereby ensuring the elements of the package will provide for sustainable practices and service delivery.

The design of Safe Place complexes was chosen to achieve a balance between aesthetics and securing the safety of the families using them. Community projects to landscape and enhance the appearance of the Safe Place complexes commenced in 2008 and were completed in 2010.

Challenges

Staffing issues are an ongoing challenge which is being managed by working closely with communities, providing training and mentoring as well as implementing flexible working arrangements.

Progress

As of June 2010 there are 22 Safe Places in 15 remote and two urban communities. The table below shows the communities where the Safe Places are located and the date they were opened.

Table 6:9: Safe Places: location and date of opening

Indigenous Communities	Women (New)	Men’s and Youth (New)	Retrofit / Refurbishment	Opening Date
Angurugu		1	1	Women - 28 July 2009 Men - 25 March 2010
Apatula (Finke)		1		20 February 2009
Beswick (Wugalarr)				27 August 2010
Hermannsburg (Ntaria)	1			6 March 2009
Kalkarindji/Daguragu	1			20 February 2009
Lajamanu			1 - women’s	13 February 2009
Maningrida	1	1		Women - 27 March 2009 Men -15 May 2009
Nguiu (Bathurst Island)	1	1		14 February 2009
Ngukurr	1	1		30 January 2009
Peppimenarti			1 - women’s & children’s	23 February 2009
Pmara Jutunta		1		1 May 2009
Ramingining	1	1		24 April 2009
Ti Tree	1			1 May 2009
Yarralin	1			25 April 2009
Yuendumu		1		7 May 2009
Alice Springs (Transitional House)			1 - women’s	12 June 2009
Darwin (Transitional House)			1 - women’s	6 July 2009
Total	9	8	5

In the reporting period, January to June 2010, there were 96 positions filled, and 95 of these were filled by Indigenous people. Employing local Indigenous people helps to build the local workforce and improve community understanding and acceptance.

Staff provide clients with protection, initial counselling and support, information and referral to other services.

Safe Places are generally staffed by a mix of full time, part time and casual workers who are available for call-out overnight. All staff are people living in the community with a clear reputation for non-violence.

Approximately 73% of the Safe Places workers stayed in the position for more than six months. This is based on the number of contracts not being renewed against the total number of employees during this time period

Both Governments are working in partnership to establish Safe Places and deliver long term outcomes. A Secretariat Working Group will be established to meet twice a year to monitor outcomes and manage relationships.

The Northern Territory Government manages the operations of Safe Places and reports to the Australian Government. The Northern Territory Government supervises the operations of Safe Places, and during this period conducted 75 visits. Visits are part of a range of continuous improvement and support measures. During visits, the Northern Territory Government supports and assists the progress of Safe Place implementation, consults with community members and staff on a range of issues, liaises with local service providers as well as identify any capital works requiring attention.

Looking ahead

Funding for Safe Places has been provided until 30 June 2012.

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6.11 Mobile Child Protection Team

Investigating reports of child maltreatment and neglect, conducting assessments of children reported to be at risk or harm, and ensuring the safety of the child throughout remote and regional communities across the Northern Territory is the core business of the Mobile Child Protection Team (MCPT).

Key developments

• In the period January to June 2010, the MCPT visited 56 of 73 prescribed communities
• In the same period, the MCPT was involved in investigating and providing follow up services in 666 matters. From these matters, 12 children were made subject to care orders.

Background

The Mobile Child Protection Team is a Darwin-based, Territory-wide service operating on a 2-week-out 1-2-weeks-in model whereby staff travel to regional NT Child Protection offices that have identified a need for extra Child Protection staff. 

The primary objective of the MCPT is to:

• Increase the capacity of the Northern Territory Child Protection system to respond to child protection matters, particularly Indigenous children in remote communities
• Assist staff in local Child Protection offices across the NT with workload issues and case practice (utilising the knowledge and practice expertise of local staff to inform practice with the local people, culture and communities)
• Build and nurture relationships with key stakeholders and services within the Northern Territory’s Child Protection system.

The MCPT endeavours to provide timely, high quality investigations into allegations of child abuse and neglect or protective concern/s about children and young people; assist Aboriginal families and communities to make decisions about the safety and care of their children; and to contribute to the development of a holistic and sustainable child protection and family support service system to meet the care and protection needs of Aboriginal children.

Essential to successful team operations and enhanced client outcomes is a collaborative case work approach with regional office staff. Regional offices hold expertise and knowledge of the intricacies of the region, the children and families of the area, and operational perspectives and practices of the office. Although it is not always possible for a range of reasons, MCPT best practice would be to complete investigations with a regional office staff member.

Progress

The MCPT have continued to assist the Northern Territory Families and Children (NTFC) Branch of the NT Department of Health and Families offices to respond to reports of children at risk of harm.

During the reporting period the MCPT have continued to cement relationships with key stakeholders through their regular presence at NTFC offices and within remote communities. The team’s regular presence has fostered a strong and collaborative working culture and an increased understanding of the role of the MCPT. Both these factors have been core components to achieving optimum outcomes for children and their families particularly within remote communities.

During the reporting period a permanent manager was appointed to MCPT.

The Mobile Child Protection Team is distinctive in that it is the only one of its kind. Progress during the past six months has included an analysis and assessment of challenges that are unique to the mobile team. Strategies and solutions to these issues have been identified and are being implemented at the time of writing.

The MCPT has been physically co-located with Closing the Gap initiative programs such as Mobile Outreach Service (MOS), Safe Places and Remote Aboriginal Family and Community Workers (RAFCW). The continued co-location has enabled progressive improvement in cross-program communication and embedded the process of integration of program elements.

Challenges

The recruitment and retention of staff has been an ongoing challenge for MCPT. The staff retention and recruitment difficulties are in the same context that NTFC at large continue to face.

Looking ahead

Funding for the RAFCW's has been provided until 2012. The next twelve months provides an exciting opportunity for the mobile team to further embed itself within NTFC and build stronger relationships across the broader service systems to provide quality outcomes for children and families.

Monitoring and Evaluation

The MCPT is monitored by NTFC.

Evaluations will occur on a yearly basis. Situation Reports are submitted monthly.

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6.12 Remote Aboriginal Family and Community Workers

Remote Aboriginal Family and Community Workers (RAFCWs) provide a link and liaison between families, local service and regional services, particularly the child protection system.

Key developments

• In the period January to June 2010 there were 66 referrals from individuals and families. Some of these referrals are ‘one offs’ and others are ongoing support
• In the same period there were 93 referrals from community services regarding child protection issues
• There were 146 referrals from the Northern Territory Families and Children (NTFC) Branch of the NT Department of Health and Families. Some of the NTFC referrals are ongoing family support cases. For example, currently 3 of the 13 communities have 43 cases totalling 50 children.

Background

The Package was announced in September 2007 as a direct response to recommendation 77B “increase the number of communities with Safe House/Places for women and children fleeing violence” contained in the “Little Children are Sacred” Report. The three elements of this package respond most directly to the Report’s overall theme of protecting Indigenous children.

RAFCW’s serve as a liaison point on child protection cases, as well as providing support to young people and families in the community where there are concerns about the capacity to protect children.

RAFCWs are also a linkage point across a range of local services including police, night patrols, Safe Houses, women’s centres, health clinics, schools, youth centres and sexual assault referral centres.

RAFCW’s increase the capacity of the Northern Territory Department of Health and Families to provide a more responsive and culturally appropriate child protection service to Aboriginal families living in remote communities by employing, training and supporting local Indigenous people to work as family workers in their own communities.

Training is provided to each RAFCW in their community. Other people within the community are also invited to participate in some parts of the training program. This has the added advantage of raising awareness of child protection and family violence issues more broadly in the community.

Sixteen RACFWs (10 full time, 5 part time and 1 casual) are currently working in 12 communities - Borroloola, Daly River (Naiyu), Elliot, Galiwin’ku, Hermannsburg (Ntaria), Kalkarindji, Nguiu, Oenpelli (Gunbalanya), Papunya, Santa Teresa, Ti-Tree and Yuendumu.

Progress

Many of the expected outcomes have either been met or are being met such as staff training, service integration, a reduced need for formal intervention and an increase in preventative programs to communities.

RAFCW’s have been involved in 162 program/activities and community meetings between 1 January and 30 June 2010. Some of the programs, activities and meetings are ongoing.

Looking ahead

Funding for the RAFCW’s has been provided until 2012. Team Leaders and Managers have been given support for training and professional development, including resource tools and “train the trainer”.

Monitoring and Evaluation

RAFCW’s are supported and monitored by a management team consisting of one manager, one administrative officer, and four team leaders based in Darwin and Alice Springs (6 positions in total).

Evaluations will occur on a yearly basis.

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6.13 Legal Services

Key developments

• Between 1 January 2010 and 30 June 2010 legal service providers handled approximately 1037 NTER related matters, comprising 377 advices, 91 duty matters and 569 cases
• Legal service providers undertook 220 outreach visits to communities.

Progress

Statistics are drawn from the Northern Territory Legal Aid Commission, the Katherine Women’s Information and Legal Service, the Top End Women’s Legal Service, the North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency (NAAJA) and the Central Australian Aboriginal Legal Aid Service (CAALAS). Data provided for the previous six months did not include NAAJA and CAALAS. Data integrity issues for these services have now been resolved.

Service providers advise that NTER related matters continue to impact on their resources and they are experiencing an increased volume of matters across the board. Providers report that increased demand for legal services can be attributed directly to increased policing, and that this is expected to continue, particularly while there is a strategic targeting of family violence and sexual offenders.

Welfare outreach and community legal education have assisted a large number of clients, particularly women. Centrelink issues around income management and debts, understanding consumer credit and debts, basic services within the communities and alcohol restrictions are the most common issues.

Service providers work closely with State and Commonwealth government agencies and have made a number of submissions to Government including the NTER Review Board. They continue to lobby for changes to NTER legislation.

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6.14 Alcohol Restrictions

The Little Children Are Sacred report said that alcohol abuse was ‘destroying communities’ and was the ‘gravest and fastest growing threat to the safety of children’.

The alcohol reform agenda is a significant cornerstone to the NTER in order to protect children, make communities safe and create a better future for Aboriginal peoples in the Northern Territory.

Under the NTER, new laws were introduced to ban drinking, possessing, supplying or transporting liquor into a prescribed area. On the basis of the existing evidence and the views put forward in the NTER redesign consultations, the Australian Government believes that alcohol restrictions should continue, but that there should be a change of focus from a universally imposed measure to a measure designed to meet the individual needs of specific communities. These community variations will be based on careful analysis of evidence about each community’s circumstances and will be implemented in consultation with the community. Moving to local restrictions will be based on evidence about such matters as the level of alcohol-related harm in a community and whether a community based Alcohol Management Plan (AMP) is in place.

Key developments

• 227 highway and boundary signs have been installed and 129 community signs have been installed notifying residents, visitors and travellers about the ban on liquor and prohibited materials
• FaHCSIA monitors requests for liquor licence variations and is consulted on these applications. The Northern Territory State Office has on two occasions prepared submissions to the NT Licensing Commission with substantive comment expressing concerns about these applications working against the spirit and intent of the NTER
• FaHCSIA has managed a number of applications from various interests including the NT Government seeking a declaration to permit alcohol consumption in NT Parks and for particular tourism and enterprise operations
• FaHCSIA has committed significant funding on a number of supply control initiatives, in particular the recovery of liquor licences in Alice Springs. NT Government is in negotiations with relevant licensees to progress this matter
• Significant investment has also been applied to support alcohol harm related programs in the Darwin region, targeting young people, community education and family support. In addition funding has been provided to support the Safe and Sober program in Alice Springs auspiced by Central Australian Aboriginal Congress
• Funding has also been applied to build on the evidence base in this area of work. This includes the funding for the research on drinking camps being undertaken by Menzies School of Health Research and a longitudinal study on the correlation between price, patterns of consumption and related harm in the Alice Springs region.

The Northern Territory Government has also introduced legislation to reduce access to alcohol, including extension of ‘dry’ areas, in some regional centres.

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6.15 Alcohol Management Plans

Key developments

• Alcohol Management Plans are in place in Alice Springs, Tennant Creek, Palmerston and Katherine
• A liquor supply plan is in place in Groote Eylandt
• Draft Alcohol Management Plans have been developed for Borroloola and Elliot
• Alcohol management planning is underway in Maningrida, Gunbalanya, Tiwi Islands (Wurrumiyanga (formerly Nguiu), Milikapiti and Pirlangimpi), Groote Eylandt (Angurugu and Umbakumba), Binjari, Titjikala, Ngukurr and specific clusters of Alice Springs town camps.

Background

Alcohol Management Plans are a significant community based initiative to assist communities in addressing the harm caused by excessive alcohol consumption through supply reduction, demand reduction and harm minimization.

Looking forward

A number of communities have already successfully negotiated and implemented AMPs. As a long-term aim, the Australian Government will be supporting the Northern Territory Government to increase the number of communities with AMPs.

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6.16 Audit of publicly funded computers

This measure aims to protect Aboriginal women and children in remote Northern Territory communities from inadvertent exposure to prohibited and/or violent material on publicly funded computers.

Those responsible for publicly funded computers located in NTER prescribed areas are required to install filters, maintain usage logs and have a user policy in place. Responsible persons are also obliged to ensure an audit is undertaken twice per year and a signed Declarations form is returned with the audit.

Key developments

• A response rate of 66% was achieved in the last audit (May 2010)
• Education and communication materials were developed in the lead up to the May 2010 audit and provided to all organisations to inform them of their obligations to undertake the audit, enhance compliance and advise of the benefits of doing this
• Of the organisations that responded, 73% were fully compliant with requirements in the NTER Act.

Background

The first audit of publicly funded computers in the Northern Territory took place on 2 June 2008. Since then there have been four more audits in November 2008, May 2009 ,November 2009 and May 2010.

The organisations required to participate must complete the audit, install filters, maintain usage logs and have an acceptable user policy in place, and complete a declaration signed by the responsible officer.

Progress

In the lead up to the May 2010 audit, an education program was launched to improve understanding and enhance compliance. Promotional materials including storyboards, booklets, mouse pads and posters were developed and issued to organisations with the audit packs. The communication materials were well received and compliance rates increased from 41% in November 2009 audit, to 73% in the May 2010 audit.

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6.17 Substance Abuse Intelligence Desk (SAID) and Dog Operations Unit

The Substance Abuse Intelligence Desks (SAIDs) act as a focal point for collating intelligence and coordinating policing activities, principally in detecting and disrupting drugs, petrol, solvents, kava and alcohol. The SAIDs also focus on eliminating the trafficking of illicit drugs and substances across interstate borders.

Background

The SAIDs and Dog Operation Units (DOUs) are involved in targeting the trafficking of licit and illicit substances in the cross-border regions of the Northern Territory, South Australia, Western Australia and in the Top End.

The role of the SAIDs is to:

• Gather intelligence on suppliers and criminal networks
• Coordinate policing operations in the tri-state region of NT, SA, WA and the Top End targeting traffickers of drugs, alcohol, petrol, kava and other illicit substances
• Conduct covert and overt enforcement and disruption activities
• Educate communities and leaders on the role of the SAID, especially through youth initiatives about the dangers of alcohol, petrol and substance abuse
• Support and promote family safety
• Pursue traffickers under proceeds of crime legislation: to strip them of their money and assets.

Further, the Marla SAID in South Australia acts as a remote conduit to the Alice Springs SAID and also supports police at Port Augusta, as well as establishing key links with cross border police, particularly at remote locations and along the Stuart Highway.

The Katherine SAID has been set up to combat trafficking of kava and illicit substances and to support the alcohol bans in the Northern Regional Police Command which encompasses East Arnhem, Nhulunbuy, Groote Eylandt and the Milingimbi areas.

The SAIDs have built up a sound rapport with other Government and non-Government organisations to promote their role and have given presentations to the Australian National Council on Drugs and Australasian Drug Strategy Conference. A further presentation was given to the Australian and New Zealand Society of Criminology in September 2010.

The effectiveness of the SAIDs/DOUs has contributed to key outcomes under the National Partnership Agreement (NPA) and to the Closing the Gap agenda. There has been an outstanding level of cooperation between the State/Territory police and the Australian Government.

The SAIDs and DOUs are engaged with young people to promote healthy lifestyles, and in recent times have passed on promotional products during remote community visits including baseball caps, drink bottles, frisbees and small footballs, all of which carry the following message to strongly support community safety.

You and me keeping it drug and alcohol free

Progress

There are currently three SAIDs located in Alice Springs and Katherine in the NT and Marla in SA. The Alice Springs SAID commenced operations in January 2006, Katherine in February 2009 and Marla in July 2009.

There are three Dog Operation Units which are based in Alice Springs, Katherine and Darwin (covering air and sea ports).

Table 6:10 and Table 6:11 show the current staffing level for the SAIDs and the DOU. All employees are sworn NT police officers, with the exception of the SAID administration officer based in Darwin.

Table 6:10: Staffing levels for the Substance Abuse Intelligence Desks

	Katherine (NT)	Alice Springs (NT)	Marla (SA)
Number of staff*	3	2	1

Table 6:11: Staffing levels for the Dog Operation Unit

	Katherine (NT)	Alice Springs (NT)	Darwin (NT)
Number of staff	2	2	1

Outcomes

The SAIDs and DOUs achieved the following outcomes between January and June 2010.

Table 6:12: SAID and DOU outcomes for Jan-June 2010

Arrests	112
Charges	279
Search warrants executed	70
Infringement notices issued	120
Seizures
Alcohol (Litres)	404
Cannabis (Kilograms)	16.7
Kava (Kilograms)	1078
Petrol (Litres)	2
Amphetamines (Grams)	17
Proceeds of Crime
Vehicles Seized	11
Cash Seized	61,900
Remote Community Visits	66

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6.18 Northern Territory Aboriginal Interpreter Services (NTAIS)

The Australian Government provides support to the Northern Territory Aboriginal Interpreter Service (NTAIS) in recognition of the increased demand on its services as a result of the Northern Territory Emergency Response (NTER). Funding targets the delivery of interpreter services relating to law and justice such as legal assistance service providers to support Indigenous people's understanding of their rights and obligations.

Key developments

• Northern Territory Aboriginal Interpreter Service (NTAIS) - 3,010 people sought access to an interpreter for NTER related matters through NTAIS
• Northern Territory Aboriginal Interpreter Service (NTAIS) - Number of hours of interpreting provided for NTER related matters by NTAIS was 971.

Progress

For the period 1 January to 30 June 2010, 3,010 people sought access to an interpreter. The number of interpreting hours provided for the NTER for the period totalled 971 hours.

NTAIS continued to focus on training and professional development for interpreters with a number of new interpreter and user training packages developed and specialised training provide to interpreters around courts, hospitals and remote housing.

Community visits and consultations, language assessments and induction courses continued over the period as well as ongoing liaison with relevant stakeholders including Australian Government representatives.

Challenges

NTAIS continues to face difficulties with recruitment and retention of interpreters, literacy and numeracy skills of potential interpreters and the increased need for accredited interpreters for legal proceedings.

Looking forward

NTAIS will continue to focus on increased service delivery emphasising training and professional development. Funding will support the development of further training packages including specialised training such as on legal and health issues and professional development and mentoring for interpreters.

7. The second evaluation was commissioned by Northern Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency and can be accessed at www.naaja.org.au/documents/Themis%20Report.pdf
8. http://www.fahcsia.gov.au/sa/indigenous/pubs/nter_reports/policing_in_nt/Pages/default.aspx
9. The NTER communities referenced in this section do not include town camps.
10. ABSTRACT Address by the CEO of the Australian Crime Commission, Alastair Milroy, to the 2008 Bennelong Society Conference - 20 June 2008
11. Aggravated assault is defined in s188(2) of the NT Criminal Code Act as an assault where the person assaulted suffers harm and is either: female (when the offender is male), under the age of 16 (when the offender is an adult), is unable to defend himself or to retaliate, is indecently assaulted or is assaulted with threat of a firearm or weapon. (Note: this list is not exhaustive, the full list can be found in the Act)
12. Nettie Flaherty and Chris Goddard, Child neglect and the Little Children are Sacred Report, Children Australia, Volume 33, Number 1, 2008
13. AIHW Child protection Australia 2008-09, January 2010.

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7. Governance and Leadership

• 7.1 Commonwealth Ombudsman Support
• 7.2 Government Business Managers
• 7.3 Northern Territory Indigenous Interpreters
• 7.4 Community Engagement

This Building Block seeks to promote effective governance arrangements in communities and organisations, as well as strong engagement by governments to promote long term sustainability.  Indigenous people need to be engaged in the development of reforms that will impact on them.  Improved access to capacity building in governance and leadership is needed in order for Indigenous people to play a greater role in exercising their rights and responsibilities as citizens.

7.1 Commonwealth Ombudsman Support

The Commonwealth Ombudsman’s office is the primary avenue of independent oversight of many Australian Government Indigenous programs. The office conducts outreach visits to NT communities to provide Indigenous Australians with an accessible, independent complaints mechanism. Through this presence in the communities and the complaints received, the office is uniquely placed to also provide information to the responsible agencies about the impact of their programs on the ground. The office is also well placed to assess the effectiveness of multi-jurisdictional and cross-agency working arrangements. The feedback provided enables agencies to adjust and refine their processes and thereby improve the quality of government programs and services.

The Commonwealth Ombudsman’s Report for January-July 2010 is at Appendix A.

7.2 Government Business Managers

Key developments

• As at 30 June 2010, there were 56 GBMs servicing 73 NTER communities, 35 town camps, and one community that is not prescribed under the NTER Act
• A national recruitment round was completed in January 2010 with a further round commencing in May 2010
• A recruitment round for GBM Mentor positions was commenced in June 2010.
• An NT wide GBM/IEO Recall was held in March 2010
• GBMs worked in partnership with communities to develop proposals for funding under the Local Priorities Fund
• GBMs and IEOs in Remote Service Delivery sites led community engagement to facilitate local input into Local Implementation Plans
• GBMs and IEOs continued to engage local people on proposed changes to the NTER following extensive community consultations with communities during the previous reporting period
• GBMs and IEOs have facilitated community engagement around a range of initiatives including the development of Alcohol Management Plans and input into the Independent Review of Policing in Remote Indigenous Communities, and have supported and facilitated visits by Community Stores staff
• GBMs and IEOs provide a central point of contact and coordination for Australian Government agencies on an on-going basis.

Background

The Government Business Managers (GBMs) work with the FaHCSIA Northern Territory State Office, Indigenous Coordination Centres and other Australian Government agencies to facilitate community engagement and to provide intelligence to the Australian Government on remote service delivery issues. They provide the central point of contact for a range of stakeholders. GBMs are managed and supported by Regional Directors in Alice Springs and Darwin.

To provide support for the NTER, staff from across government agencies, at both the Commonwealth and Territory level, in areas such as health, employment, education and social services work in partnership with the GBMs.

The GBMs’ role is to develop a detailed understanding of the community in which they work, the service delivery and funding arrangements, and to work with all relevant agencies in order to assist in improving service delivery within Indigenous communities. GBMs live in and work with communities, facilitate the coordination of government services and provide intelligence to agencies on local issues and concerns.

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7.3 Northern Territory Indigenous Interpreters

Key developments

• Between January and June 2010 there were 249 interpreters paid to provide interpreting services in the NTER communities
• Between January and June 2010, trained interpreters delivered 1980 interpreting sessions
• The Northern Territory Aboriginal Interpreter Service (NTAIS) met all their deliverables as per Schedule D of the Closing the Gap in the Northern Territory National Partnership Agreement.

Background

In January 2009, FaHCSIA signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Northern Territory Department of Local Government and Housing to improve communication between government and Indigenous people in the Northern Territory. Under the MoU, NTAIS was funded to develop specialist training for Indigenous interpreters on various government initiatives, design and implement a strategy for raising awareness of the importance of interpreting services, and employ interpreters and interpreter Community Liaison/Development Officers (CLDOs).

Through the Closing the Gap in the Northern Territory National Partnership Agreement (Schedule D – Interpreters), the Australian Government will provide funding of $8.1m from July 2009 - June 2012 to build the capacity of NTAIS to support engagement between Indigenous communities, government agencies, and non-government agencies.

Progress

FaHCSIA engaged NTAIS to provide interpreters on the following projects:

• The Northern Territory Regional Operation Centre (ROC) and Government Business Managers (GBMs) utilised interpreters when meeting with the Local Reference Groups as part of the development of the Local Implementation Plans
• FaHCSIA utilised NTAIS to assist in the communication of major reforms to the Community Development Employment Program (CDEP) in remote communities across the Northern Territory
• Interpreters were used during the community consultation phase of the Independent Review of Policing in Remote Indigenous Communities in the Northern Territory.

The presence of interpreters enabled people to ask questions about the projects. This raised the level of engagement on, and understanding of, these projects. There were comments that this helped many people to better understand the concepts involved.

Interpreters were also engaged by Centrelink Remote Servicing Teams during their remote servicing. The increased capacity of NTAIS to employ and train interpreters has been very helpful in ensuring that community members understand Centrelink business, including income management.

For the period January - June 2010 six CLDO positions were in place to support the following areas of the Northern Territory: West Arnhem, Central Desert, Wadeye, Tennant Creek, Katherine and Darwin/Tiwi. At this period five full time equivalent Community Based Interpreters were employed in the communities of Maningrida, Yuendumu and Wadeye..

The NTAIS delivered training on the appropriate use of interpreters to Indigenous Engagement Officers and GBMs based in the Darwin, Alice Springs, Tennant Creek and Katherine Indigenous Coordination Centre regions..

NTAIS developed training programs for interpreters and trained interpreters on CDEP reforms and the changes to the NTER to increase the skills of Indigenous interpreters and to improve communication between Indigenous people and government agencies.

NTAIS promotional activity for the period includes: the distribution of the Talking Posters promoting the use of interpreters, the development of the Interpreter User DVD, presentations to users and stakeholders including Centrelink staff, Night Patrol Management, Police, GBMs, NT Indigenous Advisory Committee, the National Aboriginal Family Violence Prevention Unit and Prisoner Support Services.

Challenges

NTAIS has identified a number of challenges that affect the supply of qualified, trained Indigenous interpreters:

• The pool of potential interpreters is small
• Many people who would be suitable as interpreters are already employed in other jobs
• As interpreting can be irregular, it is sometimes not an attractive career option
• Cultural factors can influence the capacity of interpreters to accept work.

Looking forward

Through the Closing the Gap in the Northern Territory National Partnership Agreement (Schedule D – Interpreters), the Australian Government will provide quarterly instalments totalling $2.907m to NTAIS for the following deliverables over 2010-11:

• Employment of five additional CLDOs (bringing the total to 11) by 30 June 2011
• Employment of 17 additional full-time (or equivalent) interpreters (bringing the total to 22) by 30 June 2011
• Development and delivery of professional training for interpreters, including training on Commonwealth initiatives, as requested (frequency to be negotiated by 31 August 2010), expected to be completed by 30 June 2011
• Accreditation of 15 interpreters to be completed by 31 March 2011.

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7.4 Community Engagement

Key developments

• During the period 1 January 2010 – 30 June 2010 there were 26 Indigenous Engagement Officers (IEOs) in 26 communities across the Northern Territory
• As at 30 June 2010, there were 26 out of a potential 30 communities covered by an Indigenous Engagement Officer.
• As at 30 June 2010, 99 people had participated in NTER Resetting the Relationship leadership workshops, with a further 55 people participating in leadership workshops under the National Indigenous Leadership Program.

Background

The 2009-10 Engagement and Resetting the Relationship Budget measure provided funding for the employment of up to 15 Indigenous Engagement Officer (IEO) positions throughout the Northern Territory, together with funding through the COAG National Partnership on Remote Service Delivery for an additional 15 IEO positions in the Northern Territory.  As of 30 June 2010 there were 26 IEOs with recruitment underway for an additional 4 positions.  

The IEOs act as a conduit between communities and government, promote their community’s role in defining needs, setting goals, and formulating policies and plans, and work with community members to bring about greater community input into government decision-making. 

Training & Development

An Indigenous community engagement training program was developed in partnership with Charles Darwin University. This training was designed using participatory action research methodologies and was successfully delivered to IEOs between January and June 2009.  Since then, IEOs have participated in regular recalls with Government Business Managers. Additional training and development is planned for the first half of 2010. Further training through Charles Darwin University focussing on community engagement and development is also planned for the latter half of 2010. Funding has also been provided to support a range of leadership and governance consultants to undertake identified projects across the NT and to deliver five targeted Indigenous Leadership programs –targeting past participants, youth and Tangentyere Housing Organisation reps.

Looking forward

The measure has successfully created local employment opportunities and has helped to forge better community-government relationships. The IEOs provide weekly reports and other valuable information about their communities to government, and the communities in return have gained a better understanding of government initiatives. 

Resetting the Relationship with Indigenous Australians (NTER) – Engagement

The government has committed to Closing the Gap in Indigenous disadvantage and improving the wellbeing of Indigenous Australians by building capacity to participate economically and socially and to manage life-transitions through increased engagement, coordinated whole of government policy advice and targeted support services.

As part of the governments commitment Indigenous Leadership & Engagement Group (ILEG) has delivered leadership workshops to community people from the 73 prescribed communities under the Northern Territory Emergency Response.  In 2009-10 ILEG successfully delivered 5 individual workshops across the Northern Territory targeting Men, Women and Youth and forged a new relationship with Indigenous Australians based on trust, respect and engagement.  Some 99 people had participated in NTER Resetting the Relationship leadership workshops (with a further 55 people participating in leadership workshops under the National Indigenous Leadership Program).

The goals were to:

• Protect women and children, improve capacity and provide sustainable community development in prescribed communities
• Provide support for Indigenous capacity, leadership and public awareness
• Enhance capacity of individuals and communities to provide input into Government decision making processes, to define their own needs, set goals and formulate policies
• To fund community based activities under the Closing the Gap Building Blocks.

Several Leadership and Governance projects were funded through the NT State Office.

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Appendix A: Commonwealth Ombudsman's Report: Monitoring the Northern Territory Emergency Response and other Indigenous Programs in the Northern Territory, January – June 2010

Role of the Commonwealth Ombudsman in the Northern Territory

The Commonwealth Ombudsman’s office is the primary avenue of independent oversight of many Australian Government Indigenous programs. The office conducts outreach visits to NT communities to provide Indigenous Australians with an accessible, independent complaints mechanism. Through this presence in the communities and the complaints received, the office is uniquely placed to also provide information to the responsible agencies about the impact of their programs on the ground. The office is also well placed to assess the effectiveness of multi-jurisdictional and cross-agency working arrangements. The feedback we provide enables agencies to adjust and refine their processes and thereby improve the quality of government programs and services.

The office is funded for five positions to provide independent oversight of the implementation of the policies and programs called ‘Closing the Gap in the Northern Territory’ (CtGNT). The office has supplemented this to the extent that eight full time staff are placed in the Unit, although this is likely to reduce in 2010-11 to accommodate the efficiency dividend.

Despite the original intention of the Government, the Commonwealth Ombudsman’s office does not have membership on any cross-agency forum monitoring Indigenous programs in the NT. The information in this report has been primarily collected from visits to communities, complaint investigations and related briefings from agencies.

We are most grateful for the cooperation of agencies during the reporting period.

Engagement with Indigenous people

Between January and the end of June 2010, the Ombudsman’s office visited nine remote communities and 11 town camps in the NT and 181 complaints were made to the office about the NTER and related programs.15 Only 17 of these were received by telephone, two by email, two by internet and one by facsimile.

The usual practice for the Ombudsman’s office is to ensure that complainants have first utilised the internal complaint mechanisms of the agency that is the subject of the complaint. This approach is not appropriate in respect to Indigenous complainants in the NT, particularly those living in remote locations, because their access to any other avenues is so limited.

In the Ombudsman’s office report on the July-December 2009 period, we strongly recommended that agencies find ways to make information more accessible to people living in remote communities in the NT. We noted that this office too finds it challenging to provide information about its own complaint services outside of resource-intensive outreach visits. To address this, the office commenced work to develop an Indigenous Communication and Engagement Strategy in January 2010. The project incorporates research into the most effective communication messages and mechanisms to maximise efforts in the NT and across the whole office to reach Indigenous people who need access to an independent complaints service. The research is scheduled to be available in October 2010.

Engagement with government agencies and community organisations

The office arranged formal liaison meetings in Darwin with FaHCSIA, Centrelink and the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) to provide feedback from the communities visited, pursue responses to complaints and discuss emerging issues which we had assessed as likely to be systemic. We appreciate the briefings these agencies and the NT Government staff of Remote Housing NT provided on specific programs of interest to the office.

Also in Darwin, the Fair Work Ombudsman and this office met in February to share information about employment related issues in remote communities and outreach strategies, and in February and April discussed health and ageing programs, complaint processes and referral mechanisms with staff from the Department of Health and Ageing (DoHA).

In Canberra, meetings were arranged to progress particularly complex complaint investigations and provide relevant feedback from visits to communities. These included the Department of Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts, the Department of Health and Ageing, the Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy and the Attorney-General’s Department, as well as the Department of Human Services, FaHCSIA and Centrelink.

We also consulted the Social Security Appeals Tribunal (SSAT) and the NT Ombudsman in relation to our investigation work and to discuss jurisdictional issues.

The Commonwealth and NT Ombudsman offices conducted a Community Round Table in Darwin attended by some 20 non-government organisations (NGOs) which work in the NT. This forum provided an opportunity to inform NGOs about the roles of each Ombudsman so that they can refer people or better access us if there are problems with the administrative decisions and actions of government.

Some of the issues raised with agencies include:

• Concerns about the policy gap relating to people who pay rent to reside in a legacy house where there are no plans to upgrade the house or make it compliant with the residential tenancies legislation
• The quality of Income Management Account Statements.
• Problems identified in relation to the ‘Bush Orders’ program, including communication problems and language barriers affecting the ordering, confusion about who people should speak to if they experienced problems with their order, lack of access to phone, faxes and computers to make orders, not knowing what they are being charged for or how to make changes to orders, delivery and storage problems and increased electricity cost for community centres storing the food. We provided information about these observations to FaHCSIA for its consideration in transitioning from the Bush Orders program and for the purposes of its program evaluation.

We provided key agencies with a list of issues of ongoing interest to our office. Some of these are:

• The use of interpreters
• Difficulty accessing Income Managed funds using the BasicsCard outside of the NT
• Discrimination experienced by BasicsCard holders from merchants
• The Income Management (IM) priority payment list
• The impact of alcohol bans and desire for further information about changes and plans for local Alcohol Management Plans
• Confusion surrounding the Strategic Indigenous Housing and Infrastructure Program (SIHIP) in communities
• Safety and security issues in communities with limited services
• Food security issues including access to food, pricing and community store governance
• A range of issues arising from the School Nutrition Program.

The Commonwealth Ombudsman’s office is experiencing significant delays in receiving responses from some agencies about complaint investigations. While this is largely a product of the complexity of programs that cross levels of government, we are working with relevant agencies to achieve some improvements.

Most of the complaints made to the office are resolved informally without the need to use our formal powers or reach a firm view on whether an agency’s conduct was defective. This reflects our emphasis on achieving remedies and improving public administration in general. However, there are instances when we reach a view that an administrative deficiency should be recorded against an agency. By drawing attention to such problems the office aims to ensure that they are addressed in a timely way. Each agency is given an opportunity to comment on a proposal to record administrative deficiency. In the six months from January to June 2010, there were seven cases where there were one or more proposals or recordings of administrative deficiency. The grounds included delay, inadequate reasons, human error and procedural deficiencies.

We often receive information that can assist agencies to better meet the objective of their respective programs. For instance, during the reporting period we received a complaint about the lack of, and need for, a women’s safe house in a remote community. In response to our enquiries, further research into the community’s needs was undertaken. The Minister subsequently decided to fund the women’s safe house which is due to commence operations later this year.

Engagement with the public

One investigation during the reporting period resulted in a report being published under the Ombudsman Act 1976. It related to an investigation into a failure to provide rights of review to the Social Security Appeals Tribunal (SSAT) and the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) for individuals subject to Income Management in the NT. It was prompted by a complaint from a husband and wife who sought exemption from the scheme and were unable to access rights of review. The full report is available at: http://www.ombudsman.gov.au/files/FaHCSIA-Centrelink_Review-rights-income-managed-people-NT.pdf .

Six months after a report is published, the office reviews the progress of its recommendations. It was pleasing to see that the Secretary, FaHCSIA reported on his own initiative on the implementation of the recommendations contained in the December 2009 Ombudsman’s report about communication issues relating to the NTER Asbestos Surveys. The report is available at:

http://www.ombudsman.gov.au/files/nter_asbestos_surveys_communication_issues.pdf

Although outside the reporting period, my office made submissions to external inquiries based on issues identified during the reporting period and covered in this report.

The full submission to the Productivity Commission Inquiry – Caring for Older Australians is at: http://www.ombudsman.gov.au/docs/submissions/Submission%20-%20Inquiry%20into%20Caring%20for%20Older%20Australians.pdf. A summary of the Indigenous issues raised in this submission is provided below under ‘Aged Care’.

We have also made a submission to the Senate Finance and Public Administration References Committee inquiry into the Reform of Australian Government Administration. The submission includes references to issues identified in our work on NTER programs, in particular, public services which are multi-jurisdictional or involve multiple agencies. It points to the need to avoid confusion for customers about which agency to approach to resolve a matter and which agency or tier of government has responsibility for programs or initiatives. The full submission is at:

http://www.ombudsman.gov.au/docs/submissions/Submission%20on%20the%20Reform%20of%20Australian%20Government%20Administration.pdf.

Issues of significance during January-June 2010

An encouraging trend is developing where there appears to be less complaints arising from systemic problems than in the past. We attribute this to the improved responsiveness of some agencies. In particular, there seems to be a better relationship between communities and Centrelink than was evident from earlier feedback about the NTER roll out. Our current complaints indicate that people’s focus is firmly set on housing.

Housing

Repairs and maintenance

The absence of an effective system for recording, monitoring and finalising repairs and maintenance requests appeared to be the underlying issue in a number of complaints received during the reporting period. It is expected that this will be addressed during the July-December reporting period with the new arrangements that commenced 1 July 2010.

Consistent with almost all other government services to remote communities, there is a critical need for a more effective local information service so that residents are empowered to find out for themselves when their houses will be repaired. Similarly, residents should be advised that if they are not happy with the quality or other aspects of the service, they have the right to complain to the responsible agency, and if this is not satisfactory, to an independent complaint service, such as the Commonwealth Ombudsman.

Until this is implemented, community residents will continue to complain to this office about issues which would be more quickly resolved by an effective local response.

Rent for ‘legacy houses’

Where people continue to live in houses that are ‘beyond economic repair’, especially when no other housing is available, we question whether it is fair and reasonable for governments – in the case of communities with 5 year leases, the Commonwealth Government is the landlord – to charge rent. The rent paid by some communities may be a poll tax which is payment for broader services rather than rent for a particular house, however the result is that sub-standard housing can attract significant and disproportionate rental returns, especially given the quality of the accommodation and level of services available.

Income management

Review rights

As noted above, we released a public report in August 2010 about the inability of IM customers to exercise external review rights at the SSAT and the AAT. The report highlighted the broader consequences of the SSAT’s decision and pointed to the need for strategic planning, monitoring and responses by FaHCSIA and Centrelink.16

Merchant approvals – key service points

Another area of IM-related complaints relates to merchant approvals. IM customers can face considerable difficulties where local merchants do not accept IM funds. In spite of this, one complainant who had already contacted the responsible agency on two occasions about a local petrol station was advised that nothing could be done to assist her. The next petrol station was 460 kilometres away. It was only after involvement by this office that the agency took further action and has since agreed that it could have taken a more proactive and problem solving approach to resolving this matter at the time. Following this complaint, more flexible alternatives have been approved should a similar situation arise.

IM transfers and ‘free calls’

There have been some significant changes to IM during the reporting period ahead of the 1 July 2010 rollout across the NT. A welcome development is the introduction of a service enabling IM customers to transfer their IM funds onto their BasicsCards on weekends. This addresses an issue which has caused a steady stream of complaints to this office and feedback to the relevant agencies.

We reported in the July-December progress report that calls from remote communities to Centrelink about IM balances and transfers are charged at mobile phone rates. This is a cost impost which impacts disproportionately on people in remote communities where access to land lines is limited and the majority of people use mobile phones. It is felt by anyone who needs to call Centrelink for any reason, but in the case of IM, the additional cost is incurred in order for people to inquire about and gain access to their own money which has been quarantined by government. The 1800 ‘free call’ number to find out IM balances is a voice automated call used only to provide a person with their IM balance. A separate call is required to a 13 number if the person wishes to make a transfer or find out anything else about their IM account.

Aged Care

Complaints received by this office suggest that the current aged care system for remote Indigenous communities does not adequately cater for the unique challenges faced by older people and carers in those communities, with the result that many older people’s care needs are not being met. Continuing a theme which runs through almost all programs, there is uncertainty about the appropriate person or agency to approach about aged care needs: the shire, the health clinic or Commonwealth Government representatives stationed in the community. It is often difficult for complainants to navigate the aged care bureaucracy to determine their entitlements. This challenge is exacerbated for complainants who do not speak English, or who do not speak English as a first language. Complainants have also expressed concerns about how Government collects information regarding elderly health needs in Indigenous communities and speak of a failure to properly consult with communities.

Accessibility of government to Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Australians

As noted under ‘Housing’, in almost all government services to remote communities there is a critical need for a more effective local information service. Residents and communities need to be empowered to find answers to their questions about any government program or service that impacts them.

Similarly, residents should be advised that if they are not happy with the service or decisions taken, they have the right to seek a review, provide feedback or complain by contacting the responsible agency. They should be informed that if the matter is still not satisfactorily resolved, they have a right to an independent complaint service, such as the Commonwealth Ombudsman. Until this is implemented, community residents will continue to complain to this office about issues which would be more quickly and effectively resolved by the service provider, and without such a service it is very difficult for governments to pursue continuous improvement and improve outcomes for Indigenous Australians.

In saying this, this office and agencies we talk to are well aware of the reluctance of Indigenous people, especially in the remote NT, to complain. This places additional responsibility on us all to ensure that decisions are correct in the first instance.

Outlook

Indigenous Australians in remote NT communities have the same information needs as other Australians. However they have very different and highly variable levels of access to mainstream methods for providing that information such as the internet, television and radio, mail services, telephone lines and mobile phone reception. In addition, the way they wish to engage with government is also diverse and complicated by language, culture and their confidence in, and experience of, governments over time.

As is evident in this report, communication issues are at the root of a significant proportion of complaints made to my office. In my view government agencies administering programs for Indigenous people in the NT have failed to make information about their programs genuinely accessible on demand and to offer an effective and appropriate complaints service. Agencies also need to underpin any complaints mechanism with a culture that values complaints, seeks feedback, meaningfully engages with people. Such mechanisms should be viewed as a valuable opportunity to broadly reflect upon and improve service delivery. This is a whole of government issue which needs immediate attention. Its solution will require coordination across agencies and all three tiers of government.

15. Daguragu, Kalkarindji, Lajamanu, Wallace Rockhole, Ampilatwatja, Angurugu, Milyakburra, Umbakumba and Papunya. Alice Springs Town camps – Karnte, Mt Nancy, Palmers, Hoppys, Hidden Valley, White Gate, Abbots Camp, Trucking Yards, Larapinta Valley, Warlpiri and Palmers
16. Review Rights for Income Managed People in the Northern Territory, August 2010, Commonwealth Ombudsman’s Report 10/2010.

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Appendix B - Youth in Communities Project Information

Funded Organisation	Communities	Total Funding GST excl	Funding Period	Project Description
AFL NT	Wadeye Galiwin’ku	$390,000	2 years 2010-11 and 2011-12	AFL Regional Development Program. Funding for a regional development manager working in communities to establish and coordinate competitions, organise coaching and umpiring courses and promote healthy, active lifestyles.
AMSANT Inc / Malabam Health Board Aboriginal Corporation	Maningrida	$875,000	3 years 2009-10 to 2011-12	Provide a youth service at Maningrida employing a Coordinator, Manager and two youth workers.
Australian Red Cross Society Northern Territory Division	Daly River Nguiu Gunbalanya Angurugu Wadeye	$4,989,592	3 years 2009-10 to 2011-12	Funding for one fully qualified youth worker, and two Indigenous trainee youth workers in each location.
Australian Sports Commission	Gapuwiyak Wadeye Yeundumu Gunbalanya Nguiu	$500,000	2 years 2010-11 and 2011-12	The Sport Demonstration Projects will seek to trial a best practice model for delivering sport focused diversion activities through improved whole of government coordination and the use of place based approach to service delivery to build community capacity.
East Arnhem Shire Council	Angurugu	$442,871	1 year 2009-10	Upgrading of sport and recreation outside activity area including fencing, shade, new computers and air-conditioning.
East Arnhem Shire Council	Galiwin’ku	$1,134,634	3 years 2009-10 to 2011-12	Two youth workers and two youth worker trainees. Some maintenance to the drop in centre. Temporary accommodation for two youth workers at the Galiwin’ku Government Business Manager Complex until 1/10/2010. Accommodation will then be provided by the Shire.
East Arnhem Shire Council	Yirrkala, Milingimbi Ramingining Gapuwiyak Umbakumba	$2,384,233	3 years 2009-10 to 2011-12	Diversionary programs - discos, movie nights, workshops, sporting programs, youth leadership programs, community based and shire wide youth forums, youth referrals, self harm intervention reduction of substance misuse, drop in centre activities, and bush trips/camps.
East Arnhem Shire Council	Ramingining Angurugu Galiwinku Milingimbi Umbakumba  Gapuwiyak	$341,640	1 year 2009-10	Infrastructure upgrades including minor renovations and repairs to a youth worker dwelling, exercise equipment for health and fitness programs, flooring and insulation for music shed, tractor type sprinkler and shade structure for the Gapuwiyak oval, fit-out to drop in centre at Millingimbi and upgrade of youth hall toilet block at Umbakumba.
Groote Eylandt and Bickerton Island Enterprises Aboriginal Corporation	Umbakumba Angurugu	$250,000	3 years 2009-10 to 2011-12	Youth strategy will be developed to coordinate existing services, identify gaps, and support leadership development opportunities for youth.
Julalikari Council Aboriginal Corporation	Elliott	$169,074	3 years 2009-10 to 2011-12	Engage at risk disengaged young people through programs and services including alternative education programs, diversion programs, case management, sport and recreation, life skills, training to employment programs, alcohol and other drug awareness programs, access to health programs, court advocacy and police support.
Laynhapuy Homelands Association Inc.	25 different communities in Laynhapuy Homelands	$1,880,952	3 years 2009-10 to 2011-12	Youth development program that links with supporting and mentoring youth by providing diversionary programs and social planning programs. Three full time positions will mentor four trainee Indigenous youth development officers.
MacDonnell Shire Council	Areyonga, Papunya Haasts Bluff Hermannsburg Kintore, Mt Liebig	$4,732,115	3 years 2009-10 to 2011-12	Youth workers and Indigenous trainee workers at: Areyonga, Haasts Bluff, Hermannsburg, Kintore, Mount Liebig, Papunya.  Staff for headquarters.
Ngaanyatjarra Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (NPY) Women's Council	Imanpa Kaltukatjara Apatula Mutitjulu	$2,592,455	3 years 2009-10 to 2011-12	Diversionary and early intervention services for 15-20 year olds including after school and school holiday programs, safety and healthy activities, personal development and case management of youth at risk.  Youth development officers and part time Anangu youth development officers will be based in these four communities.
Roper Gulf Shire Council	Nhukurr Numbulwar Borroloola	$1,886,765	3 years 2009-10 to 2011-12	Training of Indigenous youth into certified youth worker positions in the three communities. Build on current sport and recreation programs which offer recreational activities, before and after school care and holiday programs. Provide case management which will work closely with social workers, the health centre, school and other social program activities.
Victoria Daly Shire Council	Nauiyu (Daly River)	$16,676	1 year 2009-10	Minor upgrade infrastructure for an after hours recreation facility for youths aged 10-20 years.  Including: kitchen bench, shelving, stove and range hood, multiple water fountains for sport and recreation hall and swimming pool, sports equipment and television.
Walpiri Youth Development Aboriginal Corporation	Lajamanu Nyirripi Willowra Yuendemu	$254,281	3 years 2009-10 to 2011-12	Funding will provide for the employment of one Outreach coordinator who will act as a supervisor for the existing outreach youth worker team which comprises of two youth workers in each of the specified communities. The Outreach coordinator will be based in Yuendemu.
Walpiri Youth Development Aboriginal Corporation	Lajamanu	$226,024	3 years 2009-10 to 2011-12	Funding for one youth worker who will work in conjunction with an existing youth worker funded by Kurra Corporation until 2012 and the Mt. Theo management team. Both positions will assist youth specifically targeting those aged 12-20 years. The youth worker will work with the outreach worker in Yuendemu and with other local trainees.
Walpiri Youth Development Aboriginal Corporation	Lajamanu	$1,215,000	1 year 2009-10	The construction of a duplex for youth worker accommodation Renovation of the existing hall/youth centre. Construction of roofing to existing basketball facility.  Employment of a Project manager. Electrical fittings/fixtures, shelving, security doors and windows, air conditioning to gym and general repairs and maintenance.
West Arnhem Shire Council	Gunbalanya	$105,602	1 year 2009-10	Construction of the extension and upgrade to a dedicated Youth diversion activity space for Indigenous males aged 10 - 20 year old in Gunbalanya.
Young Mens Christian Association of the Top End Inc.	Katherine area:  Jilkmingan, Binjari Barunga, Beswick, Manyallaluk, Kalano Rockhole, Kybrook Farm, Werenbun	$884,397	3 years 2009-10 to 2011-12	The funding will provide a program that aims to develop manual arts skills, foster self confidence and knowledge and enable participants to reintegrate into the school system. The target group will be youth aged between 10-14 years and will focus on Indigenous youth who are identified as youth at risk and who are engaging in anti-social behaviours and are showing a high rate of truancy at school.
Young Mens Christian Association of the Top End Inc	Palmerston	$685,020	3 years 2009-10 to 2011-12	Funding will provide for a youth education and employment program and diversionary activities for youth aged 10-16 not in mainstream education to be delivered in Palmerston and surrounding areas. Sessions will be held in the drop in centre from Monday to Thursday with additional activities such as overnight camps and day excursions.

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Abbreviations and acronyms

AIHW	Australian Institute of Health and Welfare
AMSANT	Aboriginal Medical Service Alliance Northern Territory
CCF	Competence and Capability Framework
CDEP	Community Development Employment Projects (CDEP) program
CHCI	Child Health Check Initiative
CNP	Child Nutrition Program
COAG	Council of Australian Governments
CRH	Centre for Remote Health
CtGNT	Closing the Gap in the Northern Territory
CQI	Continuous Quality Improvement
DEEWR	Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations
DEWHA	Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts
DoHA	Department of Health and Ageing
DOU	Dog Operation Unit
EHSDI	Expanding Health Service Delivery Initiative
FaHCSIA	Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs
HSDA	Health Service Delivery Areas
ISP	Intensive Support Playgroup
ITG	Invest To Grow
LLNP	Language, Literacy and Numeracy Program
LSP	Locational Supported Playgroup
MoU	Memorandum of Understanding
MOS	Mobile Outreach Services
MCPT	Mobile Child Protection Team
NTAHKPI	Northern Territory Aboriginal Health Key Performance Indicators
NTAHF	Northern Territory Aboriginal Health Forum
NTDHF	Northern Territory Department of Health and Families
OATSIH	Office for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health
OIPC Group	Office of Indigenous Policy Coordination Group (FaHCSIA)
RAFCW	Remote Aboriginal Family and Community Worker
RAHC	Remote Area Health Corps
SAIDs	Substance Abuse Intelligence Desks
SIHIP	Strategic Indigenous Housing and Infrastructure Program
SNP	School Nutrition Program

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List of Tables

• Table 2:1: Enrolment and Attendance for NTER Schools
• Table 3:1: Number of ENT, Audiology and Dental Follow-Ups
• Table 4:1: Income Support Recipients in the NTER Prescribed Areas
• Table 4:2: NT Jobs Package
• Table 4:3: Job Placements
• Table 4:4: Job seeker participation in Work Experience activities
• Table 4:5: Non-payment periods
• Table 4:6: Off-benefit outcomes
• Table 4:7: Language, Literacy and Numeracy Program
• Table 6:1: Confirmed Alcohol, Substance Abuse and Drug Related Incidents
• Table 6:2: Confirmed Domestic Violence Related Incidents
• Table 6:3: Confirmed Breaches of Domestic Violence Orders
• Table 6:4: Confirmed Personal Harm Incidents
• Table 6:5: Assault Lodgements and Convictions
• Table 6:6: Restraining orders
• Table 6:7: Sexual Assault Lodgements and Convictions
• Table 6:8: Police Incidents - Reports of Child Abuse
• Table 6:9: Safe Places: location and date of opening
• Table 6:10: Staffing levels for the Substance Abuse Intelligence Desks
• Table 6:11: Staffing levels for the Dog Operation Unit
• Table 6:12: SAID and DOU outcomes for Jan-June 2010

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