Executive summary

TNS Social Research was commissioned by the Office of Indigenous Policy Coordination Group (OIPC) within the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FaHCSIA) to develop and test a survey instrument to measure the perceptions of Government Business Managers (GBMs) of how the Northern Territory Emergency Response (NTER) measures are working on the ground. This report details the findings of that survey.

All GBMs working with Indigenous communities in the Northern Territory¹ were approached to participate in the research. The research comprised an online survey that was completed by 49 GBMs working with 71 of 77 communities.² The findings detailed in this report therefore represent the perceptions and views of GBMs working with 92% of NTER communities. GBMs' responses are based on their in-community experience and perceptions of how effective the various NTER measures have been on the ground. The aim of the survey is to collect benchmark data that will be used to help assess whether conditions within the communities are improving as a result of the NTER measures.

The survey was designed in close consultation with OIPC, with a pilot study (incorporating cognitive interviewing techniques) used to validate the design. The survey is modular, and considers (in turn) aspects of the key measures of the intervention:

Food availability
Education
Supporting families
Law and order
Housing and Land
Welfare reform and engagement measures
Whole-of-government approach
The approach of the NTER as a whole

Following are the key findings within each of the survey modules.

Food availability

Sixty nine percent of communities have a licensed community store, (the food outlets most often utilised according to the GBMs surveyed).
Most food groups/ staples appear to be commonly available, (fresh produce and over-the-counter medications available less often).
Associated levels of price, quality and availability of the various food groups vary, with the greatest fluctuation occurring for perishable fruit and vegetables.
Price increases are attributed predominantly to rising fuel prices, whereas quality and availability issues, although linked to cost, are coupled with varying levels of store management and efficiency.³
Changes to where community members purchase food is driven primarily by price and quality.
Overall, GBMs agree that children in a large majority of communities have sufficient food to eat, however, in 14% of communities it is reported that this is not the case.

GBMs report that this problem is due to a mix of contributory factors, but primarily due to families not being able to afford food (with some community members opting to spend the money on alcohol and gambling instead) a lack of cooking facilities (and an associated reliance on fast food).

Education

School attendance and truancy remain an issue, with GBMs reporting an awareness of children who don't go to school at all in about two-thirds of the communities surveyed.
GBMs report that the situation has recently improved somewhat. This has occurred through increased parental support for attendance, which appears to have led to increased levels of actual attendance.
Improved attendance appears to have been driven by a mix of fear and engagement issues i.e. the initial threat of income cuts versus the community's greater awareness/ support of education, and subsequent increase in engagement/ interaction. GBMs surveyed believe that the lack of community support, parental enforcement and a general apathy towards education remain the greatest barriers to improved attendance levels.
91% of communities have a school nutrition program.

Supporting families

Nutrition education programs for parents are available in half (52%) of the surveyed communities.
This is followed by a range of mentions at lower levels (reported by GBMs in around a third of communities) i.e. outside school hours care, JET crèche facilities and child development programs.
The rates of uptake of these programs appear to be in line with availability - with services more widely available enjoying increasing levels of uptake.

Law and order

GBMs report that in 54% of communities, community members are drinking nearby (but outside of) prescribed areas. In 37% of these communities, GBMs report an increase in this behaviour. Alcohol restrictions in prescribed areas are reportedly 'displacing' drinkers to camps outside the prescribed areas.
GBMs have noticed that there is illicit substance use near the community but outside of prescribed areas in 10% of communities.
GBMs report that in just under half (45%) of surveyed communities, the level of violence has remained unchanged since their arrival in the community.
- GBMs perceive a decrease in violence in 39% of communities, and attribute this drop to an increased police presence and reduced access to alcohol.
In terms of alcohol use, although GBMs in a majority of communities (58%) report 'no change' in behaviour, GBMs in one quarter (24%) report a decrease in consumption.
- This reduction is considered to be largely due to the introduction of the NTER alcohol restrictions (although its ongoing success is debated by some due to lack of sanctions and offenders' tendency to simply shift behaviour).
- ome believe that the enforcement of alcohol restrictions in prescribed areas is simply displacing drinkers to camps outside prescribed areas.
GBMs believe that petrol sniffing is not present in 62% of communities, but note that it has increased for 11% of communities and decreased for 9% of communities, with no change being reported for 16% of communities.
- This decrease in activity is considered due in part to the introduction of Opal fuel, but believe that community intervention/ pressure and the introduction of youth programs will be more effective to discourage problem behaviour in the future
With regard to illicit drug use, GBMs in one third (30%) of communities report that it is not present in their community, and in another third (31%) rates of use remain unchanged. In 4% of communities GBMs report an increase in illicit drug use and in a further 4% of communities GBMs report a decrease
- Those observing a decrease consider it due to an increased police presence in the area and airport surveillance keeping access limited.
Increased usage of marijuana is reported in 16% of communities. In many of these communities marijuana is easy to access and is used as an alternative to the alcohol banned under the intervention.
GBMs in six out of ten communities report that solvent use is not present (59%). GBMS have noticed no change in solvent use for 11% of communities, a decrease in 4% of communities and an increase in 3%.
Night patrols are present in the majority of communities (58% overall). GBMs feel that the service is adequate in 61% of the communities where the service is provided - in that it is sufficiently resourced relative to the size of the community and works well together with the community, police and state imposed restrictions.
Where the service is considered inadequate, GBMs cite limitations in staff numbers, training, management, authority and accountability.
GBMs attribute police presence as having the greatest impact on reducing criminal activity (55% of communities), followed by youth diversion programs and elders law (both 42% of communities). GBMs believe Alcohol restrictions and night patrols are reducing criminal activity in more than one third of communities.

Housing and land

Community reaction to changes in the management of community housing are fragmented: GBMs report equal proportions of communities with a positive, negative and neutral reaction.
An increase in community clean-up activities is reported in 62% of communities, and an increase in housing maintenance is reported in half (49%) of communities.
- Specific clean up and maintenance programs mentioned include the Community Clean Up (CCU), Indigenous Business Australia (IBA), Fixing Houses for Better Health (FHBH) and National Aboriginal Housing Strategy (NAHS).
There is also a notable increase in the availability of visitor accommodation (in one quarter of communities).
In about 60% of communities, GBMs agree that community members are involved in the maintenance of community housing (primarily through Community Development Employment Projects (CDEP). In more than three quarters of communities GBMs agree that community members are involved in clean up activities including CDEP and Work for the Dole. GBMs further mention community involvement in other, more general clean up activities as well.

Welfare reform and engagement measures

In most communities, GBMs have seen an increase in employment and training opportunities and an increase in interest in training opportunities. In almost a half of the communities, GBMs have seen an increase in interest in establishing a small business.
The removal of remote area exemptions is seen as having affected over half (53%) of the communities to some degree, especially with respect to the administration of welfare payments and eligibility. Negative effects include:
- Looking for work in order to get payments is considered unsustainable by some GBMs due to limited work opportunities in more remote areas.
- Some GBMs feel the introduction of fortnightly forms is stretching the literacy and numeracy skills of claimants.
GBMs report that one fifth of communities have been affected by the removal of CDEP. The impact is seen as largely negative: o Employers cannot hire the same numbers of workers previously sustainable o Municipal services are suffering o GBMs believe that the move from CDEP to 'work for the dole' is seen by community members as punitive.
Income management is implemented across the large majority (82%) of communities. GBMs believe that income management has been positively received in half of the communities, mostly by women and older people, and due to the increased allocation of money for food and other essentials.
Humbugging has reportedly decreased in 39% of communities.

Whole-of-government approach

In summary, the aspects of the whole-of-government approach which appear to be working relate to improvements in the flow of communication between agencies, and the coordination of services. This is largely attributed to the involvement of GBMs in facilitating communication between community members and agencies. Where the GBM is not involved 'in the loop', problems arise.
GBMs report that in the vast majority (90%) of communities some form of burden is placed on community members through visits by government officials or agencies to the community.
Although some believe this burden is inevitable, others feel that the load can (broadly) be reduced through better coordination and organisation across agencies.
GBMs report that in the majority of cases both community members and other government agencies appear to have at least some understanding of the GBM's role. GBMs in about a quarter of communities believe these groups have a good understanding of the GBM's role.
A majority of communities are seen as having low involvement in their own management. In communities that are highly involved, a number of characteristics are evident in community leaders, such as leaders who are educated and well informed, the involvement of women in leadership roles and leaders with a high degree of literacy and numeracy. Feedback from GBMs suggests that community involvement in community management may be associated with the size of the community (smaller communities appear to be more involved).
GBMs in around eight out of ten communities report using interpreter services to varying degrees, though interpreters are used by GBMs "most of the time" in only 6% of communities, and in 61% communities' interpreters are rarely or never used by GBMs. In the majority of communities local interpreters are used, rather than formal interpreter services.

The NTER approach

GBMs report that in 34% of communities people have left as a result of the NTER measures.
On rating the impact of key NTER measures, the measures most extensively perceived by GBMs to have had a positive impact are:
- the introduction of Government Business Managers,
- fixing problems with existing housing,
- the introduction of income management,
- community clean up programs,and
- children's health checks/ follow ups,
Those measures seen as having the least positive impact are:
- expanded safe houses,
- extra drug/alcohol rehabilitation services and
- additional child protection workers
Measures that are seen as having the least positive impact are ones not fully implemented in the communities with lack of existing facilities or services.
Overall, GBMs rate the communities as having a good understanding of the aims of the NTER and why it was launched, as well as a good acceptance of the NTER.
Face to face is the preferred communication mode of GBMs.
Communications products noted to be effective include:
- Brochures
- In language radio broadcasts / advertising
- Flip charts
- Aboriginal Resource and Development Services Inc. (ARDS) radio
- Posters
- Fact sheets
- Free to air TV

1 at the time of survey July 2008

2 Town-camps and out-stations were also included in the survey. For the purposes of this report the word ‘community’ is used throughout to refer to communities, town camps and out-stations.

3 It should be noted that, at the time of survey, Income Management was not yet in place in all communities.

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