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Section 7: Looking to the future - developments in the policy context



To assist the NTER Review Board in its thinking around the NTER and directions for the future, this section briefly outlines some key developments that are shaping the Indigenous Affairs policy landscape in the NT and more broadly.

Council of Australian Governments: Closing the Gap and the building blocks

In December 2007 the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) established a Working Group on Indigenous Reform (WGIR). The WGIR is chaired by the FaHCSIA Minister, with Deputy Chairs from the ACT and the NT. The focus of the WGIR is on the achievement of a number of objectives aimed at closing the gap on Indigenous disadvantage. The six Closing the Gap targets are:

The WGIR is working with other COAG working groups to ensure that the new Commonwealth/State agreements, national partnerships and reform proposals help to close the gap on Indigenous disadvantage.  The Government has asked all COAG working groups to ensure that their proposals reduce the Indigenous disadvantage gap.

At its 3 July 2008 meeting, COAG agreed in principle to a National Partnership with joint funding of around $547.2 million over six years to address the needs of Indigenous children in their early years. COAG further agreed to consider in mid 2009 a progress report and advice about the contribution of COAG's broader reform agenda to overcoming Indigenous children's disadvantage. COAG also requested that the WGIR, in conjunction with other working groups, report to COAG in December 2008 on how COAG's broader reform agenda will deliver an integrated strategy on closing the gap for all Indigenous people. 

The WGIR is developing the following reform proposals at the request of COAG for consideration at the 2 October 2008 meeting:

In order to meet these targets, the WGIR has developed a reform model comprising seven strategic platforms, or 'building blocks,' to be pursued:

In working to achieve the goals that it has set, COAG has called for reform proposals, drawn from the seven building blocks, to create the environment necessary in Indigenous communities to close the gap on Indigenous disadvantage.

The collection of measures undertaken as part of the NTER provides a clear link to the building blocks for Indigenous reform. In the short-term, the measures are aimed at securing the safety and well-being of Indigenous children. In the longer-term, the measures implemented will focus on improvements to community safety and improving health, education and employment outcomes.

For example, the improving child and family health measure that has provided child health checks and medical follow-up and treatment provides a practical approach to contribute to the health and early childhood development building blocks.

The Expanding Health Service Delivery Initiative (EHSDI) will assist in closing the life expectancy gap by increasing the delivery of primary health care services to remote NT Indigenous communities. The Australian Government has committed $99.7 million to expand health service delivery in remote NT Indigenous communities over the next two years from July 2008.

This initiative is expected to impact on the level of ill-health and disease in NT remote Indigenous communities by delivering long term, sustainable improvements in the NT primary health care system. Implementation is being done in collaboration with Aboriginal Medical Service Alliance NT (AMSANT) and the NT Department of Health and Families (DHF). It will provide for the delivery of expanded regionally based primary health care services in remote NT Indigenous communities, to support more efficient and comprehensive primary health care.

To assist the delivery of increased primary health care services a Remote Area Health Corps (RAHC) is being established as part of this initiative, to supplement the recruitment efforts of Aboriginal Medical Services and DHF. The RAHC agency will have a strong focus on the recruitment of urban-based health professionals to provide increased primary health care through job sharing, fly-in/fly-out and other outreach arrangements targeting priority health needs for Indigenous people of all ages.

Another example is the crèche component of the Supporting Families Measure. This initiative will have positive impacts on disadvantaged Indigenous children and families in the Northern Territory by increasing access to and engagement in early childhood education and care. Access to early childhood programs will contribute to improved whole of life outcomes generally as young children who are exposed to early learning opportunities have a smoother transition to school and employment related activities and better outcomes. Additional outcomes for children and families are facilitated through linkages and referrals to other programs through the child care platform.

The commitment by COAG to pursue the building blocks reform framework means that future investment in the NT will be built around these strategic platforms in order to reach the COAG closing the gap targets.

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Social Inclusion Agenda

On 21 May 2008, the Social Inclusion Board met for the first time. The Board's role is to provide advice to the Government on effective, practical solutions at the level of government, local communities of service providers, employers, families and individuals themselves and to make recommendations on policy that could change the lifetime circumstances of jobless families and children at risk.

The Prime Minister spoke at the Board's first meeting on the need for and significance of the Government's social inclusion agenda, including that the Government wants to act on causes, not symptoms, to achieve concrete measurable outcomes, through programs and services that work and make a difference. In particular the Prime Minister identified the potential to work through early intervention, building and adapting services to meet individual needs, no more one size fits all; building capability and lifting skills through education and training, and building partnerships with business, communities and local organisations to foster ground-up solutions.

The Government has identified closing the gap for Indigenous Australians as one of the early priorities for the social inclusion agenda. FaHCSIA is leading the Australian Government's work on closing the gap.

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Child protection framework

As part of its election commitment the Australian Government has taken the lead in developing a National Framework for Protecting Australia's Children.  Recognising the importance of this issue, the Commonwealth has moved quickly, working in partnership with State and Territory Governments and community sector.  The Commonwealth developed a discussion paper, Australia's children: safe and well – A national framework for protecting Australia's children, which was released by Minister Macklin on 25 May 2008.  The discussion paper identified six key areas of focus, one of which was improving responses for Indigenous children in the child protection system. 

The discussion paper has also been used to develop and guide intensive consultations on the potential shape of a national framework for protecting Australia's children, and on possible actions by governments and the community sector organisations which would contribute to the framework.  Specific consultations have focussed on how to improve responses to Indigenous children.  These consultations have involved State and Territory governments, Indigenous groups, non-government organisations working with Indigenous children and families, out-of-home care systems and Indigenous kinship carers.  Young Indigenous people who have left the out-of-home care system have also been consulted.

FaHCSIA has received over 200 written responses to the discussion paper, coming from State and Territory Governments, the community sector, academics and the general public.

The framework will be practical and based on partnership with State and Territory Governments and the non-government sector to protect all children.  FaHCSIA will use the learnings from the review of the NTER to inform the development of the framework.  COAG has asked that Community and Disability Services Ministers provide the national framework for their consideration in December 2008.

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State developments – Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia

Queensland

The NTER Review Board has requested information on the operation of the Family Responsibilities Commission (FRC) which has been established as part of the Cape York Welfare Reforms.

The FRC has responsibility for issuing income management notices (IM notices) to Centrelink in Cape York.  IM is only one of a range of actions that the FRC may use to intervene early to encourage members of the welfare reform communities to adopt more socially responsible standards of behaviour.

The Family Responsibilities Commission Act 2008 (FRC Act) (Qld), which is a Queensland law, sets out the legislative parameters for the FRC.  The Act provides for FRC decisions to be the result of conferences involving three commissioners (the Commissioner and two local commissioners).  The decisions of conferences are based on the majority vote of two members.

Community members may be notified to the FRC for issues regarding school attendance and enrolment, child safety and wellbeing, unlawful activity and tenancy breaches. The aim of the FRC is to assist and encourage community members to take action to address the issues that have lead to their notification. Community support services regarding alcohol and drug abuse, mental health issues, family violence, gambling, parenting and family budgeting will be available to assist community members in this regard.

When considered necessary, the FRC will attempt to come to an agreement with relevant community members about attending support services to assist them to address their issues. However, if a person is unwilling to come to such an agreement, the FRC may direct the person to attend services. Where the safety and wellbeing of a person's family is of concern, the FRC may direct that the person's income be managed by Centrelink to ensure that the priority needs of their family, such as food, clothing and shelter, are met. It is intended that the FRC will only make decisions to subject a community member to IM as a last resort.

IM notices issued by the FRC will contain information about the name and address of the person to be income managed and the period for which IM applies (at least 3 months and no more than one year) and may contain directions or recommendations about the proportion of the person's welfare payments to be income managed.

The FRC has the discretion to issue IM notices for part or all of a person's entitlement.  The FRC Commissioner, Mr David Glasgow, has indicated that he intends to issue IM notices for either 60 per cent of fortnightly payments and 100 per cent of lump sum payments, or 75 per cent of fortnightly payments and 100 per cent of lump sum payments, depending on the circumstances in which the notice is issued.  In line with legislation, the FRC Commissioner has authority to vary the percentage in consultation with local commissioners. 

A person may approach the FRC to request an early termination of their IM notice.  The FRC may do this only if it is not detrimental to the best interests of children or other vulnerable people in the community.

Sections 105 to 109 of the FRC Act allow the Commissioner to enter into a voluntary agreement and to issue a notice about IM for a community member, if approached to do so by that community member.  The FRC Commissioner may terminate an IM notice resulting from a voluntary agreement, if requested to do so by the person, provided he is satisfied doing so would not be detrimental to the best interests of children or other vulnerable people in the community.

Further information and links to relevant Australian and Queensland Government legislation are at Appendix 4.

Western Australia

Welfare reform initiatives are also being undertaken in cooperation between the Australian Government and the Western and South Australian Governments in relation to recent reports on remote communities in those states. In the Kimberley region and the Cannington area of Perth, a trial beginning in 2008-09 will give State protection authorities the power to recommend to Centrelink that income support and certain payments to both Indigenous and non-Indigenous people are managed for the benefit of their children.

As part of this initiative families will be assisted in developing budgeting and money management skills. Families experiencing difficulties in managing their money will have voluntary access to IM.

South Australia

In response to the Mullighan report (May 2008), the Australian Government has committed to work with the SA Government to protect children in the APY lands. Since the release of the report, the Australian Government has made the following funding and other commitments in response to its recommendations:

The Australian Crime Commission has been asked to consider the findings of the Mullighan report and make recommendations for action to its Board. This will be in the context of its work in leading the National Indigenous Intelligence Taskforce.

In addition, in August 2007, the previous Commonwealth Government offered the SA Government $25 million for new houses and to upgrade a number of existing houses on the APY lands.  The $25 million funding offer requires the SA Government to manage existing and new community housing as public housing and ensure Anangu people have the opportunity to be trained and employed in jobs relating to housing services including construction, repair and maintenance and tenancy management. Negotiations are currently underway with the SA Government and communities on the APY Lands regarding the offer.

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Indigenous economic development strategy

The Commonwealth Government is currently developing its Indigenous Economic Development Strategy (IEDS). The strategy will be finalised before the end of the year.

The overarching objective of the IEDS will be to promote economic participation of Indigenous communities and individuals by improving Indigenous employment, business and wealth creation opportunities. The IEDS will be a key driver for halving of the gap in employment outcomes between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians over the next ten years.

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Housing

In relation to housing, the Australian Government is investing $813 million in remote Indigenous housing and infrastructure in the NT, including $793 million over the next four years as part of a joint agreement with the NT Government.

Under the Strategic Indigenous Housing and Infrastructure Program, living conditions for 80 per cent of people in targeted communities will be improved. This will include:


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Alcohol, substance misuse and smoking

The socio-economic disadvantage experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people compared with other Australians places them at greater risk of exposure and vulnerability to health risk factors such as smoking and alcohol misuse, and exposure to violence. However socio-economic disadvantage alone does not explain all of the differences in health outcomes between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. Many of the risk factors associated with chronic disease are behavioural.

The Australian Government is making a significant investment in addressing Indigenous substance use through recent Council of Australian Government (COAG) initiatives targeting drugs, alcohol and tobacco, recurrent funding for substance use services and investment under the NTER.

This investment includes:

The Australian Government recognises the important role of family and community in supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to make the behavioural changes required for long term recovery, and the need for treatment and support services to be culturally appropriate.

New service delivery models incorporating substance use services within the primary health care setting in the NT have been developed in consultation with the NT Department of Health and Families and the Aboriginal Medical Services Alliance of the Northern Territory. The models encompass the spectrum of care from community based counselling and education, residential rehabilitation and treatment services, to aftercare services which support transition back to community.

Priority areas for future funding to support these models are increasing workforce and providing professional development opportunities, increasing capacity of rehabilitation and treatment services and developing and implementing models for transition aftercare.

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Taxation review

On 13 May 2008 the Australian Government announced the review of Australia's tax system. The review will look at the current tax system and make recommendations to position Australia to deal with the demographic, social, economic and environmental challenges of the 21st century.

The review will consider improvements to the tax and transfer payment system for individuals and working families. This will include consideration of the relationships of the tax system with the transfer payments system and other social support payments, rules and concessions, with a view to improving incentives to work, reducing complexity and maintaining cohesion. Consultations will be undertaken as part of the broader review.

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Appendix 1: Measures and sub-measures

Section 6: Measuring impact