Northern Territory Emergency Response (NTER)
Monitoring Report
3. Overview of Monitoring Data
Health
The main focus of the Child Health Check Initiative during the period 1 July to 31 December 2008 was the provision of follow-up care to children who had referrals from checks in earlier time periods. While preliminary data suggest that follow-up in primary health care has reached over 80% of children, follow-up in more specialised areas which requires the deployment of special facilities and staff is progressing more slowly.
The delivery of the new Sexual Assault Referral Centre Mobile Outreach Service (MOS) commenced in April 2008. During the period 1 July to 31 December 2008, service delivery continued at the same time as new policy, planning and infrastructure was established to support the implementation of the service with four years of funding across all remote areas of the Northern Territory. In addition, the Central Australian Aboriginal Congress (Congress) were funded to undertake the scoping phase of a Healing Model for Adolescent Sex Offenders and to facilitate the Male Health Summit ‘Taking Care of Our Children’, held in Central Australia in July 2008.
Key elements of the Alcohol and other Drugs Response introduced in 2007-08 are being continued in 2008-09 under the Closing the Gap – NT – Follow Up Care measure. This includes the deployment of 28 outreach workers
In the period January - June 2008 a wide range of measures to support expanded service delivery and workforce capacity were undertaken. In addition to the deployment of 28 outreach workers an Alcohol and Other Drug Clinical Director was engaged and workforce training and community education commenced.
From 1 July 2008, implementation of the $99.7m Expanding Health Service Delivery Initiative (EHSDI) commenced. These funds are available in 2008-09 and 2009-10 and aim to increase primary health care service delivery in remote locations; deliver more regionally-based primary health care services in remote NT communities and recruit and deploy health professionals through the Remote Area Health Corp (RAHC). During the period July to December 2008, governance under the NT Aboriginal Health Forum was established and an investment plan with funding for $38.9m in 2008-09 was agreed. An agreed list of core primary health care services was developed and plans for regional reform of health services established. The RAHC commenced operation following the engagement of ASPEN Medical and the first seven health professionals were deployed in December 2008.
Enhancing Education
As at December 2008, 71 schools across 73 communities were being supported by a School Nutrition Program. This is around a 30% increase since June 2008. The program is now in place in all prescribed communities.
The NTER does not directly address school attendance but the School Nutrition program, classrooms, staff and housing, aims to provide incentives for school attendance and well as increased supply of educational facilities.
Data from the NT Department of Education and Training shows that at December 2007 there were 5,460 students enrolled in Primary School and 1,335 students enrolled in Secondary School with an average attendance rate of 66% for Primary School students and 53% for Secondary School students. At December 2008, there were 5,336 students enrolled in Primary School and 1,929 students enrolled in Secondary School with an average attendance rate of 63% for Primary students and 54% for Secondary School students.
NT Department of Education and Training introduced Middle Years schooling in 2007/2008, which means from 2008 Year 7 students are counted as secondary students instead of primary students. This means care is required when comparing attendance rates for Primary and Secondary students from 2007 to 2008.
Supporting Families
Children’s services and family support funding was provided for five new facilitated playgroups and the expansion of existing Early Childhood Services under the Indigenous Children Program (ICP) and Invest to Grow (ItG) Program.
As at 20 May 2009, one playgroup is operating in two sites in Yuendumu and two mobile playgroups based in Tennant Creek and Katherine are delivering playgroup services to families in nine surrounding community outstations. Two more playgroups will shortly begin operations in Milingimbi and Numbulwar.
The Council for Aboriginal Alcohol Program Services Inc (CAAPS) received additional funding in January 2008 under the NTER to expand their existing ICP services to support more families in the Northern Territory.
Three ItG projects also expanded their services in January 2008 under the NTER: the Child Nutrition Program which provides intensive family support and nutrition rehabilitation, the Core of Life program that provides information about pregnancy, breastfeeding and early parenting and the Let’s Start Project that aims to develop a preschool program in communities that includes support for parents.
There is a significant lead time required for the effective implementation of children and family services in Indigenous communities. This includes site selection, selection of appropriate service providers, recruitment of experienced and qualified staff and community and family engagement. These processes become even more time-consuming and resource-intensive when the communities are located in isolated parts of the Northern Territory and have limited existing services and infrastructure.
Twenty one of the planned twenty two safe houses have been established and as at 20 May 2009, 17 were operational.
As at 31 December 2008 only two child protection workers and an administrative assistant are employed on the Mobile Child Protection Team. The levels of staff on this team have been fluctuating with a high turnover of staff due to; the level of qualifications sought, the remoteness of the work and the short term contracts. In total 50 remote and regional communities have been visited and 459 cases had been investigated.
As at end January 2009 the Remote Aboriginal Family and Community Workers (RAFCWs) team comprised of eight RAFCWS staff, a team leader, a project officer and an acting Manager to providing liaison between families, local and regional services.
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Promoting Law and Order
The discussion and analysis in this section is based on data supplied by the Australian Government Attorney-General’s Department, the Northern Territory Police and the Northern Territory Department of Justice.
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 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 many remote Indigenous communities. 7 Much violence remains unreported in official data and this needs to be kept in mind in interpreting the data provided below.
The level of crime incidents reported in the Themis communities is high. However it is difficult to establish to what extent the number of incidents reported to police is related to an increased police presence. One way to do this is to establish the extent to which increased reporting is concentrated in Themis communities. While this analysis can provide a broad guide it is important to note that increased reporting has not just occurred in Themis stations. In some instances an increased willingness to report incidents will have resulted in increased reporting to existing police stations. As an example one of the Themis Police Stations is in Peppimenarti which is located in the Daly Police Station District. The NT Police report that majority of the incidents in communities located near Peppimenarti be reported to this Themis Police Station but also to Daly River Police Station and Wadeye Police Station (which is not a Themis Station).
We have obtained unpublished data from the ABS on the estimated residential population from the 2006 Census for the Census Collection Districts that surround the 18 Themis Police Stations 8. Comparing these data with the number of domestic violence incidents reported in 2007/08 for the Themis communities suggests a domestic violence rate per 100,000 of population of 3,524. This is a very high level particularly when you consider that the Themis stations were not fully operational for all of 2007-08.
There was a small increase in the number of alcohol-related incidents reported to the police across the NTER region from 1,994 in the last six months of 2007 to 2,180 in the last six months of 2008. It is worth noting that all of this increase (100%) was accounted for by the Themis communities.
The level of domestic violence reported to police across the NTER area remains high. The number of domestic violence related incidents reported to police rose from 902 in the last six months or 2007 to 1,163 in the last six months of 2008. In the 18 Themis communities, the level of reported domestic violence incidents increased significantly, from 120 in the last six months of 2007 to 266 in the last six months of 2008. The Themis communities accounted for 55% of the increase in the total number of domestic violence incidents from the last six months of 2007 to the last six months of 2008.
NT Department of Justice data records 33 actual convictions for breach of a restraining order across the NTER communities in the second half of 2008 compared to 43 in the second half of 2007.
There is a high level of assault (relative to population size) across the NTER communities but there is little evidence of any increase in the number of cases lodged in court or convictions since the introduction of the NTER. For example in the 18 months to the end of December 2008 there were 776 assault cases lodged in court for hearing that related to alleged offences committed in the NTER communities. The equivalent figure in the 18 months ended December 2006 was 774. It is true that the number of assault cases lodged in court that related to alleged offences committed in the NTER communities was considerably higher in the 6 months to the end of December 2008 (290) than in the equivalent period of 2007 (246) but it is worth noting that in the equivalent period of 2006 the number was 295. In other words the higher number in the six months to the end of December 2008 may simply reflect normal variability. More time is required to reach any firm conclusions.
In the 18 months to the end of December 2008 there were 480 convictions for assault offences committed in the NTER communities. The equivalent figure for the 18 months ended December 2006 was 466 9
There may appear, at face value, to be an apparent contradiction between the strong increase in domestic violence incidents reported to police since the commencement of the NTER and uncertainty over whether the actual number of assault cases lodged in court has increased. However, there is no real contradiction for a number reasons. First, the Northern Territory Police Violent Crime Reduction Strategy guides a strict reporting regime so that all disturbances (including assault offences) involving domestic participants are recorded as ‘Domestic Incidents’. One objective of the strategy is to increase the rate of reporting of what is widely understood to be an under-reported category of crime. Any increase in reporting then, may reflect increased confidence or capability to report to Police rather than an increase in the underlying offending.
Another factor that has particular impact for domestic violence relates to the Police intervention once a report of domestic violence is made. Often the circumstances involve a situation where the parties are intoxicated and sometimes there is an absence of witnesses to the event. This presents obstacles to a successful prosecution. Additionally, victims are often reluctant to disclose to Police details of what occurred and there is limited or no ongoing support capacity within the communities to encourage and equip the victim with the support necessary to either disclose to police the details of the assault or to sustain the complaint once made. Again, this impacts the ability to successfully prosecute offenders.
Intervention in circumstances where a criminal prosecution is not viable involves Police obtaining the protection of a Domestic Violence Order for the victim where sufficient grounds exist.
There has been a significant increase in the number of reports collectively referred to as ‘child abuse’ made to police from across the NTER communities since the NTER commenced. This was reported in the last Monitoring Report. More recent data confirm this trend. There has been a significant increase in the reported number of incidents of abuse relating to child welfare from the last six months of 2007 to the last six months of 2008. The category child welfare relates to issues that would be generally considered to be child neglect.
The total number of incidents of child abuse 10 in the NTER communities rose, from 74 in the last six months of 2007 to 124 in the last six months of 2008. The 18 Themis communities accounted for around 36% of the increase in the number of child abuse reports made to police from 2006-07 to 2007-08.
The vast bulk of these confirmed reports across the NTER communities were accounted for by the category ‘child welfare’ (73% in 2008). There has been a significant increase in reported incidents of abuse relating to child welfare across the NTER communities, from 58 incidents in the second half of 2007 to 91 in the second half of 2008.
The Night Patrol consultation phase ranges from service providers initiating primary contact with community members, to the establishment of a night patrol base and recruitment of patrollers. The Attorney General’s Department (AGD) recently conducted a review of the implementation of the night patrol services in the Northern Territory. The recommendations related to strengthening program administration through workshops, visits and further relationship building, and program enhancement through the revision of funding for salaries and reconsideration of performance indicators. AGD is working towards implementing the recommendations of the review.
The Attorney‑General’s Department received additional funding of $2 million for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Services (ATSILS) and Community Legal Centres (CLCs) in the NT and the Northern Territory Legal Aid Commission (NTLAC) to provide legal assistance to Indigenous Australians for matters arising under the NTER.
Services report that the work arising from the intervention, and the number of court sitting days, is increasing. Many of the matter arising, such as alcohol management issues, and demand for legal assistance in the area of welfare rights issues as a result of the new income management, are labour intensive, placing additional demand on the services.
Recruitment of new staff has been a consistent issue. Uncertainty around continued funding meant that services had only been able to offer one year contracts, which decreased the attractiveness of the position to potential applicants 11. A significant period of time was required at the beginning of the NTER to find staff for these legal service positions, and to build up new networks and relationships of trust in the communities.
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Housing and Land Reform
To 30 December 2008, 3185 buildings had been surveyed with 2718 Make Safe and 2732 Minor Vital repairs completed as part of the Community Clean Up program.
The Australian Government, in partnership with the Northern Territory Government, is delivering a substantial investment in capital works in the 73 prescribed communities and urban living areas throughout the Northern Territory. The Strategic Indigenous Housing and Infrastructure Program (SIHIP) falls outside the scope of the NTER, it has been included in this report because improved housing outcomes have a material impact on the wellbeing of indigenous people in the NTER prescribed areas.
As part of SIHIP, appropriate land tenure arrangements must be in place before construction can commence. Leases are already in place at Nguiu, the Tennant Creek Town Camps, and the three Groote Eylandt region communities of Angurugu, Umbakumba and Milyakburra. Housing precinct leases have also recently been agreed for Maningrida, Galiwinku, Gunbalanya and Wadeye.
Following the agreement of leases, design and community consultation activities are now proceeding in 48 communities across the Northern Territory. These communities will comprise up to 60% of the funds allocated to SIHIP.
In April 2009, Alliance Partners presented Package Development Reports for the first three packages of work (which includes Nguiu, the Tennant Creek Town Camps and the Groote Eylandt communities). Early works have already commenced on Groote Eylandt and in the Tennant Creek Town Camps ahead of the major capital works activities.
Welfare Reform and Employment
Income Management affects people (Indigenous and non-Indigenous) living in the 73 prescribed communities, their associated outstations or the 10 town camp regions of the Northern Territory, who receive income support payments.
Every community member who receives a relevant Centrelink payment is paid 50% of the total amount in the usual way, while the other 50% is reserved to pay for priority needs, such as food, clothing, housing, transport and utilities.
The number of communities participating in income management has increased from 52 communities and seven town camp regions, to 73 communities and ten town camp regions at the end of 2008. On 23 October 2008 the Australian Government made a commitment to continue compulsory income management in the Northern Territory for a further twelve months as a tool to reduce alcohol related violence, protect children, guard against humbugging and promote personal responsibility.
Since July 2007, almost $124.5 million has been income managed as part of the NTER. Of this, $119.9 million was allocated to priority goods and services. Most money was allocated to food (62%), rent (10%), store cards (9%) and clothing and footwear (5%).
At the start of July 2008, 12% of income managed funds had been unallocated 12 and remained in the Income Management Special Account. From August 2008 to the start of December 2008, unallocated funds as a proportion of all IM funds dropped significantly. At 5 December 2008, unallocated funds only accounted for 4% of all Income Management funds. However, on 12 December 2008, the proportion of unallocated funds had increased to 10%. This increase coincided with Economic Security Strategy (ESS) payments that were paid to most income management customers between 8 and 19 December 2008 and were income managed at 100%. To enable the spending of ESS payments, the daily transaction limit of the BasicsCard was raised from $800 to $1500.
During the first year of the NTER there was a focus on moving individuals from CDEP into jobs, increasing participation in the Labour Force and development of work-ready skills (including literacy and numeracy).
Individuals applying for income support, including those being transitioned from CDEP, were assessed by Centrelink and placed on an appropriate income support payment. These individuals were referred to appropriate employment services where they were assessed as being able to participate in the labour force. Where appropriate this assessment was undertaken by a Job Capacity Assessor.
At December 2008 there were 12,642 people on working age income support payments in prescribed communities, a drop of 1,364 since December 2007.
There were also around 700 people considered unable to participate in the labour force, who are now receiving the Disability Support Pension (DSP). Approximately 1,300 jobs were created by the Jobs Package program between February and December 2008 bringing the total number of created jobs to 1,907 since August 2007. Over 1,000 Job Placements were successfully undertaken during February to December 2008, bringing the total to 1,565 since August 2007.
Seasonal factors (eg the wet) and the re-introduction of CDEP in communities are considered to have had only a minor influence on the numbers on Income Support.
Under the current compliance arrangements, an eight week non-payment period (NPP) is applied by Centrelink in instances where a job seeker has committed three participation failures within a 12 month period or has committed a serious failure, without a reasonable excuse.
The proportion of applied Participation Reports (PRs) resulting in NPPs has decreased from 8% between August to October 2007 to 2% between July and December 2008. The proportion of NPPs as a percentage of all applied PRs is also lower for NTER communities than nationally. For example during the period 1 January 2008 to 31 December 2008, at the national level, 8.4% of PRs applied resulted in a NPP.
Coordination
During the first 12 months the NTER was led by a Taskforce of eminent Australians, chaired by Dr Sue Gordon, Chair of the National Indigenous Council and a Magistrate in the Children’s Court in Western Australia. Major General David Chalmers was appointed as the full-time operational commander of the Operational Group and continued in this role until February 2009. Mr. Michael Zissler was recently appointed to continue in this role.
As intended, in July 2008, the Taskforce was discontinued at the end of the first year and responsibility for the emergency response is coordinated through the NTER Operations Centre and State Office of FaHCSIA in Darwin. The NTER Operations Centre, based in Darwin, continues to be responsible for the planning, management and roll out of measures on the ground, under the leadership of Mr Mike Zissler.
Recognising that local input was crucial to the success of the NTER, the 2008-09 Budget included $3.8m as part of a new Community Engagement measure, in order to facilitate greater engagement with and involvement of Indigenous people involved in the rollout of the NTER.
The measure provided funding for Indigenous community members to act as full-time Indigenous Engagement Officers (IEOs). Their role is to provide feedback about NTER measures to communities and government; promote the community’s role in defining needs, setting goals, and formulating policies and plans; and work with community groups to bring about greater community input into Government decision-making.
A common theme of complaints received by the Ombudsman’s office is the issue of communication, consultation and general provision of information. Complaints received by the Ombudsman’s office cover; the Basics Card, Income Management (IM), access to Centrelink and service delivery, housing and, the School Nutrition Program (SNP).
Complaints received by the Ombudsman’s office are conveyed to the relevant agencies. Agencies have been very responsive to the Ombudsman’s approaches and many of the issues are already known to the agencies who are already working hard to address the matters.
- ABSTRACT Address by the CEO of the Australian Crime Commission, Alastair Milroy, to the 2008 Bennelong Society Conference - 20 June 2008
- According to these estimates the estimated residential population of the CDs that surround the Themis communities was 9648. There would have been population growth since this time but the domestic violence rate is relatively insensitive to this as population changes over a short period would be small.
- It takes some time for incidents reported to police to make their way to court.
- This includes, child abuse material, child welfare, child welfare – pregnancy, child welfare STI prohibited material, and unclassified adult material
- The 2009-10 federal budget provided three years of funding for the continuation of this program.
- It would be expected that some funds will remain unallocated over the fortnightly payment cycle, and because income managed customers are able to save funds for larger and less regular expenses, and for major purchases.
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