While the federal election is yet to be called, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese ended the working week with another big funding announcement.
Hot on the heels of a $1.7 billion promised boost for state and territory hospitals, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was in Australia’s Red Centre today splashing more cash.
This time it was a federal injection of $842.6 million to strengthen service delivery in the Northern Territory for remote First Nations communities, from policing to women’s safety, health, employment and education services.
The funding will also be directed at Indigenous organisations in the territory, Mr Albanese said at a press conference in Alice Springs.
He said the Commonwealth and Northern Territory Governments, together with the Aboriginal Peak Organisations Northern Territory (APO NT), had signed a landmark Partnership Agreement to strengthen service delivery in remote First Nations communities in the Northern Territory.
Mr Albanese said the government would commit $842.6 million over six years to deliver the Northern Territory Remote Aboriginal Investment (NTRAI).
The funding will:
- Continue to deliver essential services for remote communities including policing, women’s safety, education and alcohol harm reduction.
- Increase funding for Aboriginal interpreter services and deliver new funding for community development, mediation and peacekeeping activities.
- Continue to fund hearing and oral health services.
- Strengthen support for Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations and enable the transition of services from government to community-control over time.
- Empower remote Aboriginal communities by establishing and funding local groups in up to eight locations that will design and deliver services for community, in community, by community. This includes support for communities to navigate and access economic development and employment opportunities.
- Fund up to twelve Aboriginal Community Controlled Children and Family Centres to provide coordinated solutions to complex issues relating to family safety and child development.
The commitment will offer certainty for more than 570 jobs, including some 278 jobs for First Nations Territorians, and ensure remote First Nations communities can access the services needed to Close the Gap.
“Australians want to close the gap between indigenous and non-indigenous Australians. Australians believe in the fair go,” Mr Albanese said.
“The task before us is to build a future in which all Australians have access to the same opportunities.
“My government remains determined to seek better results for Indigenous Australians and help Close the Gap.”
Northern Territory Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro welcomed the renewal of the important funding agreement.
“This funding supports essential services in remote communities, including $205.9 million for our remote policing efforts,” she said.
“All Territorians have a right to be safe from violence and ensuring for remote communities are effectively policed benefits the entire territory.”
Aboriginal Peak Organisations Northern Territory convenor Dr John Paterson echoed the sentiments, saying the agreement was going to have a huge impact for Aboriginal communities.
“The investment is welcomed by the Aboriginal Peak Organisations Northern Territory,” he told the media conference.
“What this agreement demonstrates is that when the partners, along with the Aboriginal leadership get around the table to negotiate under those frameworks of the Closing the Gap National Agreement, we can achieve the outcome that we’re all aspiring and wanting.
“Particularly for our constituents, the most vulnerable here in the Northern Territory, particularly in those remote locations.
“So we’ll continue to work, and I’m sure the chief minister and prime minister will ensure that we get down to the nitty gritty, the nuts and bolts so to speak, to look at strategies and implementations about how we go about in achieving those outcomes that we prioritise in the agreement and get a better, hopefully, outcome for our communities.”
Mr Paterson was asked how the agreement would put power back in the hands of Aboriginal communities.
“Part of the agreement, you saw that there’s going to be a process developed and designed about transitioning organisations and service providers to Aboriginal community control,” Mr Paterson said.
“And an example, good example is the Aboriginal health sector here in the Northern Territory. We’ve been doing this already. There’s a reform policy that’s transitioning Northern Territory Government clinics across the Aboriginal community controlled health boards.
“And we’ve been so successful in that. We’re getting great results out of delivering primary healthcare to our mob in remote communities. And this is the model, this is working.
“So, why would we go and reinvent, come up with another complicated, sophisticated system and process and structures when we’ve already got something that’s working and Aboriginal people are making decisions at that local community level?”
Federal Indigenous Australians minister Senator Malarndirri McCarthy said the government was committed to a genuine partnership with First Nations people in the Northern Territory.
“This investment will ensure remote First Nations communities have access to the critical services they need, while supporting communities to lead in their economic and social development,” she said.
“Partnering with Aboriginal Peak Organisations Northern Territory will ensure critical services are informed by the perspectives of Aboriginal people living in remote parts of the Territory and strengthen the capacity of Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations to deliver services in remote areas.
“We know the most effective solutions come from local communities. That’s why the Albanese Government will continue to work with the NT Government, APO NT and First Nations communities to develop the services that work best for these communities.”