NT Response

SNAICC's response to the federal government's 'Emergency response to protect Aboriginal children in NT'

SNAICC continues to respond to the federal government's emergency measures to respond to child abuse in Aboriginal communities in the Northern Territory, announced on Thursday 21 June 2007.

SNAICC's response has included a number of media statements issued since 20 June 2007, comments and interviews with the media, discussions with other Indigenous organisations and the community sector, discussions with then federal Indigenous Affairs Minister Mal Brough's office, and continuing discussions with Indigenous Affairs Minister Jenny Macklin's office.

Overview of SNAICC’s response

SNAICC’s immediate concerns are that the Northern Territory (NT) emergency measures developed by the Federal Government lack expert guidance in the area of child protection, are too short term in focus, and fail to provide a way for stakeholders to contribute their expertise so the measures can have a lasting effect on the safety and welfare of children.

Since 1995 SNAICC has advocated for a national action plan to prevent child abuse and neglect. As recently as May 2006, and again in July 2007, SNAICC wrote to each state and territory Premier or Chief Minister and to the Prime Minister calling for a national action plan to prevent child abuse. All responded that they had the current issues of abuse and neglect 'in-hand'. Clearly they did not and a national action plan was well overdue.

In relation to the current emergency measures for the NT:

SNAICC supports:

  1. provision of additional policing, child protection services and resources for Aboriginal non-government agencies across the NT to prevent abuse, respond to abuse where it has occurred, support victims and families, prosecute perpetrators and refer perpetrators to appropriate healing and rehabilitation programs
  2. voluntary health checks for children facilitated by existing health services, where necessary with additional short term staff, with parental consent and involvement
  3. appropriate follow up and comprehensive response to the identified health needs of children
  4. developing child protection systems at the local community level so that children at risk of abuse can receive immediate support and protection when abuse is reported
  5. establishing a statutory Aboriginal Child and Family Services authority within the Northern Territory to monitor and enforce standards for the care and protection of children
  6. the development of full and comprehensive responses by the Federal and Northern Territory Governments to the Little Children are Sacred report
  7. federal government leadership in responding to child abuse and neglect within all states and territories – not just the Northern Territory.

SNAICC does not support:

  1. issues of land tenure and the NT permit system (currently used to authorise entry onto Aboriginal land) being changed or removed as part of an emergency child protection response
  2. short term interventions developed with inadequate planning and little or no local input
  3. unilateral federal government intervention with no clear commitment to funding long term programs and services.

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SNAICC's call for a national approach to prevent abuse and neglect

For many years, SNAICC has witnessed various 'emergencies', failures and systematic inadequacies in state and territory child protection and child welfare arrangements and policies involving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and their families, not the least of which is the Federal Emergency Intervention in the NT.

This shortsighted approach must be replaced with medium and long term planning and coordination. SNAICC has called for a National Approach to prevent child abuse and neglect as the best way for coordination between federal, state and territory governments to prevent child abuse and neglect.

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What you can do to respond to child abuse in the NT

Write to the federal government

SNAICC is asking members of the community and organisations to continue writing to the federal government to ask them to ensure that their Northern Territory response is effective, based on expert guidance in the area of child protection, well planned for the long term, and works consultatively with Aboriginal communities and organisations. We ask you to send your letters to Federal Indigenous Affairs Minister Jenny Macklin, the Opposition Shadow Spokesperson for Indigenous Affairs Tony Abbott, and your local member of parliament to make these concerns clear.

Write to state and territory governments

We also encourage you to write to all state and teritory Premiers and Chief Ministers asking them to support SNAICC's call for a National Approach to prevent child abuse and neglect.

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SNAICC media statements and comment on the Intervention

All SNAICC media releases can be found on the SNAICC Media page

Other comment and articles by SNAICC can be found on the Presentations & Articles page

 

Resources 

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Seeking Help and Support

Those with concerns regarding child abuse and/or sexual assault, or have concerns for friends or family members, can seek support and assistance from various services.

  • Kids Help Line - telephone 1800 55 1800
    Kids Help Line is a free and confidential, 24-hour telephone counselling service for 5 to 25 year olds in Australia. Their website also contains a range of advice and provides online counselling.
  • The Domestic Violence and Incest Resource Service has 'Helpful Information on Abuse & Violence' on their website.
  • Reporting abuse or neglect - If you know or suspect a child is being mistreated, you should report your concern to the child protection authority in your State or Territory. Telephone numbers for each state/territory child protection authority are as follows (24 hour services):

ACT - 1300 556 729

S.A - 13 14 78

NSW DoCS Helpline - 132 111

TAS - 1300 737 639

NT - 1800 700 250

VIC - 13 12 78

QLD - 1800 177 135

WA - 1800 199 008

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