Wadeye, politics & the same old, same old…..?

A local 20 year plan vs a federal ‘knee-jerk’ at Wadeye?

Australia needs to commit to a long term plan if it?s to tackle the causes and symptoms of problems in Indigenous communities, says the NT Chief Minister.

In a discussion with John Howard outlining the need for a joint and committed approach, Clare Martin has proposed a 20 year plan that will set clear targets at 5, 10, 15 and 20 years. She says, ?The experience of the last three decades shows that knee-jerk reactions don?t work ? the only way to achieve generational change is through a sustained, bilateral approach.?

BUT, although there have been protestations of directives being ‘misunderstood’, it does seems as though Canberra is threatening the residents of Wadeye, “Send children to school or cash stops”.

Some details :
The Martin plan (short to medium term)

• alcohol management plans across the Territory
• public housing management in remote communities and town camps
• more police in remote areas
• introducing reforms into local governments, and
• support for changes to welfare

The Wadeye local council/Canberra stand-off

A letter from the Wadeye elders to Mal Brough – obtained by The Age – indicates Canberra may be blaming Wadeye residents for all the community’s problems while ignoring its own neglect and lack of understanding. Canberra runs the risk of damaging an established community/government partnership by making unrealistic demands….in order to get a quick political fix?

Basic elements of the stand-off:

• local schools can only take 400 of Wadeye’s 700 children;
• one month, given logistics problems, is an unrealistic deadline of a month to repair houses;
• Wadeye’s local recovery plan proposes army tradespeople supervise families and gang members repairing damaged houses;
• despite a 3 year partnership between Wadeye community/Canberra/NT Government one partner is now giving ‘unrealistic ultimatums and showing disrespect’.

Where to from here?
Despite recent bad news there ARE success stories in Indigenous communities.

In northeast Arnhem Land The Australian’s Mike Steketee reports on optimism in Indigenous communities. A radio service broadcasting in the local Yolgnu language, set up in 2004, has been providing info about:

• health
• law
• land rights
• family violence

It reaches communities numbering around 7000 people over an area about a third of Victoria, as well as another 1000 in Darwin.

The radio station has English language programs BUT, Andrew Trugden – a white community development officer who helped set up the radio service – believes that teaching people in something other than their first language, disadvantages them and they do not receive a ‘proper’ education.

The results of this approach?

• Young people coming off marijuana and going back to work because they now how know it affects the brain;
• A drop in suicide and an increase in school attendance;
• People turning up for sugar level testing as a result of programs on diabetes.

Other good news

• The mining industry now leads the way in Aboriginal employment: 25% of 700 employed at Argyle diamond mine, WA, are Indigenous; Rio Tinto aims to more than double its Indigenous workforce so it reflects their proportion of the population in the East Kimberley;
• Schools at remote Wave Hill (NT) and Cherbourg (SE Qld) have markedly increased attendance, with literacy levels improving dramatically. Cherbourg Principal Chris Sarra says the key has been instilling pride in being Aboriginal and a belief Aboriginal children can achieve results equal to white children;
• An optimistic John Hartigan – News Ltd Chairman and CEO – draws a direct link between self-government and the success of Indigenous communities overcoming disadvantage – citing the successful tourism project at Titjikala, near Alice Springs, where health and education is better than in many other communities.

Into the future

Most are adamant that the current levels of sexual degradation and assault is “a grog culture not Aboriginal culture.” It is helpful to look at the common themes of the success stories:

• using Indigenous culture as a positive, not a negative influence;
• engaging local communities;
• instilling the ‘right to take responsibility’ (Noel Pearson).

Mike Steketee concludes saying that while we need more police and tougher penalties for serious crimes we should also correct under-funding of health, education, housing & other services when compared with the rest of Australia, and not to compound the failures by abandoning what works.