Fourth report into Remote Indigenous Service Delivery

The Australian Government today released the fourth six monthly report from the Coordinator General for Remote Indigenous Services, Brian Gleeson, on the progress being made in delivering essential services to people living in the 29 priority Indigenous locations across Australia.

The report details the performance of Governments in meeting our commitments to implement the National Partnership on Remote Service Delivery. It provides an assessment of progress, particularly in relation to the community and government agreed Local Implementation Plans in each location.

Under the Remote Service Delivery Strategy, all governments have signed up to a concentrated approach to tackle disadvantage in the select Indigenous communities.

At the halfway point in the National Partnership on Remote Service Delivery, the Coordinator General has found that a number of improvements have been made in the 29 locations through the Local Implementation Plans, including:

• Improved access to early childhood services in the Western Australian communities of Fitzroy Crossing, Halls Creek and Beagle Bay, on the Dampier Peninsula.
• In Queensland, regular community meetings on Mornington Island and separate men’s and women’s gatherings in Doomadgee are actively addressing local issues such as crime and negative behaviour. These meetings helping to create respectful relationships and safer communities.
• In South Australia, community members from Amata and Mimili were trained to monitor and evaluate progress under their Local Implementation Plans. This led to employment with the Australian Bureau of Statistics during the National Census, and other job opportunities with the Australian Electoral Commission.
• Community Police Engagement Officers are now working as part of a two- year community policing trial in the Northern Territory communities of Ntaria (Hermannsburg), Yuendumu, Lajamanu, Wadeye, Maningrida, Angurugu and Umbakumba.

While this report shows positive change is occurring in remote communities, we know that disadvantage cannot be turned around overnight.

The Australian Government is committed to delivering change at the community level that improves opportunities for Indigenous people and addresses disadvantage.

The assistance of the Coordinator General, the States and Territory, and community leaders is helping the Australian Government to achieve improvements in the 29 communities.

The report is available at www.cgris.gov.au