Progress report for the Northern Territory Emergency Response

The Northern Territory Emergency Response (NTER) is making good progress with more than 15,000 people on income management, more police on the beat and a successful school nutrition program in 70 communities.

The Australian Government is moving the NTER to a sustainable development phase to ensure measures will be effective for the long-term, including engagement and partnership with Indigenous communities.

We are committed to strengthening our efforts to combat violence, child abuse and rebuild social norms.

The Government must help protect women and children from the shocking levels of abuse and violence.

Progress report

Employment and Welfare Reform

• Income Management: At 13 March, 15,204 customers are being income-managed.
• Income Management Continuations: At 17 March, IM continuations have occurred in 35 communities, associated outstations and town camp regions; Acacia Larrakia, Ali Curung, Atitjere, Amoonguna, Areyonga, Barunga, Belyuen, Beswick, Binjari, Bulman, Engawala, Finke, Galiwinku, Hermannsburg, Imanpa, Kaltukatjara, Kintore, Manyallaluk, Milikapiti, Mt Liebig, Mutitjulu, Nauiyu, Nguiu, Owatilla, Palumpa, Papunya, Peppimenarti, Pirlangimpi, Santa Teresa, Tara, Titjikala, Wadeye, Wallace Rockhole, Weemol, Wilora, Adelaide River town camps, Alice Springs town camps, Darwin town camps, Elliott town camps, Katherine town camps and Tennant Creek town camps
• BasicsCard:
  • At 13 March, 27,773 BasicsCards have been issued.
  • At 13 March, there were 904 merchant approvals with 802 merchants activated.
• Real Jobs Package: At 10 March, there were 1,696 Australian Government funded jobs. The jobs are broken down into the following categories: night-patrol (99), art (74), broadcasting (80), language and culture (31), rangers (150), child-care (198), education-support (246), community-care (274), sport and recreation (86), municipal-services (149), and Indigenous Land Corporation (ILC) rangers (156). There are an additional 153 NT Government jobs that have received funding.
• Community Stores: At 18 March, a total of 76 community stores have been licensed.
• Work for the Dole (WfD): At 18 March, 50 WfD activities have participants in 34 communities, one associated outstation and six town camp regions. A total of 146 activities have commenced with participants in 53 communities, two associated outstations and six town camp regions since 21 June 07.
• Community Development Employment Program (CDEP): At 16 March, the NT CDEP Average Contracted Places (ACP) utilisation is 5,886 out of an allocation of 5,950.

Law and Order

• Police Presence: At 18 March, there are 63 additional police deployed to communities: 46 Australian Federal Police (AFP) and 17 NT Police. This includes 6 specialist AFP officers in the child abuse taskforce. Recruitment is planned to include 2 further staff in the Child Abuse Taskforce.
• Permanent Station Upgrade: Four permanent station upgrades have been completed and further upgrades will be undertaken. In addition, 18 Themis Stations have been installed in NT communities.
• Night Patrol Services (NPS): There are currently 270 people employed in 69 active night patrols in prescribed communities
• Alcohol Signage:
  • 218 of the 227 highway and boundary signs allocated have been installed.
  • 99 of the 137 community, barge and airport signs allocated have been installed.

Enhancing Education

• School Nutrition Program (SNP): At 18 March, School Nutrition Programs are in place in 70 communities. A total of 154 positions have been created in these communities. Of these, 129 Indigenous people have been employed.

Supporting Families

• Safe Houses: At 17 March, nine safe houses are open and operational in seven communities: Ngukurr (men's and women's), Lajamanu (women's), Nguiu (women's and men's), Kalkarindji (women's), Apatula (men's) and Peppimenarti (women's) and Ntaria (women's).
• Remote Aboriginal Family Care Workers (RAFCWs): At 17 March, RAFCWs have been employed in the following eight communities: Galiwinku, Gunbalanya, Nauiyu, Nturiya, Ntaria, Borroloola town camp, Elliott town camp and Nguiu.
• Crèches:
  • Four new crèches facilities have been complete at Areyonga, Papunya, Lajamanu and Kaltukatjara.
  • Six upgrades to existing crèche facilities have been completed at Maningrida, Gunbalanya, Borroloola, Ntaria, Santa Teresa and Nyirripi.

Improving Child and Family Health

• Child Health Checks (CHC): At 31 January 2009, an estimated total of 13,178 valid CHCs have been performed through the Northern Territory Emergency Response (NTER) and Medicare Benefits Scheme (MBS) Item 708 since 1 July 2007. The valid CHC figures include multiple CHCs per child.

Coordination

• Government Business Managers (GBMs): There are 58 GBMs in place servicing 73 communities and town camps in Darwin, Tennant Creek and Alice Springs.
• Indigenous Engagement Officers (IEOs): 20 IEOs have been selected to service the following communities: Bulman/Weemol, Yirrkala, Jilkminggan, Beswick, Barunga, Palmerston Indigenous Village, Bagot, Minyerri, Binjari/Kybrook Farm, Palumpa, Lajamanu, Ngukurr, Wadeye, Galiwinku, Maningrida, Yuendumu, Wallace Rockhole/Hermannsburg, Elliott, Tennant Creek and Ali Curung.