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| Indigenous policy: what the main parties will bring to the table | Indigenous policy: what the main parties will bring to the table |
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| In the last week of August, Guardian Australia visited two Indigenous communities in the Northern Territory to hear their concerns ahead of the federal election. Many of those we spoke to felt they had seen little to no improvement in their living conditions over the past few decades. Jobs, security and chronic housing shortages were they key issues for the majority of residents we met. In response, we asked the main political parties to answer some of the specific questions they raised. Current Indigenous policy for the Northern Territory comes under the Stronger Futures policy, known as the Northern Territory intervention, enacted in 2007 as the Northern Territory Emergency Response Act under former prime minister John Howard. This involves a $3.4bn commitment over ten years and addresses services, employment, alcohol abuse and child education in the Northern Territory. The Coalition has said it will move Indigenous affairs to the department of prime minister and cabinet and create an Indigenous advisory council, headed by former ALP president Warren Mundine. Both parties will move towards amending the Constitution to recognise Indigenous Australians. Below are specific additional policy announcements made during the campaign by the Australian Labor party, the Liberal National Coalition and the Australian Greens, which address the concerns about housing, jobs and security that Guardian Australia heard from the Darwin communities. | In the last week of August, Guardian Australia visited two Indigenous communities in the Northern Territory to hear their concerns ahead of the federal election. Many of those we spoke to felt they had seen little to no improvement in their living conditions over the past few decades. Jobs, security and chronic housing shortages were they key issues for the majority of residents we met. In response, we asked the main political parties to answer some of the specific questions they raised. Current Indigenous policy for the Northern Territory comes under the Stronger Futures policy, known as the Northern Territory intervention, enacted in 2007 as the Northern Territory Emergency Response Act under former prime minister John Howard. This involves a $3.4bn commitment over ten years and addresses services, employment, alcohol abuse and child education in the Northern Territory. The Coalition has said it will move Indigenous affairs to the department of prime minister and cabinet and create an Indigenous advisory council, headed by former ALP president Warren Mundine. Both parties will move towards amending the Constitution to recognise Indigenous Australians. Below are specific additional policy announcements made during the campaign by the Australian Labor party, the Liberal National Coalition and the Australian Greens, which address the concerns about housing, jobs and security that Guardian Australia heard from the Darwin communities. |
| Housing | Housing |
| Labor: Committed to building 2,500 houses by 2018 and refurbishing 6,696 houses by 2014, in addition to the 2,000 already built and 5,800 refurbished under the $55bn National Partnership on Remote Indigenous Housing. Coalition: No announcements Greens: Indigenous housing is included within the Greens' Safe as Houses and Stronger Social Housing policies. Funded by government bonds, it aims to create 12,200 new social-housing homes a year over 10 years, with one third of them "fast-build, modular or prefabricated housing" that will take up to 250,000 people out of housing crisis. | Labor: Committed to building 2,500 houses by 2018 and refurbishing 6,696 houses by 2014, in addition to the 2,000 already built and 5,800 refurbished under the $55bn National Partnership on Remote Indigenous Housing. Coalition: No announcements Greens: Indigenous housing is included within the Greens' Safe as Houses and Stronger Social Housing policies. Funded by government bonds, it aims to create 12,200 new social-housing homes a year over 10 years, with one third of them "fast-build, modular or prefabricated housing" that will take up to 250,000 people out of housing crisis. |
| Jobs | Jobs |
| Labor: The ALP proposes to halve the employment gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians by 2018. The ALP pledged to continue its working on country ranger program, committing a further $3.9m. Coalition: The Coalition has pledged to provide "up to $45m" to the employment model of the Andrew Forrest-founded GenerationOne to provide 5,000 Indigenous Australians with training and a guaranteed job under the Australian employment covenant. On another section of the Liberal party website is a pledge of $10m to run four job training trials (modelled on those of GenerationOne), to train 1,000 people for guaranteed jobs. Within one month of the election it will commission a review of current Indigenous training and employment programs. The commission, headed by Forrest, will report to the prime minister within six months. The Coalition will maintain the "working on country" program but will rename it the Indigenous Landcare Program. Greens: The Greens would double the number of rangers under the "working on country" program with $100m of investment over four years to increase administrative support, as well as extend contracts to 10 years. | Labor: The ALP proposes to halve the employment gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians by 2018. The ALP pledged to continue its working on country ranger program, committing a further $3.9m. Coalition: The Coalition has pledged to provide "up to $45m" to the employment model of the Andrew Forrest-founded GenerationOne to provide 5,000 Indigenous Australians with training and a guaranteed job under the Australian employment covenant. On another section of the Liberal party website is a pledge of $10m to run four job training trials (modelled on those of GenerationOne), to train 1,000 people for guaranteed jobs. Within one month of the election it will commission a review of current Indigenous training and employment programs. The commission, headed by Forrest, will report to the prime minister within six months. The Coalition will maintain the "working on country" program but will rename it the Indigenous Landcare Program. Greens: The Greens would double the number of rangers under the "working on country" program with $100m of investment over four years to increase administrative support, as well as extend contracts to 10 years. |
| Security | Security |
| Labor: New closing the gap targets will be developed, addressing the high rates of young Indigenous people in the criminal justice system. No specific targets have been announced. Another $15m over four years will go to Indigenous communities that are interested in setting up their own alcohol management plans similar to those already enacted in the Northern Territory. Coalition: Will match the government's $5m pledge for Noel Pearson's Jawun Empowered Communities initiative, which aims to improve community governance. The Greens: The Greens have said they would double funding to family violence prevention legal services in 2014-15 and increase other Indigenous legal assistance services by 50% to address issues including the high incarceration rates. | Labor: New closing the gap targets will be developed, addressing the high rates of young Indigenous people in the criminal justice system. No specific targets have been announced. Another $15m over four years will go to Indigenous communities that are interested in setting up their own alcohol management plans similar to those already enacted in the Northern Territory. Coalition: Will match the government's $5m pledge for Noel Pearson's Jawun Empowered Communities initiative, which aims to improve community governance. The Greens: The Greens have said they would double funding to family violence prevention legal services in 2014-15 and increase other Indigenous legal assistance services by 50% to address issues including the high incarceration rates. |
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