Intervention ‘impossible to reverse’
Ewin Hannan; 20/6/08
The Northern Territory intervention has set a precedent of political action that would be impossible to reverse, and Labor risked a backlash if it sought to return to the Hawke and Keating governments’ approach to indigenous policy. Conservative historian Keith Windschuttle said last night the intervention started by former Howard government indigenous affairs minister Mal Brough had been widely accepted by Aboriginal communities, particularly victims of abuse. Presenting the Bennelong Society medal to Mr Brough in Melbourne, Mr Windschuttle said the intervention had been met with a “collective sigh of relief”. “Until Mal Brough came along, the paradigm shift that had occurred in the intellectualisation of the issue had not been matched by a political response of similar magnitude. Today that is no longer true,” he said. “The Northern Territory intervention has set a precedent of political action that I think will be impossible to reverse.”
See: http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,23892772-5013404,00.html
NT success may ‘run into billions’
Sarah Smiles; 20/6/08
A massive injection of money for policing, housing and rehabilitation is needed to make the intervention in remote Northern Territory communities work, the program’s outgoing chairwoman has told the Federal Government. Dr Sue Gordon called for a long-term commitment to funding yesterday, after the Government indicated its support for the intervention to tackle child sex abuse in indigenous communities. The Rudd Government has ordered a 12-month review into the intervention’s progress. Yesterday Indigenous Affairs Minister Jenny Macklin said the Government was “in it for the long haul”. “Where it’s not working, or where there are improvements that need to be made, we should make them … that’s the purpose of the review,” she said on ABC radio.
See: http://www.theage.com.au/national/nt-success-may-run-into-billions-20080619-2tkj.html
Tags: Aboriginal, Australia, Reconciliation