Welfare quarantine rules may be eased
Patricia Karvelas; 17/4/08
The forced quarantining of welfare in the Northern Territory should be relaxed in the next phase of the commonwealth takeover so indigenous people who spend their money responsibly can control their payments, according to Intervention Taskforce head Sue Gordon. Under the current rules, 50 per cent of welfare income is quarantined by the Government and can be spent only on items such as food, clothing, rent and other essential items. But Dr Gordon, the taskforce chairwoman who has long advocated that a tough approach be taken, says that after 12 months the “one size fits all” approach needs adjustment. She told The Australian she still believed quarantining should be kept, but not for all people.
See: http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,23552141-5013404,00.html
Hazardous duty
Ashleigh Wilson; 17/4/08
As her four-wheel-drive comes to a stop, clouded in dust, Maureen Helen asks herself whether she has made a mistake. She looks around to see the shells of abandoned cars lining the streets, the mangy camp dogs and the isolated, hostile landscape that surrounds her new home. Others who have come before her to places such as this have felt a similar sense of unease. Many of the white nurses, contractors and teachers posted to remote Aboriginal communities in northern Australia arrive full of idealism and adventure. But many leave quickly, their naivety exposed. A long way from anywhere, these communities have a way of sorting people out. So when Helen arrives at Jigalong - a small, troubled community in Western Australia’s Pilbara region - she regrets the move at once.
See: http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,23550693-5013172,00.html
Tags: Aboriginal, Australia, health, Safety, Welfare