INDIGENOUS Affairs Minister Jenny Macklin was warned against using the plight of Indigenous Territorians as a ‘photo opportunity’ at the first consultation into the future of the Intervention.
The President of the Barkly Shire was close to tears as she begged the Federal Minister to take the issues surrounding the talks seriously.
Rosalie Kunoth-Monks told the crowd of around 75 at the consultation in Tennant Creek on Tuesday that she would have to “try hard to believe” the Minister would listen to peoples’ concerns.
The consultation was the first meeting following the release of the Stronger Futures in the Northern Territory discussion paper last week.
Announced by Prime Minister Julia Gillard and Indigenous Affairs Minister Jenny Macklin, the discussion paper outlines the Government’s intentions to find ways to improve the lives of the Territory’s Indigenous people as the Northern Territory Emergency Response expires in August next year.
School attendance and educational achievement, economic development and employment, alcohol abuse, community safety, health, food security, housing and governance are the key issues up for discussion.
Ms Macklin’s department plans to consult with Territory communities affected by the Intervention over the next six weeks - although she has a poor record when it comes to consultations.
Last year consultations into the Intervention were not advertised and the outcomes were never made public by the Government.
Similarly, the meeting in Tennant Creek this week was not advertised and many people were unaware of the talks including those who are most affected by Intervention measures.
Dianne Stokes, who has been outspoken about plans to build a waste dump at Muckaty, says she is angry and disappointed at the way the Government is pushing ahead with the consultations without any notification.
“It was lucky anybody at all was at the meeting on Tuesday,” she said.
“There were four elders there at the most, that’s shameful.
“I heard about the consultations the night before and encouraged quite a few to go along but until I told them they didn’t know anything about it and some who had heard didn’t know where or what time the meeting was being held.
“This is not good enough, we want to be able to know about consultations like this beforehand and be able to plan ahead.
“People in most of the smaller communities won’t get a say at all unless the Minister makes a concerted effort to let them know about the talks.
“The Government should advertise these meetings in the local paper and on the radio.
“They have to find a way to communicate with us.”
Ms Stokes said people in Tennant Creek and the Barkly had a lot to contribute but said she didn’t think the Government wanted to listen.
“They’ve got their own ideas,” she said.
“Ms Macklin thinks she can drop in here for a few hours, talk to a couple of people and go away knowing what to do about Aboriginal people.
“Well, it just doesn’t work like that.
“This consultation process is a sham and it’s looking a lot like the Government is trying to hide something from us.”
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