Events Media Releases Newsletters Briefing Papers SNAICC's NT Response

Overview of SNAICC’s response to the federal governmen'ts Emergency Measures in NT

11 July 2007

SNAICC’s immediate concerns are that the Northern Territory (NT) emergency measures developed by the Federal Government lack expert guidance in the area of child protection, are too short term in focus, and fail to provide a way for stakeholders to contribute their expertise so the measures can have a lasting effect on the safety and welfare of children.

Since 1995 SNAICC has advocated for a national action plan to prevent child abuse and neglect. As recently as May 2006 SNAICC wrote to every Premier and Chief Minister from each state and territory government and to the Prime Minister calling for a national action plan to prevent child abuse. All responded that they had the current issues of abuse and neglect ‘ in-hand’. Clearly they haven’t and a national action plan is overdue.

In relation to the current emergency measures for the NT:

SNAICC supports:

1. provision of additional policing, child protection services and resources for Aboriginal non-government agencies across the NT to prevent abuse, respond to abuse where it has occurred, support victims and families, prosecute perpetrators and refer perpetrators to appropriate healing and rehabilitation programs
   
2. voluntary health checks for children facilitated by existing health services, where necessary with additional short term staff, with parental consent and involvement
   
3. appropriate follow up and comprehensive response to the identified health needs of children
   
4. developing child protection systems at the local community level so that children at risk of abuse can receive immediate support and protection when abuse is reported
   
5. establishing a statutory Aboriginal Child and Family Services authority within the Northern Territory to monitor and enforce standards for the care and protection of children
   
6. the development of full and comprehensive responses by the Federal and Northern Territory Governments to the Little Children are Sacred Report
   
7. Federal Government leadership in responding to child abuse and neglect within all states and territories – not just the Northern Territory.
   

SNAICC does not support:

1. issues of land tenure and the NT permit system (currently used to authorise entry onto Aboriginal land) being changed or removed as part of an emergency child protection response
   
2. short term interventions developed with inadequate planning and little or no local input
   
3. Unilateral federal government intervention with no clear commitment to funding long term programs and services

What else SNAICC is doing on this issue

Overview of SNAICC's Response to the federal government's NT Emergency Measures

SNAICC's 10 Point National Action Plan to Prevent Child Abuse and Neglect (briefing paper)

Responding to  Child Abuse ini NT – What You Can Do

Keep up to date

You can find out more about SNAICC's responses to the federal government's intervention on child abuse in NT. In the information on SNAICC's NT Response Update page is regularly updated.

First published 11 July 2007

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