It is really difficult, probably impossible, to calculate the total annual resources going in to the APY lands. For just, somewhere between 1,875 to 2,500 people.
I am not saying the money and resources should not go in. I just wonder why the APY lands can still be described as having third world conditions. There seems to be a Champagne budget with only beer outcomes.
FEDERAL GOVT - APY OFFICE- CLOSING THE GAP-
Recommendation 1
From February 2010 to May 2011, the Office of the Registrar of Indigenous Corporations
worked across the APY Lands to deliver governance training and provide advice and
assistance to Community Councils. In addition, Community Council Support Officers
(CCSOs) have been appointed in Kaltjiti, Amata, Mimili, Pukatja, Iwantja, Pipalyatjara and
Kalka to help build capacity in the day to day administration of communities,
The CCSO Officer program on the APY Lands is jointly funded by the South Australian and
Commonwealth Governments. The main roles of the CCSOs are to ensure the provision of
efficient, reliable administrative and clerical support services to Community Councils on the
APY Lands, provide assistance for Community Council meetings, and contribute to effective
governance in communities.
FaHCSIA provided funding for community council support to DPC-AARD in 2009-10. The
funding included:
$202,000 (GST exc) as a contribution to the community council support officers
model; and
$65,165 (GST exc) for refurbishments to the Amata and Mimili community council
offices.
Recommendation 13:
A significant program to construct new houses and refurbish existing dwellings on the APY
has been funded under the National Partnership Agreement on Remote Indigenous
Housing. The Agreement also requires the implementation of public housing‐like property
and tenancy management across Aboriginal communities in South Australia.
Between 2009 and 2011 a total of 61 new houses were constructed in Amata, Mimili, Fregon
and Pukatja and 92 houses were refurbished in these communities and Pipalyatjara.
During 2011-12 the program to improve community housing in the APY Lands communities
has continued with a further 34 new houses and 19 refurbishments currently underway or
completed.
Housing SA has established an APY Lands Regional Office in Umuwa and appointed staff to
manage the housing on the APY Lands. The responsibilities of the Umuwa office includes
establishment and management of tenancies, property maintenance and rent collection. A
Home Living Skills program is funded to provide tenants with the skills they need to maintain
their homes.
The APY Lands Regional Office in Umuwa is the central point of service delivery for housing
on the APY Lands. The staff complement includes a Manager, Program Manager,
Maintenance Coordinator and Housing Officer. There is also a full time Assets Project
Manager responsible for supporting the capital works program on the APY Lands.
Housing SA has also constructed five new dwellings in Umuwa to house Anangu employees
or trainees and recruitment into these positions has commenced.
Following a tender process a multi‐trade contractor has been appointed to undertake
maintenance on community houses. This is a three year contract in the first instance and
commenced on 1 October 2011. This is an important step in improving maintenance
services in remote Aboriginal communities.
As new housing construction is completed, the Umuwa office allocates properties to families
in greatest need, with criteria focused on the safety of children and overcrowding.
Households are signed to new tenancy agreements with Housing SA which establishes a
public housing standard of tenancy rights and responsibilities, including property
maintenance and rent collection.
The Home Living Skills program continues to be rolled out and will be facilitated by two full
time Senior Housing Support Workers with one based in the east and the other the west of
the APY Lands; one position was filled in August 2011 and the other is in the recruitment
phase. In addition, there will be Housing Support Workers based in Iwantja, Mimili, Kaltjiti,
Pukatja, Amata and Pipalyatjara to assist Anangu in community maintain a healthy, safe and
secure home.
Recommendation 15
Nganampa Health Council is a health agency primarily funded by the Commonwealth
Government. DoHA has provided the Council with funding from June 2010 for an additional
medical practitioner to be based on the APY Lands. The position is currently being
advertised. This brings the funded complement of Nganampa Health Council Medical
Officers providing direct services and/or secondary consultation and support to Registered
Nurses to four full time equivalent.
Attracting a full time medical practitioner is difficult in many rural and remote regions of
Australia. The Australian government is providing a range of financial and non‐financial
incentives to support health professionals to continue to work in rural and remote Australia,
under the Rural Health Workforce Strategy (RHWS) to address rural and remote health
workforce shortages. Financial and non‐financial incentives are scaled based on a location’s
remoteness.
Recommendation 39:
Three new police stations have been built on the APY Lands with funding of $22million being
provided by the Commonwealth to the South Australian Government. SAPOL took
possession of the Mimili station on 18 December 2009, Amata on 20 February 2010 and
Pukatja on 30 March 2010.
Recommendation 45:
On 18 June 2008, the Commonwealth Government committed funding of $4.95million for the
construction of a facility to provide accommodation for a court and for police and other
government workers providing a child protection and family violence response. On 17 May
2010, the CAA informed DPC‐AARD that it would use the facilities for court sittings provided
by the police and court complexes that had since been built at Amata, Pukatja and Mimili.
The funds previously allocated by the Australian Government for the construction of the
Umuwa Courts and Administration Centre are being redirected to establish three Family
Wellbeing Centres on the APY Lands – in Mimili, Amata and in Pukatja (Ernabella). The
construction of the Mimili Centre is due for completion by the end of 2012, with the Amata
and Pukatja Centres being completed by mid‐2012.
In addition to funding specific recommendations:
The Australian Government will invest $400,000 for new Intensive Family Support
Services, to improve the wellbeing of children in the APY Lands. This will provide for
additional social workers and Aboriginal family support workers, who will work with
parents in their own homes to build their skills and knowledge about how to best
meet the needs of their children including in health, nutrition, and education.
Up to $100,000 to be provided by the Commonwealth to build on the South
Australian Government’s mobile protection team initiative on the APY Lands.
The Government is also working with local suicide prevention and mental health
support services to ensure effective program delivery, providing $2million over three
years to deliver the Personal Helpers and Mentors program for people mental health
issues on the APY Lands. Nganampa Health Council is also being funded $800,000
over two years to deliver culturally appropriate mental health services on the APY
Lands.
The Australian Government will also provide up to $500,000 a year for a new Family
Mental Health Support Service in the APY Lands. This service will help us build
capacity to respond early to the needs of children and young people at risk of mental
illness, working with families and community organisations to offer intensive practical
assistance and early intervention.
The Australian Government is also investing $600,000 to establish a cross-border
family violence information and intelligence initiative based in Alice Springs. This will
be run by police and will facilitate and encourage information sharing between
agencies and service providers to tackle domestic violence.
$1.22 million over three years for a Financial Wellbeing Service in Amata and Mimili,
to help people build their money management skills, provide one-on-one support
including financial counselling, and financial literacy education.