Mr BALCH - 1998-02-17
In December, the clinic and nursing services at Port Keats were withdrawn because of threats of violence in the community. What is the present status of the health facilities in Port Keats?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I will not dwell on the issues surrounding the withdrawal of nurses from Port Keats. Members would be well aware that they were withdrawn last year, essentially because of safety concerns. I do not intend to give an historical perspective of the problems that have faced Port Keats over time. Suffice it to say that it is a community that has rarely been the subject of good news in the media.
One positive thing that has occurred with the withdrawal of the nurses is that the 7 Aboriginal health workers who remained in the community have done a superb job over the period. They have attended to all emergency cases, including emergency evacuations from the community. They have delivered a baby at the community clinic. Most importantly, they have earned the respect of the community.
Mr Ah Kit: They had that before the problems arose.
Mr BURKE: I believe that is worth thinking about. When we talk about improving Aboriginal health service delivery, I often wonder whether we could step back in some respects and achieve a greater effort. Certainly, some of the indications from Port Keats are that that has been achieved. It should be remembered also that a medical officer has been visiting the community to attend to cases that require weekly treatment.
Page 6
The problem with Port Keats is essentially that it is a disparate community. A number of people, particularly the elders in the community, are extremely worried about the way the community is headed. It also has a largely disinterested group who feel indifferent to the problems that are occurring in the community. The elders have decided that they need to do something. I was especially heartened when I visited the community with the Minister for Aboriginal Development. We experienced a quite moving smoking ceremony and were presented with an action plan by the Memelmel elders group. They are serious in their intention to address the problems and bring some order back into that community. In that respect, I intend to support them in their efforts as best I can.
The member for Arnhem interjected earlier. Certainly, the strength and ongoing influence of the Memelmel will be effective only if they are supported by ATSIC in many of their endeavours. I hope he will use his influence within the ATSIC organisation to support the Memelmel. They have an action plan. They have addressed issues relating to the safety of the nurses. There are interesting initiatives relating to family groups to assist the night patrol, security systems at the clinic, escorts for the nurses to and from work, means of reporting incidents and follow-up procedures and means of ensuring that the community itself can gain more and more ownership of that particular clinic.
In the light of that, I am prepared to move nurses back into the community. I intend to do that very carefully. I do not intend to go back to the previous model. There is a real opportunity at Port Keats to work on this empowerment of the Memelmel and give them more and more ownership of the clinic. In that regard, I simply do not intend to put back a Territory Health Services model that seems to have failed in the past. I will approach the problem very carefully. Foremost in my mind will be the ongoing safety of nurses at that clinic. We do not want to be in a situation of having to withdraw them again in the future.
I am disturbed to hear reports that alcohol problems are again appearing in the community. I can only hope that the community can work successfully through the particular issues that beset it. The community has 2000 people, 60% of whom are under the age of 20 years. Those demographics in themselves put a different perspective on a community. Rather than being a hell-hole, it is a community grappling with serious demographic problems. The people will certainly receive my support, but that does not mean reverting to the previous model. The matter will be approached very carefully.
Page 7
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I will not dwell on the issues surrounding the withdrawal of nurses from Port Keats. Members would be well aware that they were withdrawn last year, essentially because of safety concerns. I do not intend to give an historical perspective of the problems that have faced Port Keats over time. Suffice it to say that it is a community that has rarely been the subject of good news in the media.
One positive thing that has occurred with the withdrawal of the nurses is that the 7 Aboriginal health workers who remained in the community have done a superb job over the period. They have attended to all emergency cases, including emergency evacuations from the community. They have delivered a baby at the community clinic. Most importantly, they have earned the respect of the community.
Mr Ah Kit: They had that before the problems arose.
Mr BURKE: I believe that is worth thinking about. When we talk about improving Aboriginal health service delivery, I often wonder whether we could step back in some respects and achieve a greater effort. Certainly, some of the indications from Port Keats are that that has been achieved. It should be remembered also that a medical officer has been visiting the community to attend to cases that require weekly treatment.
Page 6
The problem with Port Keats is essentially that it is a disparate community. A number of people, particularly the elders in the community, are extremely worried about the way the community is headed. It also has a largely disinterested group who feel indifferent to the problems that are occurring in the community. The elders have decided that they need to do something. I was especially heartened when I visited the community with the Minister for Aboriginal Development. We experienced a quite moving smoking ceremony and were presented with an action plan by the Memelmel elders group. They are serious in their intention to address the problems and bring some order back into that community. In that respect, I intend to support them in their efforts as best I can.
The member for Arnhem interjected earlier. Certainly, the strength and ongoing influence of the Memelmel will be effective only if they are supported by ATSIC in many of their endeavours. I hope he will use his influence within the ATSIC organisation to support the Memelmel. They have an action plan. They have addressed issues relating to the safety of the nurses. There are interesting initiatives relating to family groups to assist the night patrol, security systems at the clinic, escorts for the nurses to and from work, means of reporting incidents and follow-up procedures and means of ensuring that the community itself can gain more and more ownership of that particular clinic.
In the light of that, I am prepared to move nurses back into the community. I intend to do that very carefully. I do not intend to go back to the previous model. There is a real opportunity at Port Keats to work on this empowerment of the Memelmel and give them more and more ownership of the clinic. In that regard, I simply do not intend to put back a Territory Health Services model that seems to have failed in the past. I will approach the problem very carefully. Foremost in my mind will be the ongoing safety of nurses at that clinic. We do not want to be in a situation of having to withdraw them again in the future.
I am disturbed to hear reports that alcohol problems are again appearing in the community. I can only hope that the community can work successfully through the particular issues that beset it. The community has 2000 people, 60% of whom are under the age of 20 years. Those demographics in themselves put a different perspective on a community. Rather than being a hell-hole, it is a community grappling with serious demographic problems. The people will certainly receive my support, but that does not mean reverting to the previous model. The matter will be approached very carefully.
Page 7
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016