Ms FYLES - 2012-10-30
In Olga Havnen’s final report she said we need more police in communities to provide extra safety for:
Considering you intend to fulfil your promise to reintroduce full-strength alcohol into dry communities, how many additional police will you need? How much will they cost and when will they start to be deployed in our communities?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Nightcliff for her question. The comments made by Olga Havnen are consistent with the Little Children are Sacred report. We are all concerned about the welfare of children, particularly in remote Aboriginal communities where there has been a lack of or minimal presence of police in recent times. The Commonwealth government has come through with its commitment to providing extra funding to extend police services throughout those communities.
The part which is a little confusing for me is that the member for Nightcliff is saying we are going to make a decision about whether or not communities have alcohol. This new government has made it very clear that the communities will decide whether or not they have alcohol. As the member for Namatjira very eloquently put it last week, possibly 99% of Aboriginal communities will say ‘no’, but our point is that they should be given the choice. They are human beings; they are absolutely capable and entitled to make their own decisions, particularly when it comes to alcohol. If they decide they do not want alcohol then we will honour their decision and will not impose anything on them.
The member for Nightcliff is a little confused when she talks about police on communities and access to alcohol on communities. You need to get your information a little clearer before you craft these questions because the police are being rolled out on Aboriginal communities, primarily thanks to the Commonwealth government Stronger Futures policy, and in terms of alcohol on communities it will be the choice of the communities.
- ... Aboriginal women who are currently experiencing alarming levels of harm.
Considering you intend to fulfil your promise to reintroduce full-strength alcohol into dry communities, how many additional police will you need? How much will they cost and when will they start to be deployed in our communities?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Nightcliff for her question. The comments made by Olga Havnen are consistent with the Little Children are Sacred report. We are all concerned about the welfare of children, particularly in remote Aboriginal communities where there has been a lack of or minimal presence of police in recent times. The Commonwealth government has come through with its commitment to providing extra funding to extend police services throughout those communities.
The part which is a little confusing for me is that the member for Nightcliff is saying we are going to make a decision about whether or not communities have alcohol. This new government has made it very clear that the communities will decide whether or not they have alcohol. As the member for Namatjira very eloquently put it last week, possibly 99% of Aboriginal communities will say ‘no’, but our point is that they should be given the choice. They are human beings; they are absolutely capable and entitled to make their own decisions, particularly when it comes to alcohol. If they decide they do not want alcohol then we will honour their decision and will not impose anything on them.
The member for Nightcliff is a little confused when she talks about police on communities and access to alcohol on communities. You need to get your information a little clearer before you craft these questions because the police are being rolled out on Aboriginal communities, primarily thanks to the Commonwealth government Stronger Futures policy, and in terms of alcohol on communities it will be the choice of the communities.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016