Ms McCARTHY - 2008-05-06
Can the minister outline some of the measures funded in this year’s budget to deliver on the government’s Closing the Gap commitment?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Arnhem for her question, because Budget 2008-09 delivers for Territory families. In Closing the Gap funding, Budget 2008-09 delivers $57m for indigenous families across the Territory, with funding for housing, law and order, health, education, child protection and substance abuse. $286m is the biggest investment by any Northern Territory government, under the Closing the Gap package, to tackle indigenous disadvantage.
Under law and order - and the Chief Minister was talking about it before – there is $2.3m to increase policing in remote communities; and $4.3m to deliver 24 very much needed additional police for the Child Abuse Task Force.
In education and training, there is $10.2m for school upgrades in seven remote communities; $1.5m for 10 extra teachers; and $1.5m for new mobile preschools in remote communities.
In child protection, Budget 2008-09 gives $5.9m for the expansion of the Child Abuse Task Force; $1.3m to deliver Aboriginal child protection and care services; and $1m for a much needed expansion of the Sexual Assault Referral Services in Katherine and Alice Springs.
Health initiatives, also part of Closing the Gap, has $1.8m for Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse. In Housing, there is $11.6m to house extra staff for the Closing the Gap initiative.
Madam Speaker, this Henderson government is committed to closing the gap on indigenous disadvantage in the Territory, and Budget 2008-09 certainly delivers on that commitment.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Arnhem for her question, because Budget 2008-09 delivers for Territory families. In Closing the Gap funding, Budget 2008-09 delivers $57m for indigenous families across the Territory, with funding for housing, law and order, health, education, child protection and substance abuse. $286m is the biggest investment by any Northern Territory government, under the Closing the Gap package, to tackle indigenous disadvantage.
Under law and order - and the Chief Minister was talking about it before – there is $2.3m to increase policing in remote communities; and $4.3m to deliver 24 very much needed additional police for the Child Abuse Task Force.
In education and training, there is $10.2m for school upgrades in seven remote communities; $1.5m for 10 extra teachers; and $1.5m for new mobile preschools in remote communities.
In child protection, Budget 2008-09 gives $5.9m for the expansion of the Child Abuse Task Force; $1.3m to deliver Aboriginal child protection and care services; and $1m for a much needed expansion of the Sexual Assault Referral Services in Katherine and Alice Springs.
Health initiatives, also part of Closing the Gap, has $1.8m for Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse. In Housing, there is $11.6m to house extra staff for the Closing the Gap initiative.
Madam Speaker, this Henderson government is committed to closing the gap on indigenous disadvantage in the Territory, and Budget 2008-09 certainly delivers on that commitment.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016