Coordinator-General’s report shows government not listening to Indigenous Australians
The Coordinator-General for Remote Indigenous Services has backed the Coalition suggestions of a more consultative approach for community driven solutions to help Aboriginal Australians, rather than the Gillard government’s wasteful and uncoordinated programs.
In his fourth six-monthly report the coordinator general called for community ownership of planning, which the Shadow Minister for Indigenous Affairs, Senator Nigel Scullion, said backs Tony Abbott’s and the Coalition’s call for more consultation with Aboriginal leaders (The Age, 17.10.11 pg 4).
Senator Scullion said the Coalition’s position on the issue of income management in the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands provides a clear example of how the Coalition will consult and then act upon the wishes of people who want to take control in improving their own lives.
“Indigenous Affairs Minister Jenny Macklin has shown an uncaring and arrogant attitude by ignoring communities in the APY Lands who have been asking for help through income management for two years,” Senator Scullion said.
“The Coordinator-General clearly states the way to improve the lives of our first Australians is to consult, and while this may be a new concept to Minister Macklin given her government did not seek a mandate for their carbon tax, actually listen to and deliver what people say they need to help themselves,” Senator Scullion said.
“The Coordinator-General’s report shows that the Gillard Labor government has failed to help Indigenous people due to poor planning and wasteful spending.
“The Labor government has stifled strong positive moves forward by Indigenous Australians by tangling programs in excessive red tape and piecemeal uncoordinated bureaucratic processes.
“So not only is the Minister not listening to the people she is meant to serve, the minister is setting Aboriginal people up to fail through red tape and a reliance on higgledy-piggledy solutions that don’t work.
“While Gillard and Macklin fail to plan and fail to help our first Australians, Aboriginal people continue to suffer,” Senator Scullion said.
