PrintEnough re-announcements - time for action on truancy
Labor is all talk and no action with the re-announcement of welfare quarantining of Aboriginal parents who don’t get their children to school, The Shadow Minister for Indigenous Affairs Senator Nigel Scullion said.
“We’ve heard this policy announced by the Federal Government several times but with no follow through action,” Senator Scullion said.
“This government can re-announce this policy until the cows come home but it is no good unless it is acted on and people are breached.
“I have little faith in this government given its past record of doing nothing for four years.
“The ability to quarantine welfare for truancy has been in the legislation for four years.
“The Coalition had children attending school when the intervention started but Labor let it slip backwards and we lost four years and another generation of disconnected Indigenous primary school children is Labor’s legacy.
“What is now admitted is that Labor has been stuck in first gear for four years and is now returning to square one by revisiting initial measures such as greater income management to drive school attendance.
“There is nothing new in this and it is well past time that the government’s empty words were put into action.
“Jenny Macklin also said she would approve local alcohol management plans – there are already a plethora of alcohol plans in the Territory so I don’t think we need plans on top of plans.
“We need action, not plans that double up.
“The government also plan to quarantine welfare for people for alcohol-related problems.
“Alcoholics need help instead of being punished and we need mandatory rehabilitation centres,” Senator Scullion said.
