Page 490 - Week 02 - Thursday, 14 May 1992
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The needs of Aboriginals in the Territory presumably differ from those elsewhere in Australia. The Liberals would be interested to see how the inter-departmental committee assesses the needs of Aboriginals in the ACT.
Madam Speaker, as I said in that letter, the Liberals continue to support initiatives which would deliver appropriate services to our Aboriginal and Islander community.
The Chief Minister's statement spoke about meetings between her and local Aboriginal representatives, and it is good to see that there is consultation going on between the Government at the highest levels and those people, although I must say that I would like to have seen her statement focus a bit more clearly on the problems that are actually being faced by ACT Aboriginal communities. For example, what problems has the ACT experienced with Aboriginal people being kept in custody? Of course, the Chief Minister explained that we do not have much information about that; but I will come back to that in a moment.
Is there a problem, for example, with substance abuse? We can assume that there is a major alcohol problem in the ACT, based on the key report in this area, which is now some three years old but which I assume is still relevant. It is the report entitled "Aboriginal Needs in the ACT Region", a report to the ACT Housing Trust and the ACT Community and Health Service in July 1989. That was a report written by the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community and by one Elizabeth Cane - no relation to the Opposition Leader.
Mr Kaine: If it is a good paper I would be happy to be related.
MR HUMPHRIES: Sure. Madam Speaker, the report was not presented to the Assembly at the time, as far as I can recall; so it has been a document which has been more or less in-house to the ACT Government. But, although it is three years old, it remains the most comprehensive statement of what is actually happening to Aboriginals in our community at the present time, which is, perhaps, a matter of some regret. It pointed to problems with alcohol and substance abuse, housing difficulties, lack of awareness of government health services and low educational standards among the Aboriginal community in the Territory and the region. I want to quote a couple of paragraphs from the report. It said:
... alcohol is the primary problem for Aboriginal people in the region; particularly as it relates to premature death, domestic violence, poor health and escalating poverty. The study reveals that very few people use or are even aware of government and non-government detoxification centres, rehabilitation and counselling services.
It went on to conclude:
... Aboriginal people have difficulties with and are ignorant of almost all the essential services. They suffer from alcoholism, live in poor over-crowded conditions, have poor health and are poorly educated.
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