Aurukun is situated on the western side of Cape York Peninsula about 200km south of Weipa. Indigenous population estimates for Aurukun range from 955 to 1,059 people. Aurukun is one of four communities participating in the Cape York Welfare Reform Trials which commenced on 1 July 2008.
The community has an excellent early childhood service with the Aurukun Koolkan Early Childhood Centre. The centre is committed to making sure that all staff have appropriate qualifications and recently three more staff graduated with a Certificate III in Child Care. For a small fee the centre provides meals for the children and staff. The Coordinator of the centre has worked with a local person who has become a qualified cook.
The introduction of the Cape York Welfare Reform Trials has had a direct effect on school attendance which has increased from 44.5 per cent in term 3 2008 to 66 per cent in term 3 2009. While this is a large improvement, attendance is still well below the state average.
Worker accommodation is an essential element to the delivery of services in remote communities. The Commonwealth Government, Queensland State Government and the Cape York Partnership for Welfare Reform have come together to build 10 accommodation units and a parenting service facility in the community. Additional police housing has also been provided in the community which
will allow an approved strength of 10 officers.
Servicing of the community by Centrelink is an issue. Following a funding dispute, the agency service provided by the Aurukun Shire Council was temporarily discontinued. At present Centrelink services the community with three staff travelling from Weipa daily. Centrelink has been discussing alternative models of service delivery with the Regional Operations Centre. I was pleased to receive advice recently that the Council has agreed to take on the Centrelink agency contract on an interim basis, while a more permanent resolution is being negotiated.
Some of the other issues raised during my visit include:
I will be monitoring Queensland Health's efforts to address the issue of the building where Home and Community Care Services are located.
Coen is a small community within the Cook Shire, 250km south east of Weipa. Indigenous population estimates range from 196 to 239 people. It is one of four communities participating in the Cape York Welfare Reform Trials which commenced on 1 July 2008.
The school had an attendance rate of around 92.9 per cent in term 3 2009 which is above average for the state. All students have at least one sponsor and some students have multiple sponsors through Student Education Trusts which provide a money management service, through the Cape York Welfare Reform Trials to assist parents to be able to support their child's education and development from birth to graduation.
During my 3 November 2009 visit the community asked my Office for assistance to bring together the five clan groups and other community individuals to form a new leadership group to improve governance in the community.
There are concerns about patchy service delivery, lack of coordination between employment service providers and allegations that service providers were being selective about
who they assist. The need to better align and strengthen Centrelink services in the community was also identified.
Policing is a significant issue. Coen currently has two permanent police officers who cover a very large area, including all of the outstations within the region. It is believed that Alcohol Management Plans at Aurukun and Lockhart River have led to an increase in visitors, with a corresponding impact on policing, in Coen, where there are no alcohol restrictions. As a result, the community believes that the current level of resourcing is insufficient.
There is limited short term accommodation available, particularly during peak times, as well as insufficient worker accommodation available to support the delivery of services under the Cape York Welfare Reform Trials and Remote Services Delivery initiatives. To compound this, the amount of freehold land available for further development is limited. For example, the local sporting and recreation service has struggled to deliver services as a result of difficulties attracting staff and providing appropriate housing.
My Office is working with the Regional Operations Centre to identify an appropriate person to facilitate the community's request for assistance to form a new leadership group and develop a clear mandate for the group including agreed roles
and responsibilities.
The Regional Operations Centre Manager and Government Engagement and Coordination Officer are working to resolve employment service provider issues and develop a better coordinated service. I have been advised that a new strategy has been developed with the CDEP provider which should result in improved service delivery including full time staff on the ground.
The Government Engagement and Coordination Officer will discuss further worker accommodation with the Wunthulpu Aboriginal Land Trust. The Regional Operations Centre Manager will also work with the Cook Shire Council on the release of additional land for development.
The Queensland Coordinator General will ensure that a recruitment process occurs for a Sport and Recreation Officer and appropriate accommodation for the officer is provided.
Doomadgee is located in the north-west Queensland lower gulf region, approximately 500km northwest of Mount Isa. Indigenous population estimates for Doomadgee range from 978 to 1,102 people.
Over the last few years Doomadgee has taken control of its affairs, resulting in significant changes and improvements across the community. For example, they supported the implementation of alcohol restrictions administered through the local Alcohol Management Plan which continues to realise a positive reduction in alcohol-related harm and offences.
The education of its children and young people are a focus for the community and in conjunction with dedicated teaching staff, community members have worked hard with the students to achieve their National Assessment Program Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) targets across a number of levels at the school (3, 5, 7 and 9).
During my 14 October 2009 visit the council expressed frustration with the progress of the refurbishment of the Sport and Recreational Hall. While the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs has committed capital funding to the project, negotiations are continuing with the Queensland Government to secure their further contribution to the refurbishment and recurrent funding for the staff. Once the refurbishment is complete it is anticipated the hall will become the base for the Police Citizens Youth Club.
Other issues raised include:
My Office has met with Airservices Australia about wet season use of the airstrip. They will make a decision on Doomadgee's application by the end of November and move to agree the terms and conditions of the contract with Doomadgee Council before the end of the year.
The Office of the Coordinator General in Queensland is progressing the issues of the hall refurbishment and ongoing program funding for the Police Citizens Youth Club as a high priority. I understand that work has been finalised on a jointly funded All Abilities playground. I intend to monitor the progress of negotiations with the Queensland Government and work closely with all parties to avoid further delays.
The ongoing building maintenance for health facilities, recruitment and training issues raised by the community will be a focus in the Local Implementation Planning process which has commenced.
Hope Vale is on the Cape York Peninsula about 46km north west of Cooktown. Indigenous population estimates range from 781 to 830 people. Hope Vale is one of four communities participating in the Cape York Welfare Reform trials which commenced on 1 July 2008.
The Hope Vale Aboriginal Shire Council is in the process of negotiating a number of economic developments which will benefit the community. These include the development of a banana plantation, a new sporting precinct including a pool and the redevelopment of the business precinct in the community.
The Families Responsibilities Commission has been operating for over a year with a positive impact in Hope Vale and my 4 November 2009 visit enabled me to meet both with Commissioner David Glasgow and two Local Commissioners, Brian Cobus and Doreen Hart.
A Wellbeing Centre has now been established in Hope Vale. While recruiting the right person to complement the community's needs has been slower than hoped, the Government Engagement and Coordination Officer and Local Program Office have been working with Centre staff to develop a community engagement strategy and the Advisory Group for the Centre have been undertaking training to build the capacity and skill base of community members so that they can take over management in the longer term.
The community market garden is a CDEP project which commenced in October 2008. It currently has 10 people working on the garden gaining their Certificate II in Horticulture. Four CDEP participants are gaining their tractor licence. At present participants are trying out vegetables and herbs that are best suited to the climate. The long term goal for the market garden will be that a community person can lease the garden from Hope Vale Council as a Business Enterprise.
During my visit a number of issues were raised at both the Council meeting and the community meeting including:
My Office is working with the Office of the Queensland Coordinator General and the Cairns Regional Operation Centre to resolve building maintenance issues for the facility where the Disability Service is currently located.
The issues of infrastructure are being addressed through a feasibility assessment study for future infrastructure needs.
My Office will work with the Office of the Queensland Coordinator General and the Cairns Regional Operations Centre to determine the issues which are the responsibility of local government and ensure they are resolved.
Mornington Island is in the Gulf of Carpentaria approximately 125km north-west of Burketown and 200km west of Karumba on the mainland. The main township on Mornington Island is Gununa. Indigenous population estimates for the Island range from 914 to 1,028 people.
There are a number of positive things happening in the community. The Mirndiyan Gununa Aboriginal Corporation operates a successful arts centre, which employs six people and has up to 30 working artists to create paintings and traditional craft. Art work from the centre is exhibited internationally.
The community has a very successful Police Citizens Youth Club in operation (see story in the Closing the Gap section).
Governance is a major issue in the community and resolution of this is a priority. At the recent Negotiation Table, the community were not able to come to agreement on a number of issues including: the application of child protection laws; land tenure; whether to encourage tourism; and uneven access to services.
There are also a series of issues identified during my visit to the community on 13 October 2009 which I believe could be addressed through the Local Implementation Planning process. These include:
Follow-up
The Mount Isa Regional Operations Centre is working with the community to determine the range and mix of supports and services required to develop and strengthen the leadership and governance requirements on Mornington Island. In addition, the Department of Infrastructure and Planning (Local Government and Planning) has appointed Mr Ron McCullough, a former Mayor of Mount Isa, as a mentor to the Councillors.
Located 80km north of Cairns, Mossman Gorge is a discrete Aboriginal community in the Cairns Regional Council area. The population is estimated at 160 people. Mossman Gorge is one of four communities participating in the Cape York Welfare Reform Trials that commenced on 1 July 2008.
In partnership with the Indigenous Land Corporation, Bamanga Bubu Ngadimunku Inc and the community are involved in a $16 million tourist development of the Mossman Gorge Gateway Centre. This project will provide between 40 (low season) and 70 (high season) jobs. Considerable attention is being applied to ensure that jobs for local community members are maximised. This is a significant challenge given the lack of work readiness of many community members.
The Wellbeing Centre is now established and beginning to roll out services as part of the Cape York Welfare Reform trials. The facility is also used as a community meeting place. However, a number of concerns with the current model of service delivery and the coordination of those services were raised with me. These included:
On a positive note the community now has 10 homes which have been designated “dry” by the people who live in them and the introduction of the Cape York Welfare Reform trials to the community has had a positive effect.
On my 5 November 2009 visit the community also expressed concerns about the trading practices of the liquor outlets in neighbouring Mossman. Combined with an influx in people from dry communities, this has emphasised the need for a drug and alcohol worker to be located in the Wellbeing Centre. Community members commented that the affects of misuse of alcohol are compounded by having no police station in the community.
My Office is following up with the Department of Health and Ageing and Queensland Health:
The Queensland Coordinator General has raised the issue of police resourcing with Queensland Police. Queensland Police have confirmed that response times from Mossman to Mossman Gorge in most cases is between five and ten minutes, if no other operational duties are being performed elsewhere at the time.