Chapter 4 - The effectiveness and adequacy of resources
4.1
The committee acknowledges the considerable resources directed towards
the issue of petrol sniffing and substance abuse in central Australia since it
last reported.
4.2
The Commonwealth government outlined that four specific Budget measures
and initiatives have funded the Petrol Sniffing Strategy (PSS) and roll out of
Opal fuel:
- In 2005–06, $9.6 million was allocated over four years under the Addressing
Indigenous Needs – Combating Petrol Sniffing budget measure to supply Opal
fuel to 23 communities;
- In September 2005, $9.5 million was allocated to the above
measure through the additional estimates process, including $6 million over two
years to supply Opal fuel in central Australia, funding for the Substance Abuse
Intelligence Desk and $3 million from the Aboriginal Benefit Account to support
diversionary and rehabilitation programs;
- In 2006–07, $55.1 million was allocated over four years under the
Reducing Substance Abuse (Petrol Sniffing) budget measure to extend the
services in the existing Central Desert Petrol Sniffing Strategy Zone and
extend the strategy to two more zones; and
- In July 2006, $12 million was allocated to the above measure
through additional estimates for the roll-out of Opal fuel to Alice Springs.[1]
4.3
In addition to funding specifically for the PSS, the Commonwealth
government noted that other measures, such as drug and alcohol treatment and
rehabilitation are relevant in tackling substance abuse in central Australia.
The Commonwealth government's submission provided an overview of these funding
sources, including all the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) initiatives
for each state and territory as well as measures under the Northern Territory
Emergency Response.[2]
4.4
At the committee's hearing in Canberra the Commonwealth government
advised:
The way we work the petrol sniffing strategy is evolving in
response to that changing environment. Wherever possible, we seek to build
partnerships and to link government programs. As a result, we do not depend
just on funds associated with the petrol sniffing strategy; we draw on whatever
programs or resources we can and work with Indigenous communities, with
non-government organisations, with shires and local councils, with state
governments and with the whole range of Australian government programs. We also
work outside the Central Australian petrol sniffing strategy zone, and one of
the challenges we have is to address outbreaks—to stop petrol sniffing in other
areas before it becomes entrenched.[3]
Adequacy of resources
4.5
Although considerable resources have been committed the committee notes
that there are some areas of the PSS that many witnesses and submissions
identified as lacking adequate resources. This was also identified by the Urbis
Review as a factor that may have adversely affected the strategy's implementation.[4]
4.6
The Alice Springs Town Council raised concerns regarding a lack of
additional resources to implement aspects of the Eight Point Plan in Alice
Springs, noting that it has not been provided with any additional resources:
That is the only disappointment about the roll out of Opal fuel.
We very vigorously and effectively dealt with the problem but not with the
causes. As a result of the lack of funding, the initial plans relating to
looking at addressing the causes of petrol sniffing have all been put to one
side.[5]
4.7
The Town Council also pointed out that anecdotal reports suggest that as
Papunya received less resources for complementary activities proposed under the
PSS, sniffers from Papunya moved into Alice Springs to continue sniffing which
simply transferred the problem. The Council notes that again no additional
funds were received to:
...deal with the...problem of sniffers from the Communities, leaving
stretched resources to attend to the problem. In fact resources for Youth
supportive structures in Alice Springs are now less than before the roll-out of
Opal.[6]
4.8
The NPY Women's Council also identified that although the Substance
Abuse Intelligence Desk is operating effectively at the current funding level additional
resources should be provided to expand its capacity:
...at least threefold, including both officers and sniffer dogs,
in order to allow it to collect more and improved intelligence in the region
and work more effectively with State and Territory forces to work towards the
eradication of liquor and illicit drug trafficking and enforce existing and any
new laws relating to the supply of premium unleaded fuel.[7]
Youth services
4.9
The inadequacy of resources for youth services across the central
Australian region was consistently raised in submissions and by witnesses
during this inquiry.
4.10
The committee notes that Mission Australia has been provided with $8
million over three years to provide services in four communities, as outlined
in chapter 2. This is approximately $2.6 million a year and around $660 000 per
community, which Mission Australia believe is a sufficient amount to run
effective youth services in these communities.
4.11
At the hearing in Canberra the Commonwealth government outlined further
funding sources for youth services in the region, stating that:
...there is a range of youth services available in communities
within petrol-sniffing zones outside those ones funded by this particular
[NTYISP] program. They have subsequently been supplemented in the Northern
Territory part of the zone through the Northern Territory emergency response
where the department has used approximately another $8 million of Northern
Territory response money on youth related activities. The department, through
other programs such as Reconnect, also funds other youth services. The
Territory, state governments and local governments also have a variety of
services available. Certainly, this particular program focused on four
communities but there is what I would describe as a bit of a jigsaw puzzle of
services across the area, funded from a variety of sources. [8]
4.12
CAPSSU have also recently awarded a $2.4 million tender to the MacDonnell
Shire to provide infrastructure for youth services in the six communities of
Kintore, Papunya, Ikuntji, Mount Liebig, Ntaria and Areyonga. The committee was
advised that this funding will:
...provide houses for youth workers in three of those communities.
It provides youth worker infrastructure, training and employment for people
across six communities. From memory, I think there are seven Toyota
four-wheel-drive ‘Troopie’ vehicles for transport of young people and for use
in those communities by the youth workers and the sport and recreation workers.[9]
4.13
It was also noted that there are other sources of funds such as the
Aboriginal Benefits Account which has provided resources to the Tangentyere
Council and CAYLUS for major infrastructure which will assist to remove 'the
barriers to the roll-out of services' that has hampered current efforts to
provide youth services in the region.[10]
4.14
However, although there are additional resources available for youth
services outside of the PSS it is only the four NTYISP communities that are
receiving an adequate level of resourcing directly under the PSS. Many of the
other communities in central Australia, both within and outside of the PSS
zones, are left without adequate resources for basic youth services and
infrastructure.
4.15
The Commonwealth government was asked why only four communities were
chosen at the hearing in Canberra.
In terms of funding only four under this program, I guess there
is constant tension: do you try to do something more comprehensive in a smaller
number of locations or do you spread the resources more thinly across a wider
number of locations? I cannot give you all the background on why those four in
particular were chosen ...But there really is that tension over choosing four
that have particular issues. Some of those communities were seen as having
particular issues with petrol sniffing at the time and it was about trying to
make a difference in those particular communities.[11]
4.16
In addition, the committee asked whether there was any additional
funding for youth services planned for the other communities in Central
Australia under the PSS beyond the four communities currently funded, to which
FaHCSIA replied:
Not at this point through this program. We do take opportunity.
As I said, with the Northern Territory emergency response and other programs we
try to be opportunistic where we can and we see other opportunities to put
money into those activities, but at this point not under the petrol sniffing
strategy itself.[12]
4.17
CAYLUS noted that:
Despite a large amount of funding being spent in the region,
little has been targeted to provide the infrastructure to provide ongoing
services. Much has been spent on short term programs, and infrastructure such
as BMX tracks that are in no way key resources...When the $55 million was
announced for the 8 point plan, service providers in the region rejoiced, as
this investment could have seen the infrastructure needs in the region fully
met, plus the operational needs met for many years to come. Unfortunately,
this has not been the case, and we are concerned that at the end of this
federal funding allocation, the region will not be substantially better off
than before.[13]
4.18
The committee acknowledges the substantial resources required to provide
a basic youth service in remote locations owing to the difficulties in
attracting a sustainable and qualified workforce as well as the general lack of
existing infrastructure and housing. As the Commonwealth government's
submission states:
The long distances, isolation and language and cultural
complexities mean that youth workers can be difficult to attract, and they can
burn out very quickly. Communities are often unwilling to engage with workers
who do not have appropriate cultural knowledge, and who will not be spending
long periods of time with the community...
...Communities in central Australia typically have low or non-existent
levels of the community infrastructure necessary to run full time youth
programs. This can include; housing for permanent youth workers; recreation
halls in which to run programs (absolutely necessary in the heat and at night);
basic sporting facilities (e.g. basketball courts and ovals in reasonable
repair); and training rooms and office accommodation. For this reason the 2006
Budget included funds for the construction of youth worker housing and
construction or repair/upgrade of recreation halls. However, construction in
central Australia is expensive and can take much longer than similar
construction projects in metropolitan or even regional centres. All materials
need to be transported long distances; there is a national shortage of construction
workers and a large amount of construction work underway or planned for the
region.[14]
4.19
However, even given these complications and the expense, the committee
believes that every effort should be made to provide adequate levels of
activities for young people in these communities. The committee strongly
believes that well resourced youth services are essential to the success and
long term sustainability of the response to petrol sniffing and substance
abuse.
4.20
The committee has considered evidence that in order to deliver youth
services which follow a best practice model for youth development, a minimum
level of investment is required. CAYLUS suggests that basic infrastructure
required should take the form of a recreation hall or other suitable building,
accommodation for two youth workers (a man and a woman), and two vehicles, one
for young men and one for young women. The operational requirements are for
salaries for the youth workers, a team of local workers and an adequate budget
for activities.[15]
4.21
CAYLUS provided the committee with its estimate of the required resource
needs of communities in the south west region of the Northern Territory based
on the best practice model. CAYLUS estimated that the initial resource
requirements for a basic level of service in the 18 listed communities would be
$21.9 million in the first year, to allow for the construction of recreation
halls and housing, and then recurrent funding of just over $5 million a year.[16]
4.22
The committee also notes that in July 2007 CAPSSU prepared a draft paper
proposing a three-year approach to addressing priority needs in the Expanded
Central Desert Zone which proposed that youth services be provided in the 16
communities on a level similar to the NTIYSP with a total funding requirement of
some $16 million.[17]
4.23
While this may seem like a significant amount of money, the committee
acknowledges that providing quality services in remote communities is resource
intensive. The need for adequate resources, including both a male and female
youth worker for each community is supported by the evidence provided by the
Aboriginal Drug and Alcohol Council of South Australia at the hearing in Adelaide
on 4 March 2009. As Scott Wilson says:
...there
needs to be some sort of gender balanced team...When you go into a lot of these
rural or remote communities, there tends to be one worker, whether they are the
youth worker or the substance abuse worker. Our own chairperson, for example,
is the youth worker in one of the remote communities. Being a traditional male
he has restrictions on the female side, which obviously restricts the
effectiveness of that position. How you go about addressing that is obviously
through the funding issue—making sure that in these communities or in projects
such as Making Tracks there is that additional funding so that you can employ a
male and a female.[18]
4.24
The committee also noted on its visit to Mutitjulu, one of the NTYISP
communities, that although there were youth facilities some of the buildings
were not always able to be used due to the poor insulation and lack of air
conditioning. For example, the arts and craft room is unable to be used when
temperatures are above 36 degrees which according to the Australian Bureau of
Meteorology is on average 100 days per year, with 32 of those days above 40
degrees.[19]
Additional resources to provide buildings that are functional all year around
would improve the youth services as well as their appeal to young people.
4.25
It was also apparent to the committee on its visit to Alpurrurulam,
which is outside of the PSS zone but still with has outbreaks of petrol
sniffing, that youth services were under resourced. The community has a
population of approximately 400 people and almost half are under the age of 25.
Boredom was raised as a real problem in the community. The community advised
the committee that it had been allocated $200 000 to construct a new recreation
hall but this funding was insufficient to build a multi-purpose air conditioned
facility.
4.26
Yirara College noted that additional resources are also required for
holiday residential programs recommending that there needs to be:
...additional funding for holiday residential programs...Funding for
schools or other agencies involved in communities to run such programs would be
necessary, as schools are not normally funded for these kinds of activities
off-campus...
...The program would encourage students to use their time more
productively with the aim to encourage and support students returning to
regular daily attendance at their community school and encourage eligible
students to attend Yirara College (and supporting the transition).[20]
4.27
A real improvement in activities and the quality of life for young
people will require agencies to budget for the true cost of providing sustainable
services in remote communities. As Mission Australia says:
Our
experience in providing the NTIYS has demonstrated that a high level of
financial resources is required in order to properly fund the provision of
services that will have a sustainable impact on the lives of young people in
the remote communities of Central
Australia.[21]
4.28
The committee believes that in order to address the complex mix of
interrelated causes and contextual factors contributing to petrol sniffing and
substance abuse in central Australia, adequate resources must be provided to
run, at the very least, basic youth services in all remote communities. The
provision of alternative activities for young people is one of the fundamental elements
of the PSS program logic and policy context and must be adequately resourced if
the PSS is to be effective.
Recommendation 12
4.29
That the Commonwealth government, in partnership with state and
territory governments, provide adequate resources to enable the extension of
quality youth services and the employment of a male and a female youth worker
for each community in the Petrol Sniffing Strategy Zone.
Rehabilitation services
4.30
As the Commonwealth government outlined in its submission the 'Petrol
Sniffing Strategy has not received specific funding through its Budget measures
to implement treatment and rehabilitation programs'[22]
and instead funding is allocated through the COAG measures to the states and territories.
The committee acknowledges that a substantial investment of resources has been
made recently in this area and new services have opened since the committee
last reported such as the Substance Misuse Facility in Amata and Bushmob House
in Alice Springs both of which the committee has since visited.
4.31
The Commonwealth government's submission also noted that COAG has specifically
developed a $130 million package over four years and in December 2007 the Commonwealth
government agreed to contribute an additional $50 million for substance and
alcohol rehabilitation and treatment services.[23]
4.32
Some concerns with funding shortfalls and gaps were raised with the
committee during this inquiry including for Mt Theo Outstation and Bushmob
House. The committee notes the importance of adequate and appropriate
rehabilitation facilities in order to address petrol sniffing and substance
abuse. This is an essential area of the response which needs greater investment
by all levels of government.
Mt Theo Outstation
4.33
During the previous inquiry the committee reported extensively on the
success and importance of the Mt Theo program and the committee visited the Mt
Theo Outstation rehabilitation facility. The committee is pleased to report the
continuing success of the Mt Theo Outstation which:
...remains a powerful diversionary initiative with 78% of total
clients this year referred by Department of Community Corrections (35%), Police
(26%), FACS (9%), or were family/self referred (30%).
Out of a total of 61 clients cared for at Mt Theo, 30% had been
sniffing petrol, primarily in Alice Springs.[24]
4.34
During this inquiry, both CAYLUS and the NPY Women's Council noted that
the Mt Theo Outstation has a continuing funding gap to pay for food, clothing,
transport and bedding for Department of Community Corrections clients at the
rehabilitation facility. CAYLUS notes that:
...under the 8 Point Plan the Commonwealth Attorney Generals
Department provided CAYLUS with one off funds to broker to the outstations to
pay for clients to undertake programs. This led to a clear service improvement
particularly at Ilpurla, which has very limited administrative capacity. The
funds were however one off and were expended according to contract by June 30.
At the time of writing the services are looking after a number of the most high
needs clients from Central Australia and the top end with no guarantee of how
their client costs will be covered. The outcome currently hinges on an eSub for
the next round of funding which was submitted in May this year.[25]
Bushmob House
4.35
The committee visited Bushmob House in Alice Springs and spoke with the
staff assisting young people with substance abuse issues. The submissions from
both Bushmob and CAYLUS noted that within just six months of operation Bushmob
House has already 'double the number of clients attending the service than they
have beds and funding for'.[26]
Bushmob House has sometimes provided clients with swags on the floor as they
are reluctant to turn young people away, especially as there are no other
similar services in the area.
4.36
Bushmob House outlined in their submission that there are 60-70 beds for
adults with volatile substance abuse and alcohol and other drug problems while
for young people there are just the five funded beds at Bushmob House and five
unfunded beds for carer support. Bushmob House asked:
Why are our children denied real support to access therapeutic
and clinical treatment for Volatile substance abuse and other drug use in Alice
Springs?[27]
4.37
Services such as that provided by Bushmob are obviously in great demand in
the region. The committee urges both the Northern Territory and Commonwealth
governments to provide adequate resources in order to effectively meet the
current demand for youth specific treatment and residential facilities to
address substance abuse and petrol sniffing issues.
Ilpurla Outstation
4.38
CAYLUS raised the issue of Ilpurla Outstation which accepts clients from
all over the Northern Territory on mandatory treatment orders, bail and
correctional services court orders from any community.[28]
CAYLUS stated that Ilpurla requires targeted support and increased resources
as:
At the moment, their lack of administrative capacity could have
lead to a situation that threatens the ongoing capacity of the service. CAYLUS
will continue to provide support to try to keep Ilpurla open as we know how
crucial this service is, but we wonder why so far into the 8 point plan this
key resource has received so little support from the initiative?[29]
Recommendation 13
4.39
The committee reaffirms recommendation 17 from its 2006 report which
called upon Commonwealth, state and territory governments to provide additional
funding to new and existing rehabilitation facilities in order to provide a
quality service while meeting current demand.
Tendering processes
4.40
Concerns with the processes used for awarding tenders for services in Indigenous
communities was raised during the inquiry.
4.41
CAYLUS noted that they have run school holiday programs for over five
years in many of the communities within the PSS zone. However recently the
provision of school holiday programs was centralised and put out to a
competitive tender to which CAYLUS contend they were not consulted about. The
running of these programs was then awarded to Red Sun Solutions, based in
Lismore, NSW. CAYLUS outlined the tender process in their submission:
The tendering has happened separately for several holiday
periods...the first tender covering the Summer 2007/08 summer holiday period.
CAYLUS...had spent several months preparing for provision of holiday programs...
The Department of Health and Ageing funded CAYLUS to purchase a number of media
kits specifically to use...CAYLUS briefed CAPSSU staff on a number of occasions
about the progress of plans for the holidays. We contracted workers for a
number of communities, sourced funds... In good faith we briefed CAPPSU staff
about our preparations for the holidays and never once were told of the
likelihood of a tender or an outside organisation being contracted. In early
December only days before the commencement of our programs we found out through
a third party of CAPSSUs plans. We were forced to withdraw programs... Subsequently
we have established that this tender was funded at nearly twice the cost of the
programs that we had planned.[30]
4.42
At the committee's Canberra hearing CAPSSU disagreed with CAYLUS stating
that:
CAYLUS certainly had discussions with a number of communities.
We followed the process that we have to follow to go to a tender process to
spend the money. They were invited to a tender and, from my recollection, they
did not put in a tender for that particular one.[31]
4.43
CAYLUS were also particularly concerned that the funding model put out
to tender was a 'one-size-fits-all' model which would result in:
...less local ownership of the programs as local people are less
involved in the design and implementation.[32]
4.44
The committee was particularly concerned with the selection of a
non-local organisation with no previous experience in the geographical area.
The committee is aware of the issues this can create as outlined by Mission Australia
in chapter 2. In response to the awarding of this contract to an outside
organisation, the committee asked CAPSSU what weight is given to an
organisation's existing presence in the region when considering the awarding of
the contract, CAPSSU replied:
We put quite a considerable weight on local knowledge and also
on the contents of the responses to a tender process. That is what it is judged
on...
...The process that we have gone through with the tenderers is
decided on what is in the tender document, on the judgment of the tender panel
for the quality of service, the costings of that and what they are going to
deliver.[33]
4.45
The committee was also informed that there are no local people involved
in the decision making process for a successful tender, the decisions are made
by government officials based solely on:
...the documentation we receive from potential tenderers; how it
complies with the tender’s specifications, what they will deliver, when they
will deliver certain services and the cost factor.[34]
Recommendation 14
4.46
The committee considers the provision of successful programs in remote
Indigenous communities to be a highly specialised area for which mainstream
programs and 'one-size-fits-all' solutions are not necessarily appropriate. The
committee recommends that in order to maximise local ownership and
effectiveness of programs, the awarding of contracts in remote Indigenous
communities must take into consideration a tenderer's:
- on-the-ground presence, reputation and standing in the region;
- existing relationships, networks within the region and support or
endorsement from communities; and
- ability to provide tailored programs to individual communities or
groups of communities in response to the diverse cultural expectations, kinship
systems and protocols of the region.
Funding cycles and administrative burden
4.47
One issue that has been consistently raised with the committee as
reducing the effectiveness of resources is the short term approach to funding
programs and organisations. The committee previously recommended in its 2006
report that all governments commit to longer term funding models. The
Commonwealth government noted in its submission that this issue 'is currently
the subject of work being undertaken by a Cross Agency Working Group which
reports to the Secretaries’ Group on Indigenous Affairs'.[35]
4.48
The Aboriginal Drug and Alcohol Council (ADAC) also raised the issue of
short term funding at the committee's Adelaide hearing, stating that the petrol
sniffing manuals and other resources on substance abuse they produce are not
always available and 'tend to come to an end because, as you probably know, governments
tend to have a short term agenda rather than a long term funding plan, and that
has been part of the problem'.[36]
ADAC recommend that when governments have:
...funding rounds or buckets of money available...it does not change
the rules or let that bucket of money disappear. I will just give you a quick
example—that is what happened with the alcohol and other drug training project.
The funding came out of the Indigenous capacity building fund to start off
with, which was a small fund that they had within DoHA. So that was actually
funded—it was a national type COAG cost-shared project. It had some good
results. For example, here in South Australia 11 workers have now graduated
with certificate III. Unfortunately, when the next budget cycle came around
that funding was taken and put into some other initiative. As it turned out it
was tobacco. Therefore, groups like us could not access that money. When we
tried to suggest that there was $20 million, for example, for Aboriginal health
workers and asked if we could actually access some of that money, we got told
that we are not health workers. Maybe we are not, but we are allied
professionals. It comes down to education and training. Government tends to
change priorities on an ongoing basis, which makes it very difficult for
committee groups such as us and others to keep abreast of the changes and also
to be successful when it comes to seeking ongoing funding.[37]
4.49
The NPY Women's Council also note that funding it receives for school
summer holiday programs is:
...intermittent and comes from various sources, such as the SA
Department for Families and Communities, the Australian Government Department
of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations and the Commonwealth
Attorney-General’s Department.[38]
4.50
CAYLUS stated in their submission that the government so far has not
addressed this issue and continues to ineffectively manage available resources.
The federal government has still a lot to learn about managing
money effectively, with it’s boom and bust funding cycles, the insecurity of
ongoing funding, gaps between funding periods and a general high level of
insecurity. It is ironic that Indigenous people were felt to need Income
Management when the federal government is itself incapable of managing money
efficiently. In many cases the NTER has compounded this problem with many
departments currently unable to issue funding contracts of more than 12 months.[39]
4.51
The Commonwealth government acknowledged in its submission that:
Many youth services in central Australia (like services
elsewhere) operate under short term funding arrangements. Programs attempt to
meet immediate need, build capacity and address underlying causes. However,
underlying causes which have evolved over a significant period of time cannot
be addressed by projects funded for a 12 month period...
...Consequences of the short term nature of the funding to youth
services (including in central Australia) is that organisations and communities
have difficulty planning for continuity of service provision, attracting
qualified and experienced staff because they cannot offer long term employment,
and that communities experience high turn over of workers.[40]
4.52
The committee asked Associate Professor McDermott from the Flinders
School of Medicine at its Adelaide hearing about the length of time programs
should be funded to make them more effective. Associate Professor McDermott
outlined that he could not specify an exact number of years but noted that many
people report that even a three-year funding arrangement is not sufficient.
I think we need to bite the bullet and say these things are
going to take time but it took time to develop them, to arrive at where they
are. Aboriginal people are patient if there is some progress being made. It is
more about getting it right.[41]
4.53
Another element related to effectiveness of resources across a broad
range of service provision areas is the multiple sources of funds and the associated
reporting requirements. Evidence was presented to the committee that the
arrangements are complex, taking time and energy away from service provision.
For example, at the committee's hearing in Alice Springs, the committee heard
that CAYLUS receives program funding from 12 different sources and that the
duration of this funding appears to be uncertain. CAYLUS gave evidence that
they were initially funded by the Department of Health and Ageing for a three
year period but once this term ended they were given contract extensions,
initially two six month extensions which were extended by a further three
months and then another nine months.[42]
4.54
The Commonwealth government updated the committee on the steps it has
taken to address this issue at the hearing in Canberra:
FaHCSIA is actively working with the other Commonwealth agencies
in the space to try to fix what I would call the ‘paper side’ of red tape...It is
not so much about whether you have a single contract, because you can have a
single contract and if you have still got all the same reporting requirements
that does not make it any simpler. For instance, we have been working on the
performance indicators to come down to a much simpler set and quantity of
performance indicators that would be more common across the programs
particularly in the Indigenous space, although we are now working to try to introduce
that into the rest of FaHCSIA as well.
At the moment we are also actively working to try to make the
terms and conditions...simpler for the standard terms and conditions that apply
certainly to all the FaHCSIA grants...We are working with the other Commonwealth
agencies and Indigenous Affairs to see if we can get them agreed to there as
well. So they are all steps in the right direction and I think that we are on
the verge of making some progress there. It has taken us a while to get there
but we are trying to carry a lot of people and a lot of organisations along
with us.
Having said that, that is still only a step and there is still a
lot of work to do...there are a smaller number of providers who have a large
number of grants and certainly in Indigenous Affairs there are a number of
providers who have that range of grants. While we try to do the top down and
try to make the structure better, we are also looking at a local level, using
the ICCs and our state networks to look at some of those providers who have
particularly complex arrangements to see if, from the ground up, we can help
make more sense of that. I would be the first to say that we have got an awful
long way to go, but I do think we are starting to build some momentum in that
space.[43]
4.55
The committee considers that having to spend excessive amounts of time regularly
chasing funding, with high levels of administrative demand placed upon service
organisations by government departments, combined with the seeming inability or
unwillingness of these departments to provide funding certainty to effective organisations
creates unnecessary inefficiencies in the way resources are deployed.
4.56
The committee agrees with the Commonwealth government's observation that
long term funding is required and notes that a number of reports have been
commissioned by the Commonwealth as a way of better understanding what the
problems are and what needs to be done, including the 2006 report by Morgan
Disney titled A Red Tape Evaluation in Selected Indigenous Communities
released in May 2006. The evaluation found that the administrative burden was
greater when:
- applications for grants are required every year, rather than on a
three year basis, with the latter requiring only an annual budget update.
- reporting is more frequent. However this is a necessary
requirement when frequent reporting is used to monitor high risk organisations
or projects.
- organisations use many sources of funds from two levels of
government each with discrete reporting requirements and discrete contact staff.[44]
4.57
Measures cited in the report being developed to reduce red tape include:
- Developing a plain language agreement;
- Developing a significantly reduced common set of performance indicators, that
will assist measurement of project and program performance, while reducing
demands on service providers;
- Improving
the link between funds provided and accountability/reporting requirements;
- Facilitating performance reporting across program types, and across Australian
Government Agencies; and
- Greater use of multi-year and multi-agency funding that will enhance the
capacity of organisations to plan co-ordinated and longer term services.[45]
4.58
The Commonwealth government's submission noted that the implementation
of the evaluation's recommendations is:
...being oversighted by the Secretaries Group on Indigenous
Affairs and will see a reduction in administrative burden placed on community
organisation, while maintaining an appropriate level of accountability.[46]
Recommendation 15
4.59
The committee reaffirms the recommendation of its 2006 report that the
Commonwealth, state and territory governments immediately provide long term,
flexible funding, especially for successful programs already operating in
communities, to address the sporadic nature and short term focus of current
funding models.
Recommendation 16
4.60
That governments and departments within governments, work to design
application and accountability processes which avoid duplication and reduce the
number of contracts that service providers are required to enter into and
aspire to a single contract where possible. This is to minimise the reporting
and administrative burden on service providers. The
committee notes that governments should aspire to providing a single contract
where possible.
Adult education services for ex-sniffers
4.61
While the committee was visiting Papunya the school raised the issue of
providing basic literacy classes to adults who had missed much of their
education due to petrol sniffing. These people were now too old to return to
school and existing adult education classes were too advanced for their
literacy and numeracy levels.
4.62
The provision of adult education is quite a significant gap in
rehabilitation services in many communities as CAYLUS outlined at the Alice
Springs hearing:
It is extremely common, particularly in the west of the highway
where there was really chronic sniffing for more than a decade. Basically a
whole generation of kids who were not getting a great education anyway just did
not get any sort of education. They were sniffing all night and sleeping all
day. On the odd occasions they turned up for school, their behaviour was not
very good...It becomes a really uncomfortable environment for young people to be
in, so they basically opt out.
About a month after the sniffing really stopped in Papunya...16
teenage boys turned up at school and said, ‘What have you got for us?’ The
school had to send them away because they just did not have anything to offer
to them, not only because they suddenly had a big influx of people—more than
they could cope with because they did not have the staff—but also because those
kids had no background whatsoever in education and there was not the
flexibility in the school system to work with them...[47]
4.63
Mission Australia was also asked whether this was an area they had been
allocated resources to address. Mission Australia agreed that this:
...is the group that we are struggling with. I have said that on a
couple of occasions. The key for us is to engage with the Job Network providers
to provide prevocational training that will lead to a job. It is difficult.
With the current employment services delivery set up there is very little
contact between Job Network providers and people who need their services on communities.[48]
4.64
The NPY Women's Council stated that one of the selection criteria for
the NTYISP was to provide educational opportunities for disengaged youth.[49]
To date the Council has not observed any such educational initiatives however
they are aware of Mission Australia's plans to increase the use of job network
providers.
4.65
The committee also recognises that Job Network providers may not have
the appropriate resources to address this issue as much of the prevocational
training available is too advanced for some of the ex-petrol sniffers, as some have
no literacy or numeracy skills. Community members in Papunya advised the
committee that some of the young people can only sign their name with an 'X'.
These young people require specific and intensive remedial education in order
to prepare them for prevocational training.
Recommendation 17
4.66
That additional resources be provided for adult education classes in
communities where the reduction in petrol sniffing has created a need for these
services, and that appropriate adult education engagement and training
methodologies are used, delivered by qualified adult educators.
Resources for early childhood services and nutrition
4.67
Another issue that the committee believes is important to effectively
strengthen and support communities and which has arisen during this inquiry is
greater support and resources for early childhood programs, services and nutrition.
Dr Brian McCoy stated in his submission that:
A further issue, as with all agencies within the region, lies in
their resources and capabilities to take a ‘whole of family’ and ‘whole of
community’ approach to petrol sniffing that would enable some of the underlying
causes of petrol sniffing to be addressed. As with earlier comments it would
seem difficult, if not impossible, to address petrol sniffing behaviour by
young people if wider family and community needs are not also addressed.[50]
The submission from Maggie Kavanagh also recommended that more
support be given to Balgo for early childhood, parenting and nutrition
awareness programs.[51]
4.68
The committee observed the importance of adequate resources for a 'whole
of family' approach when it visited the Homemakers' Centre in Amata on the APY
Lands. This centre provides nutritious meals for babies, children and their
mothers and works with the health clinic to get information on which mothers
need assistance and which children are 'failing to thrive'. The committee was
advised that the centre provides an essential and unique service in the
community and before it was operational every week there were babies were being
hospitalised for malnutrition. This undoubtedly has implications for the ongoing
health and cognitive development of children and young people in the community.
4.69
The committee understands that there is a funding shortfall for these
centres of approximately $300 000 per year. The South Australian government
advised the committee that an additional $200 000 would be provided to the
centres as it has:
... an absolute commitment to the homemaker centres...It is a way
that we can make sure that, in particular, very young babies can get looked
after from a food security point of view. On the lands, as in any other remote
community, that is extremely important.
There has been a lot of research done both here and overseas
around food security and we know that, between the time that babies get weened
and the time that they start walking, there is a gap where they cannot reach
for food themselves. The homemaker program provides a way that we can teach
young mums and dads about the necessity of providing high-quality food and also
increases the availability of food for that section of the community.[52]
4.70
The committee considers such centres to be an essential part of
supporting and strengthening communities and urges all governments to commit to
providing adequate resources to ensure that each community has a similar
facility or programs in place and that existing centres are able to provide a
quality service to the community.
Continued monitoring
4.71
The significance of the problem of petrol sniffing, the irreversible
damage it does to young people and the effect it has on communities is such
that the committee considered it necessary to revisit the issue to ensure that
the government's response has been adequate and effective. So while much
practical progress has been made the committee notes that a number of the
recommendations of the committee's earlier report have either not as yet been
implemented, or not implemented to the extent recommended by the committee.
4.72
In particular, the committee made recommendations (Recommendations 1 and
3) to ensure that there is ongoing monitoring of the recommendations of
previous inquiries and reports relating to petrol sniffing and substance abuse.
The Commonwealth government's submission made reference to these
recommendations but did not outline whether any consideration had been given to
them or not.
4.73
The committee notes that no additional resources have been given to the
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner to annually
review the implementation of the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in
Custody and Coroners' recommendations as listed in the committee's previous
report. CAYLUS noted that if the committee's previous recommendation was
implemented it would provide 'ongoing scrutiny and ensure better implementation'.[53]
4.74
In addition since the committee last reported there have been two further
reports that identified substance abuse as a structural factor that impacts on
the prevalence of sexual abuse in Indigenous communities. These are the:
- Ampe Akelyernemane Meke Mekarle "Little Children are
Sacred", the Report of the Northern Territory Board of Inquiry into
the Protection of Aboriginal Children from Sexual Abuse; and
- Children on Anangu Pitjatjantjara Yunkunyjatjara
(APY) Lands Commission of Inquiry – A report into sexual abuse by Commissioner
Ted Mullighan to the South Australian Government in April 2008.
4.75
The committee believes that these reports and their recommendations
provide a comprehensive framework for addressing many of the contextual issues
and underlying problems that lead people to sniff petrol and abuse substances. Ongoing
monitoring of progress towards implementing these recommendations is essential
to ensure that recent gains in this area are sustained in the long term.
We do not want to go back to the state that we were in. We live
with the fear that other sources of drugs, or whatever, will come into our
communities.[54]
4.76
Ongoing monitoring and evaluation will also ensure accountability and
avoid the need for similar inquiries and reports in the future. As the
committee stated in its previous report:
The Committee does not want the recommendations of this report
to be added to the already long list of recommendations that have been read, commented
on but not fully implemented. It is time to effectively address the underlying
causes of petrol sniffing through a sustained effort by all levels of
government and through community commitment. The lessons learnt from successful
programs must be heeded and implemented in other communities were petrol
sniffing is killing Indigenous youth and disrupting the social fabric of
communities.[55]
Recommendation 18
4.77
The committee reaffirms recommendation 3 of its 2006 report that the
Commonwealth government provide adequate additional resources to the Aboriginal
and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner to monitor and report
annually on the progress towards implementing the above mentioned
recommendations until the Commissioner can report that all recommendations have
been sufficiently addressed.
Conclusion
4.78
This report clearly sets out some of the remaining areas of need, based
on the evidence provided to this committee from governments, communities and
other stakeholders. The committee therefore looks forward to its recommendations
being embraced by the Commonwealth government as part of the continuing evolution
and success of the Petrol Sniffing Strategy.
Senator Claire Moore
Chair
March 2009
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