Myths and facts about the NT Intervention from an indigenous perspective

From Stop The NT Intervention:

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* Yuendumu statement to Jenny Macklin signed by 236 people in 24 hours:

"We don't want this intervention! Children are worse off under this legislation... This is our land. We want the Government to give it back to us. We want the Government to stop blackmailing us. We want houses, but we will not sign any leases over our land, because we want to keep control of our country, our houses, and our property".

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* It costs tax-payers $7000 per person to administer the welfare quarantine (according to HREOC) which has seen people going hungry trying to access the most meagre Centrelink payments.

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* Three years after this “emergency” response there have hardly been any improvements in the situation.

The available statistics show that

-       the child malnutrition rate has increased

-       the unemployment rate has increased

-       the program to build new houses (SIHIP) has only delivered very few houses so far

-       school enrolments and attendance have basically not changed despite efforts to increase school attendance

-       Income management did not result in buying more fresh food and vegetables