Constructive engagement: Impacts, limitations and possibilities during a national emergency intervention

Abstract

"On the 21st June, 2007 the Australian government announced a ‘national emergency’ response to protect Aboriginal Children in the Northern Territory. In so doing, they produced a raft of changes to key areas of social policy including bans on alcohol, pornography and sweeping changes to welfare, land tenure, education and health policy. The following report analyses a range of impacts, limitations and possibilities in key areas of the ‘intervention’. The findings of the report are that the impacts and limitations of the Australian government’s intervention are likely to adversely affect the socio-economic fabric of the Maningrida region. The research also suggests that many aspects are likely to have an adverse affect on the safety of children in the region. In particular, the report finds structural defects in proposed policy changes that are of major concern to BAC, its constituents and the wider Maningrida community ..." - page iv