Facts & Info
Myths and Facts
Excerpt from STICS Media Release of 21 June 2012
Horror statistics mark 'fifth anniversary' of NT Intervention
5 years of NT Intervention by statistics
Child welfare:
69% increase in children getting taken into out of home care since 2007. Most are cases of "neglect", which is occurring at a rate far higher than other jurisdictions (Closing the Gap monitoring report part 2), and can in many cases be attributed to extreme poverty.
The NT has lowest rate of "out of home care" placement with Aboriginal families in Australia, less than 20% (Productivity Commission annual report on government services).
There is no evidence of substantial improvements in the welfare of children in the NT. Indeed, the Closing the Gap monitoring report part 2 details some worrying statistics which indicate a break with long-term trends towards improvement that have been evident since 2000, including:
Children admitted to hospital for malnutrition
10.9 per 1000 in 2006-07
11.1 per 1000 in 2009-10
Children under 5 who are underweight
7.1 per 100 in 2007
8.2 per per 100 in 2010
Children under 5 who are wasting
4.4 per 100 in 2007
4.8 per 100 in 2010
Attempted Suicide and self-harm:
Reported incidents have increased by almost 500%. In 2007 there were 57 incidents. In 2010 there were 183. In 2011 there were 261 (Closing the Gap monitoring report part 2).
School attendance:
Rates are down in preschool, primary and secondary schools. Overall, attendance rates have dropped from 62.3% just before the Intervention (NTER monitoring report 2009) to 57.5% in 2011 (Closing the Gap monitoring report part 2).
Incarceration:
As of March 2011 there had been a 40% increase in Indigenous incarceration since the Intervention (NT Justice Department quarterly report). Recent news reports suggest this number is now greater than 50% - with particularly large increases in the last 12 months.
The NT prison officers association says prisoners are currently being held in 3rd world prison conditions, 12-14 in a cell in Alice Springs - mattresses on the floor and one hand basin and toilet between inmates.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-04-23/nt-prisons-described-as-third-world/3967114
See http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-04-05/nt-prisoners-held-at-police-stations/3936132
Aboriginal people are one of the most incarcerated on the planet. If the NT was a country, it would have the second highest rate of incarceration after the USA.
Unemployment:
There has been a consistent increase in Aboriginal people receiving unemployment benefits (NewStart allowance) since 2007, including a 14% increase from 2009 - 2011.
New positions created through the Intervention are far below levels of waged employment that existed under CDEP.
In 2007 there were more than 7500 waged CDEP positions. In April 2012 this number was only 1,667. These positions are disappearing fast, with the government refusing to employ new people on the waged scheme if existing workers break their relationship with their employer.
The government claims 2,241 positions were created to replace lost CDEP positions under the NT Jobs Package. Also that 865 Aboriginal people are employed through NTER programs (Closing the Gap Monitoring Report part 2) - though there is overlap between a number of these positions such as Night Patrol.
Housing:
Before the Intervention the rate of overcrowding was 9.4 people per home. The government's 'target' following SIHIP works is 9.3 (NTER evaluation 2011).
Domestic Violence:
Police reported incidents in "prescribed areas" have dramatically increased since the Intervention and continue to increase - from 939 in 2010 to 1109 in 2011 (Closing the Gap Monitoring Report part 2).
Alcohol:
Number of police incidents involving alcohol has consistently increased. Number of domestic violence incidents involving alcohol has consistently increased (Closing the Gap Monitoring Report part 2). The government has no hard evidence that less alcohol is being consumed in "prescribed areas".
Links to referenced reports:
Closing the Gap in the NT Monitoring Report July - December 2011
http://www.fahcsia.gov.au/our-responsibilities/indigenous-australians/publications-articles/closing-the-gap/measuring-progress-of-nter-activities/closing-the-gap-in-the-northern-territory-monitoring-report-july-to-december-2011
Previous Closing the Gap in the NT and NTER Monitoring reports
http://www.fahcsia.gov.au/our-responsibilities/indigenous-australians/publications-articles/closing-the-gap-in-the-northern-territory-including-northern-territory-emergency-response
Northern Territory Emergency Response Evaluation Report 2011
http://www.fahcsia.gov.au/our-responsibilities/indigenous-australians/publications-articles/northern-territory-emergency-response-evaluation-report-2011
Northern Territory Department of Justice Quarterly Report March 2011
http://www.nt.gov.au/justice/policycoord/researchstats/Issue%2035%20Ebook.pdf
For the full media release: please click here
For a compilation of facts of 2010 please click here