The government’s plan for remote Aboriginal communities, reportedly in planning for the past two years, should have been a conversation first according to the WA Greens.
Greens member for the Mining and Pastoral Region Robin Chapple MLC said the announcement yesterday was, more than anything, a backpedalling attempt to quell panic caused by the proposed closures.
“Having reviewed the Premier’s ‘hub and orbit’ model I am confident that it simply will not work,” he said.
“Whilst it may sound like reform in theory this central model was trialled in the 1960s and in practice found to be an abject failure.
“They are not changing their approach to remote Aboriginal communities they are just changing the delivery of their message.
“They keep mentioning consultations that should have been undertaken first, but are still yet to happen; this government needs to stop everything they are doing and start a conversation with Aboriginal people right across WA.”
For comment please contact Robin Chapple on 0409 379 263 or 9486 8255.
An Auditor General’s report, tabled last night in parliament, has revealed dangerous levels of uranium and E.Coli in several remote Aboriginal community’s water supplies.
Greens spokesperson on Aboriginal Affairs said the damning statistics showed there was a considerable shortfall in investment in Aboriginal health in WA.
“To have communities of people in WA where the uranium content of their water supply is as much as double the level allowed under Australian guidelines is absolutely alarming,” he said.
“Furthermore, tests have detected unsafe levels of E. Coli and Naegleria in as many as sixty-eight communities both of which cause serious illness and can be fatal.
“Access to clean, safe drinking water is a basic human necessity that some West Australians are currently being denied.
“One of the matters I discussed with the Auditor General was the lack of integration of service providers to remote communities; the costs and time delay of sometimes having two service providers travel out to communities on separate days.
“The Auditor General agreed that a holistic approach to service provision rather than the current siloed approach would lead to better health and fiscal outcomes.
“It makes we wonder if the government’s proposed community closures represent an easy way out for problems such as these; an opportunity for them to ‘wash their hands free’ of problems considered too difficult to address.
“This is not a matter to ‘look into later’ or for political bargaining; closing the gap in Aboriginal health means taking revelations such as this seriously and acting upon them immediately.”
For comment please contact Robin Chapple on 0409 379 263 or 9486 8255.
