Child health and safety on Indigenous roundtable agenda

Support for measures to keep children safe and healthy in remote Indigenous communities is the focus of a Ministerial Indigenous Roundtable in Cairns this week.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships Minister, Lindy Nelson-Carr, and Minister for Child Safety and Women, Margaret Keech, will lead the roundtable on Thursday, joining mayors from Indigenous communities to address priority issues laid-out in Queensland’s historic Indigenous Partnership Agreement.

Parliamentary Secretary for the Health Minister Karen Struthers will also attend the forum to discuss child health and safety.

“As the second of four roundtables to be held this year, this roundtable is particularly significant as it is the first for many newly-elected mayors and addresses possibly the most confronting issue – the need to protect children from abuse and neglect,” Ms Nelson-Carr said.

“Child protection is an issue we absolutely must address together, in partnership, to do the best we can for current and future generations.”

Mrs Keech said she would be seeking a commitment from the Mayors to make their communities more ‘child friendly’.

“I’ll be asking the Mayors to lead by example and put child protection at the top of their agenda,” she said.

“It’s vital that as community leaders they encourage a zero tolerance approach to child abuse and neglect.

“We need these communities to take a stand against abuse and remind residents that keeping their children safe is an investment in their future.

“I want to see local leaders demonstrating the importance of ensuring children go to school, that their nutritional needs are met and that abuse, violence and neglect will not be tolerated.”

Ms Nelson-Carr said the previous Roundtable held in February, was focused on alcohol management in each of the communities.

“At that meeting, the Premier spoke to the mayors of helping the communities go as dry as possible for a period of time in order to reduce alcohol-related harm and strengthen community and family life.

“Since then a range of initiatives have been undertaken including the introduction of new laws to combat ‘sly grogging’, apply restrictions to the whole community including houses, and to make it easier for community members to have their homes declared as a ‘dry place’.

“An audit of all services in all communities, has commenced and will provide government with a clear understanding of all current services. It will also give us confidence that existing resources are being utilised fully and that proposed new investment is well targeted.

“This work, along with submissions received from Indigenous Mayors, will inform government decision-making. However, the final decision on alcohol restrictions for each community will primarily focus on what course of action is likely to reduce the level of harm.

“The Alcohol Reforms provide an opportunity for Indigenous communities to reduce the level of harm related to alcohol misuse through positive action, to show strong leadership and deliver lasting outcomes for community safety, health, well being and life chances.

“The first community to go fully dry under new arrangements will be Woorabinda on July 1.”

This week’s roundtable will be held on Thursday 19th of June.

Media Contact: Minister Nelson-Carr’s office 3235 4280 or
Minister Keech’s office 3224 7081