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The Alice Springs transformation plan was announced on 2 May 2009. The aim of the plan is to improve life outcomes for Aboriginal people who either live in, or visit, Alice Springs (NT), particularly in town camps. It also aims to reduce homelessness through housing and infrastructure upgrades and the provision of suitable support services. The plan includes:
In 2011, further funding of $150 million was put towards the development of the Apmere Mwerre Visitor Park, as well as upgraded town-camp housing, temporary accommodation, buying liquor licences to reduce the extraordinary proliferation of outlets, and programs to curb anti-social behaviour (see media release for details).
The NT and Australian governments are working in partnership with the corporate and community sectors, particularly Aboriginal organisations, to achieve the transformation and deliver sustainable improvements in service delivery. A dedicated Alice Springs transformation plan (ASTP) Joint Steering Committee (JSC) has been established to oversee the design, development and implementation of the plan. Members of the committee include: The Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs; NT Department of the Chief Minister; Alice Springs Town Council; Tangentyere Council and Lhere Artepe Aboriginal Corporation. The committee meets every two months.
Alice Springs Transformation Plan Implementation Team
Email: alice.transformation@nt.gov.au
Northern Territory Government
Peter McDonald
Executive Director ASTP
Department of the Chief Minister
Ph: (08) 8959 4285
Australian Government
Mark Coffey
Executive Director ASTP
Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs
Ph: (08) 8959 4231
Karla Foster
Government Business Manager
Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs
Ph: (08) 8959 4279
The report provides information on the seven key building blocks identified by the Government as addressing specific areas of Indigenous disadvantage, including:
The Government has committed to investing $5.75 billion over three years to make long-term improvements in each of these building block areas. The report acknowledges the interrelated nature of the Closing the gap targets, and outlines how each of the seven key building blocks works individually and together to make progress towards the targets.
The report also acknowledges how progress can only be made through a partnership approach with Indigenous individuals and communities, and the large role that the corporate and community sectors have to play in closing the gap. The National Congress of Australia's First Peoples and constitutional recognition of Indigenous Australian's are cited as key instances of how this partnership approach has been implemented.
The report recognises that previous methods of data collection were inadequate to measure progress made; to improve the evidence base the Government has committed $46.4 million over four years from 2009-10. Finally the report concludes that there is still much work to be done to address Indigenous disadvantage, but hopefully through following the targets set closing the gap will be a realisable achievement within the next generation.
Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet abstract
