System fails the innocent

THE horrendous crime allegedly perpetrated against a two year-old girl in Tennant Creek has shone a fresh spotlight on a township long known for its history of social dysfunction

THE horrendous crime allegedly perpetrated against a two year-old girl in Tennant Creek has shone a fresh spotlight on a township long known for its history of social dysfunction.

Sadly much of that problem is attributed to the township’s indigenous community, as is the same problem in Katherine.

The Territory’s Federal indigenous Affairs Minister Nigel Scullion is correct when he says incidents like these are not unique to, or characteristics of being indigenous.

Absolutely correct.

That’s why it is wrong to attribute what happened in Tennant Creek late last Friday night as the result of a grog problem. He hit the nail on the head when he said these are often circumstances influenced by factors such as endemic poverty, poor health, including mental health, as well as substance abuse among other things.

Tick every one of these boxes as being a problem in Tennant Creek. And the same for a good many other of the Territory’s indigenous communities. Fixing these problems has been the promise of Territory and federal governments for decade upon decade.

And no doubt they will continue to be an unfulfilled promise for goodness knows how long into the future.

However, what can be fixed right now is the way in which children at risk cases are managed in the Territory. The town’s pleas for help to the Government had fallen on deaf ears.

It is alarming to know that the victim of the alleged rape was the subject of multiple notifications to those responsible to ensure her care and wellbeing. We are still waiting for a reasonable answer as to why this girl was allowed to stay in the house where the alleged rape took place. Surely the multiple notifications must have sounded alarm bells. Not even a death at this residence several weeks before seems to have sparked a little interest in the well being of those living there.

How does that happen? What is the Government’s policy that allows that to happen? Clearly the Government has failed this young girl. It has failed in its obligation to ensure her safety. There needs to be a thorough overhaul of the Government’s collection of policies that are not working.

There needs to be changes to prevent this and a good look at what’s going on, not only in Tennant Creek but right across the Territory. In the meantime, it is welcome news that the innocent victim of this alleged crime is now well enough to be released from hospital.