KARVELAS: Federal politicians have flown into Alice Springs as the town embarks on a new chapter of alcohol reform. New liquor ban laws are set to be introduced in NT Parliament next week. That's six months after they suddenly were lifted. Assistant Minister for Indigenous Australians Malarndirri McCarthy joins me now from Alice Springs. Welcome to the program. Now it's been more than a week since the Government received Dorelle Anderson's report and days ago the NT Government reinstated alcohol bans. How different is the situation on the ground now?
MCCARTHY: It's certainly a lot quieter and something I noticed yesterday and the last evening, but just listening to people who've been speaking to me just in the short time we've been here. This morning, I've gone out for an early morning swim and just to have a look around and speaking to people who were at the local swimming pool. It's just beautiful actually, there's a really nice feel around the place. I guess today is going to be important to hear from families, individuals, not so much organisations. This trip is really about just listening to some of the family groups and individuals.
KARVELAS: The NT Government says it will allow communities to create their own alcohol plans and to vote on them. Are women and vulnerable people in those communities at risk of being harassed for their votes. It's a 60% threshold. What are your concerns?
MCCARTHY: Well, I'm certainly not there yet, Patricia. I have to say most honestly, I just feel that we've got a tremendous amount of work to do before we even get to that point. There still has to be a sense of what does the future look like, confirming stability and security here. I think there's a lot of work still to be done before we even get to that discussion. So I'm not keen on getting to that point right now. I think that right now we have to just stabilise the situation.
KARVELAS: Despite the recent media attention, the issues in Central Australia are really deep rooted. What do you see as the biggest priority to address the disadvantage faced by First Nations communities there?
MCCARTHY: I would look at it from a number of perspectives. One is that we look at the broader issue of employment. Absolutely, the community development program. That is a broader issue that comes back to the sense of self and dignity at work. What we can do in the outlying regions of not only Central Australia but remote and regional Australia generally with First Nations people with that program. That's going to be an important one. In terms of directly here in Alice Springs, it is about working specifically with the families first and seeing what we can do. I know that Dorelle Anderson as the central controller here is looking at a number of the outstations that surround Alice Springs, seeing what kind of support we can provide, we see the money that we've announced in terms of supporting those families back on those outstations and working with their children, but also deeply focussed as well on the health side of it. The fact that, and I've mentioned this in the Parliament, the foetal alcohol spectrum disorder is a significant issue not just here in Central Australia but in so many places across Australia with our children.
KARVELAS: One of the key recommendations of Dorelle Anderson's report was for needs based funding. There hasn't been much talk about what the Government will commit to. Will you be providing proper needs based funding?
MCCARTHY: I know that's been talked about. I have to say that we can look at needs based funding going into the future. But right about now, Patricia, you know, it really is about stabilising and settling issues in Alice Springs itself, but also those regional communities. We know with the Aboriginal community controlled health sector that needs both funding is something that they have worked on. I'm obviously asking my department through Mark Butler in terms of my role with Assistant Minister for Indigenous Health, to look at that needs base funding that the ACCHOs do and what possibilities there could be with other areas. But of course that needs conversations with other ministers who are responsible. So for example, with Amanda Rishworth or, you know, in terms of family and domestic violence.
KARVELAS: There was a lot of tension at the last town hall meeting after the Prime Minister flew in. Have those tensions in the community started to subside?
MCCARTHY: Look, I have listened to a couple of people so far. Obviously, today is going to be important to hear what other residents say. I do think that from a meeting that occurred yesterday with First Nations organisations and I just again need to hear more from them, that people want to get to the other side of this. It's so easy to create division and hatred and hurtfulness. But there is an exhaustion of that and fatigue from that. And what I do feel from all the people that I've spoken to, whether it's in person or on the phone from Canberra, is that they want to get to the other side of this. They love Alice Springs, you know, it's a beautiful place, Arrernte country and people want that to be back where it was and to have hope for the future. So I do get a sense that whilst we've seen really horrid stuff over the past month or more. I do feel there is a sense of fatigue over that and people want hope for the future.
KARVELAS: They are desperately in need of hope. And this some of this, as we've said, is very inter-generational and deep rooted. Sometimes when people hear that word intergenerational, they think, Oh, well then it's all too hard. It's so deep rooted. What's your response to that?
MCCARTHY: Well, I don't think we should be afraid of something because it's hard. I think we have to be focussed on the fact that it's always a journey. You know, life's a journey. And I guess I use my own cultural background as a Yanyuwa Garrwa woman. You know, we are known as Li-anthawirryarra, which means our spiritual origin comes from the sea country. And I take that deep sense of cultural connection with me. And when people say things are hard and I say, 'Yeah, but you know what? Life is a journey'. And the way we treat one another, the way we try and treat issues, we have to take it as that. And we can either go it's too hard and walk away and many people do, or we can go, You know what? I do want to see a better place and a better way, and I'm just going to hang in there and make sure we we get there.
KARVELAS: Thank you so much for joining us this morning.