Post by Banker on Sept 7, 2012 5:35:30 GMT 7
THE Gillard government will introduce an income management scheme, involving voluntary and forced quarantining of welfare payments, in South Australia's remote Aboriginal lands.
Indigenous Affairs Minister Jenny Macklin will today announce her plan for the troubled Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Lands to begin from next month.
The $3.8 million scheme will enable Aborigines to volunteer to have welfare payments quarantined and for child protection and Centrelink workers to force the measure on the most vulnerable and at-risk members of the communities in the region.
"The government will introduce income management in the APY Lands to help families ensure their welfare payments are spent in the best interests of children," Ms Macklin told The Australian last night.
The controversial move comes a year after The Australian first revealed the level of dysfunction in the region, including children going hungry, and the systemic mismanagement by the state Labor government.
Under the model to be used for the APY Lands, those who volunteer will have 50 per cent of their benefits quarantined, to be spent on food, rent, clothing and other essentials using BasicsCards.
The same rate will apply to those who Centrelink deem financially vulnerable, such as those who cannot keep up with rental payments.
For parents forced onto income management on referral by child protection authorities, 70 per cent of their Centrelink benefits will be quarantined.
A decision on the model was made after 10 weeks of consultation with local communities.
The Ngaanyatjarra, Pitjantjatjara and Yankunytjatjara Women's Council, one of the most vocal proponents for income management on the lands, applauded the announcement.
"(We) were absolutely clear that it needed to be provided to families where children are at risk and vulnerable people," NPY Women's Council co-ordinator Andrea Mason said yesterday.
"In two or three years' time, people will reflect on the improvements in their own financial wellbeing and financial control."
APY council chairman Bernard Singer said communities had been calling for such a scheme for several years.
"It should help families keep their welfare payments for essential food and other goods," Mr Singer said.
Stores in the APY Lands have been set up to accept payments from quarantined accounts through BasicsCards.
Opposition indigenous affairs spokesman Nigel Scullion said anyone who had been to the lands would know how vital it was for income management to be used.
Formal calls for income management in the region were first made by the APY land council in early 2010, following meetings with former indigenous affairs minister Mal Brough, who introduced a compulsory scheme in the Northern Territory.
The calls were dismissed by the SA Labor government.
From The Australian 7/9/2012
Indigenous Affairs Minister Jenny Macklin will today announce her plan for the troubled Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Lands to begin from next month.
The $3.8 million scheme will enable Aborigines to volunteer to have welfare payments quarantined and for child protection and Centrelink workers to force the measure on the most vulnerable and at-risk members of the communities in the region.
"The government will introduce income management in the APY Lands to help families ensure their welfare payments are spent in the best interests of children," Ms Macklin told The Australian last night.
The controversial move comes a year after The Australian first revealed the level of dysfunction in the region, including children going hungry, and the systemic mismanagement by the state Labor government.
Under the model to be used for the APY Lands, those who volunteer will have 50 per cent of their benefits quarantined, to be spent on food, rent, clothing and other essentials using BasicsCards.
The same rate will apply to those who Centrelink deem financially vulnerable, such as those who cannot keep up with rental payments.
For parents forced onto income management on referral by child protection authorities, 70 per cent of their Centrelink benefits will be quarantined.
A decision on the model was made after 10 weeks of consultation with local communities.
The Ngaanyatjarra, Pitjantjatjara and Yankunytjatjara Women's Council, one of the most vocal proponents for income management on the lands, applauded the announcement.
"(We) were absolutely clear that it needed to be provided to families where children are at risk and vulnerable people," NPY Women's Council co-ordinator Andrea Mason said yesterday.
"In two or three years' time, people will reflect on the improvements in their own financial wellbeing and financial control."
APY council chairman Bernard Singer said communities had been calling for such a scheme for several years.
"It should help families keep their welfare payments for essential food and other goods," Mr Singer said.
Stores in the APY Lands have been set up to accept payments from quarantined accounts through BasicsCards.
Opposition indigenous affairs spokesman Nigel Scullion said anyone who had been to the lands would know how vital it was for income management to be used.
Formal calls for income management in the region were first made by the APY land council in early 2010, following meetings with former indigenous affairs minister Mal Brough, who introduced a compulsory scheme in the Northern Territory.
The calls were dismissed by the SA Labor government.
From The Australian 7/9/2012
