The Prime Minister has confirmed his government will extend a multi-year funding agreement for remote Aboriginal communities in the Northern Territory. Anthony Albanese made the announcement from Alice Springs earlier today.
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00:00The Prime Minister sat down with NT Chief Minister Leah Finocchio this morning to sign
00:07what they've described as a landmark funding agreement.
00:10The Prime Minister has pledged more than $840 million over six years to continue the Northern
00:17Territory's remote Aboriginal investment.
00:20This is an agreement between the NT and federal governments along with the Aboriginal Peak
00:24Organisations NT, or APONT, and it delivers significant services that remote Aboriginal
00:31communities rely on just to function.
00:33This includes funding for dozens of police officers in remote communities, women's safe
00:38houses, interpreter services and alcohol rehab services.
00:43Now the Prime Minister said this morning that there was no certainty this funding would
00:47continue and that the agreement was due to drop off a cliff in June this year.
00:52Here's what he had to say.
00:54No agreement is ever settled between the Commonwealth and state and territory governments, I assure
00:59you.
01:00What this is is a new agreement.
01:01This isn't just an extension of what was there before.
01:05This has been worked through from the Commonwealth, from the NT government and with Indigenous
01:11organisations, with the Peak Organisations.
01:14Now there is an additional almost $30 million per year in this new agreement.
01:19This includes funding for up to 12 children and family centres in remote communities across
01:25the NT.
01:26These would provide solutions for complex issues including family safety and child development.
01:32There's also funding to form local groups in up to eight communities.
01:37These will develop and deliver services that aim to provide more economic and employment
01:42opportunities.
01:44And finally there's also more support for Aboriginal community controlled organisations
01:48so services can eventually be passed from government to community control.
01:53This is also the first time APONT has been a part of this agreement and CEO John Patterson
01:59said this is significant.
02:02Here's what he had to say.
02:03Because I personally believe it's because the involvement and participation by Aboriginal
02:08leaders here in the Northern Territory who know their business, know their communities,
02:12know the issues on the ground and getting that continual feedback from grassroot community
02:16and organisations that we have connections through the Aboriginal Peak Organisations
02:21Northern Territory.
02:22So there's certainly hopes that this new funding agreement will continue to see positive change
02:27in the Northern Territory's remote Aboriginal communities.