[Anthropgrad] [Caepr.seminars] RMAP Research Seminar - Jon Altman (CAEPR Director)

[Karen Montefiore]

Tuesday 25 September 2007 12.30-1.30pm
Seminar Room B (Arndt Room) Coombs Building, ANU

POLICY FAILURE IN INDIGENOUS AFFAIRS: THE SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC IMPACTS 
AND LIKELY LEGACIES OF THE NT EMERGENCY INTERVENTION

Abstract
On June 21 2007 the Australian government dramatically declared a 
'national emergency' in relation to child sex abuse in the Northern 
Territory. In an unprecedented set of actions the Commonwealth has 
taken direct control of communities, overriding the authority of both 
the NT government and local community organisations using the 
territory powers conferred under the Australian constitution. 
Subsequently in August 2007 these actions and others were enshrined 
in Australian law. This seminar addresses the immediate policy 
background to this intervention and then from a development 
anthropology perspective assesses the likely social and economic 
impacts of these new laws on prescribed communities and their 
residents. It is argued in the seminar that for a wide range of 
reasons the new measures are unlikely to work and indeed may result 
in adverse and unsustainable outcomes for Indigenous Australians.

Bio
Jon Altman is Director of the Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy 
Research in the College of Arts and Social Sciences. Jon has 
undertaken considerable research in remote Australia and has recently 
co-edited a book (with Melinda Hinkson) 'Coercive Reconciliation: 
Stabilise, Normalise, Exit Aboriginal Australia' about the NT intervention.

Enquiries
Frank Jotzo 6125 4367

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