‘Closing the Gap’: Is it really closing?
The Government is committed to a policy of ‘Closing the Gap’. This policy works on the basis that when Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have a real input into the design and delivery of policies, programs and services that affect our lives, better outcomes are achieved.
These economic, social and lifestyle benefits cover the areas of health, education, employment, justice and housing.
While this is the overriding Federal Government initiative, we need to ask how this is working at the local level, and in relation to the Northern Peninsula Area (NPA) specifically.
Indigenous Councillors, directors and employees
We can certainly say the control of the majority of the organisations in the NPA is in the hands of its local residents with a locally elected Council, Land Trust and Prescribed Body Corporate (PBC – Native Title body) having only Indigenous directors.
Major Non-Government Organisations (NGOs) such as NPA Family & Community Services ATSI Corporation, Bamagau Kazil TSI Corporation and Nai-Beguta Agama Aboriginal Corporation have fully Indigenous boards of directors with the former comprising 91% Indigenous staff.
Commercial companies such as Bamaga Enterprises Ltd (BEL), Seisia Enterprises (SEL) and New Mapoon Aboriginal Corporation all have a majority of Indigenous directors.
Therefore, it cannot be said that at the local level, Indigenous people do not have control of the essential organisations and the local Government, which have the most influence and bearing on our everyday lives.
With organisational control at both board and Councillor levels also comes the control over the design and delivery of the goods and services that these organisations provide.
In light of that, can we say that the gap has been closing over the last 14 years since the amalgamation of the five community Councils in 2008 with genuine improvements in, for example, community infrastructure, economic development, education, and health and well-being. If this is not the case, what is holding us back in ‘Closing the Gap’?
Successes in ‘Closing the Gap’
If we look at the positives, the NGOs have greatly improved the services available to women and children through the provision of facilities, including the day care centres, the Women’s Shelter and the numerous support programs run throughout the NPA.
Programs and facilities are available to support Indigenous women and their children. They are controlled, designed and delivered by Indigenous women.
On the economic level, companies such as BEL and SEL have established themselves as well-governed, well-managed and profitable commercial entities providing many goods and services for the community.
In the case of BEL, over $3m of its profits have been reinvested into the community under its Socio Support Policy, which provides donations, sponsorships and community infrastructure.
Holding us back
Unfortunately, major issues are still limitthe commercial and economic development of the NPA and the provision of improved community and Government services – and they all relate to land matters.
To highlight some of these:
- No rental housing market in the NPA such as on Thursday Island. Therefore, Government and the commercial sector cannot expand their operations or provide increased services because there is nowhere for their staff to live.
- Businesses and other organisations alike cannot expand existing operations or build new facilities or community infrastructure to provide more goods and services.
- With increased tourist numbers each year, the sealing of the Peninsula Development Road and barriers to international travel, new infrastructure is urgently needed. This includes accommodation, car parking and toilets at key tourist sites to cope with the ever-increasing demand.
Land leases are required to fill these gaps and it is only companies with significant financial resources, such as community enterprises, that have the ability and funds to undertake these larger infrastructure developments.
However, there is a reluctance to approve such leases to those best placed to drive development.
The elephant in the room relates to the obtaining of land leases and the resolution of Native Title. These issues are under the direct control of the NPA Regional Council (NPARC) and the PBC. Hardly any land in the NPA is not subject to the resolution of Native Title.
This process requires the obtaining of a land lease from the NPARC sitting as the Trustee for the various DOGITs (Deed of Grant in Trust). The lease then has to go to the PBC for Native Title to be resolved.
Fourteen years of frustration
For over 14 years, both BEL and SEL have been trying to finalise their leases with Council – for all operations relating to SEL, and some leases relating to BEL – without success.
BEL has advanced plans and engineered drawings to build town houses, extend the Servo, build a car/boat wash and construct a Trade Centre to provide for all the needed trades in the NPA, including apprenticeships.
All these are on hold because land leases cannot be obtained to date from Council. An organisation cannot obtain TSRA or bank funding without a secure lease.
There is also the issue of obtaining sand and gravel, which the Land Trust also has considerable control over.
Companies cannot build infrastructure without having materials such as sand for sewerage and other inground services and gravel to prepare pads on which to build. It is a difficult process for private enterprises to obtain these essentials with Council, the PBC and the Land Trust all having input into the process.
To ‘Close the Gap’ through economic and social development, land must be made available at a reasonable lease rental with Native Title resolved within the DOGIT areas so that the process becomes simplified, accessible and affordable for existing and prospective local enterprises, entrepreneurs and service organisations.
The process is currently expensive and extremely frustrating.
The NPARC and the PBC are controlled by Indigenous Councillors and directors. For the benefit of the peoples of the NPA, they need to work together to resolve these remaining, major stumbling blocks to economic and social development so that the gap can truly be closed.