Nick Calacouras
September 9th, 2008
AN INDIGENOUS organisation wants to build six managed town camps in Darwin to get long-grassers off the streets.
The Larrakia Nation Aboriginal Corporation said increased policing was forcing long-grassers to camp in "inhospitable" sites, such as mangrove swamps.
Corporation coordinator Ilana Eldridge has submitted a proposal to the Department of Justice to build six managed town camps away from residential zones.
The Territory Government and Opposition yesterday both rejected the idea.
Ms Eldridge suggested a list of possible sites at:
Lee Point
Rapid Creek corridor.
Behind Spot-On-Marine at Fannie Bay.
Near the Dick Ward Drive sewage ponds.
Along Tiger Brennan Drive, between Charles Darwin National park and East Arm Port.
Leanyer Swamp.
Four
of the camp sites would be alcohol-free, while the other two would have
drinking and non-drinking zones.
Ms Eldridge said these sites would be different from the town camps of
Alice Springs.
"The town camps in Alice Springs were set up to fail," she said.
"This will be a user-pays system for short-term accommodation."
"We're not talking about setting up an urban ghetto in anyone's backyard."
Justice Minister Dr Chris Burns welcomed the suggestions by Larrakia Nation but said the Territory government would not support building more town camps.He said the focus should be on improving and boosting short-term accommodation options and helping people get home after visiting Darwin for medical and other services.
Opposition indigenous policy spokesman Adam Giles said town camps in Darwin would"become hot spots for anti-social behaviour."
Ms Eldridge
warned that it was unrealistic for governments to expect any measures
to reduce
the level of poverty to succeed in the short-term.
"Such entrenched and multi-generational disadvantage will take many years to turn around," she said.
"Until services increase in the remote regions and the economic disparity between white and black Territorians is substantially reduced, this issue will continue to plague whichever administration holds power."