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NITV Current Affairs Opinion Piece-Stronger Futures to be broadcast on the 28 February 9.30pm AEDT has found overwhelming opposition to the Federal Government’s new legislation.
Hosted by acclaimed television journalist Jeff McMullen the forum heard from Aboriginal people affected by the Stronger Futures legislation in the Top End, specifically Arnhem Land where it is proposed to extend the Northern Territory’s Intervention for another 10 years. The expansion of the Intervention is occurring under the Government’s ‘Stronger Futures’ legislation which was tabled in Parliament last November and is due to be debated in autumn.
NITV gives you an exclusive insight into various measures that fall under the Stronger Futures Legislation and gives you the views of the people affected by the proposed legislation through the panel discussion shot on location in Maningrida. The policy upholds many of the measures from the controversial Northern Territory Intervention and will see the expansion of the Student Enrolment Attendance Measures (SEAM) trial which links welfare payments to school attendance.
Local Maningrida man Mathew Ryan says the Commonwealth led community consultations in which the legislation has been shaped wasn’t genuine. Mr Ryan says the measures detailed in the policy illustrates that the Federal Government continues to ignore what people in the territory are really saying. “There’s been a lack of consultation by the grass roots people and I think there’s a lot of frustration with the community people willing to walk away”, he said.
The Program coincided with the presence of a Senate Committee inquiry into the legislation where Senators from the inquiry described the Government’s consultation of Indigenous communities as “substandard” and “completely disappointing”.
NITV’s Current Affairs Executive Producer, Angela Bates said the “Opinion Piece” forum gave community an opportunity to discuss their concerns to a national audience. “It was integral for NITV Current Affairs to be on the ground and hear directly from the mob about the issues surrounding the legislation,” she said.
The NITV Opinion Piece “Stronger Futures Forum will air Tuesday 28 February at 9.30pm.
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