Towards Better Outcomes for Indigenous Communities and Families

The Minister for Family and Community Services, Senator Kay Patterson, today announced funding of more than $680,000 for four new projects, which will benefit Indigenous communities in remote and regional Australia.

Funded under the Family and Community Networks Initiative, the scheme will help Indigenous communities get involved in projects to meet local needs and improve living conditions.

“These innovative projects have been developed by local Indigenous communities, who have determined their own needs, set priorities, outcomes and objectives,” Senator Patterson said.

Corrugation Road Pty Ltd will receive $102,926 to produce a series of six television and video programs – Stayin’ Healthy, Stayin’ Alive – that will concentrate on the subject of men’s health within Indigenous communities.

The program will be aired though the Broadcasting in Remote Aboriginal Communities Scheme and distributed to health centres around Australia.

Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Media in South Australia will receive $75,500 for its Radio Vision project. Funding is required to develop a strategy to establish a side band radio broadcast network which will provide broadcast and interactive (talkback) radio for Indigenous people living in remote and isolated areas.

Larrakia Nation Aboriginal Corporation will receive $330,000 over three years to develop the First Language Indigenous Research and Consultation Model across six Top End Northern Territory Indigenous languages.

An innovative approach is required to understand the complex issues and needs of an increased number of Indigenous people who have left their communities and family support structures and are living in Darwin.

The Dubbo Community Services and Information Centre in New South Wales will receive $174,000 to fund two part-time coordinator positions at the Dubbo Gordon Centre for three years. The coordinators will further develop stakeholder support, volunteer support and expand the role of the Centre.

The aim of the project is to enable residents to become self-managing and to make the Dubbo Gordon Centre a fully operational community centre with a strong Indigenous identity, providing most of the services needed by the community onsite.

Senator Patterson said this funding is an important step in the Family Community Network Initiative.

“It will provide a better understanding of issues affecting Indigenous people and promote effective service delivery and cross cultural understanding,” Senator Patterson said.

“These projects demonstrate the Australian Government’s commitment to working in partnership with Indigenous people to achieve better outcomes, particularly for Indigenous Australians living in remote and regional Australia.”