NTER review report

The Australian Government today received the Northern Territory Emergency Response (NTER) review report.

The review board, comprising Chairman Peter Yu, Marcia Ella Duncan and Bill Gray AM, conducted an independent and transparent review of the NTER to assess the effectiveness of measures and the impact on individuals and communities to date.

On behalf of the Government, I extend my thanks to the review board and the expert group appointed to assist them for their excellent work.

The review board has worked tirelessly, visiting 31 Indigenous communities and speaking with representatives of 56 communities to get a comprehensive picture of the NTER measures. The review board received more than 200 written submissions.

The board’s grass-roots approach has meant that hundreds of Indigenous people in remote NT communities have been able to share their views with the review team.

The report acknowledges the continuing acute situation in NTER communities and the need for the NTER to continue:

The situation in remote communities and town camps was – and remains – sufficiently acute to be described as a national emergency. The NTER should continue.

The NTER report will now be given careful and thorough consideration.

The Government will provide an appropriate response to the report shortly.

The Government remains committed to continuing and strengthening the NTER.

We are determined to work in partnership with Indigenous Australians to improve the safety and wellbeing of children and families in remote NT communities and to make real in-roads towards closing the gap.

The review report is available at Northern Territory Emergency Response Review .