Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Women's Parallel ...

Intervention consists of a range of extraordinary measures, including deploying militaryand police in traditional lands, quarantining social security payments, banning alcohol,and the compulsory acquisition of Aboriginal land.Community responseThere are mixed views about the Northern Territory Intervention measures amongAboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women. As the Australian Government Reportindicates some Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women have reported they feelsafer as a result of an increased police presence, alcohol and pornography bans andincome management, particularly women who are vulnerable to intimidation orviolence. 22 Other women have reported that while police presence has increased, whenpolice leave the community they are at an even greater risk of violence.Some women have felt there is little relationship between the recommendations to theNorthern Territory Government contained in the Little Children are Sacred Report andthe Intervention measures. Many women have expressed distress and deep concernnot only about the Intervention measures themselves but also about the way in whichthe measures have been imposed on them. 23The Intervention and human rights obligationsThe Northern Territory Intervention raises significant concerns about Australia’sinternational obligations to respect and promote the human rights of Aboriginal andTorres Strait Islander Australians, including:• Despite being called a 'national emergency intervention', the AustralianGovernment has made no effort to use children’s rights and human rightsprinciples to frame its response.• The lack of consultation and engagement with Aboriginal communities beforethe Intervention measures were introduced (and, after that, about theircontinuation) undermines the fundamental right of Aboriginal and Torres StraitIslander peoples to participate meaningfully in decisions that affect their lives.• The suspension of the Racial Discrimination Act 1975 (Cth) (RacialDiscrimination Act) and the Northern Territory Anti-Discrimination Act (NT)raises serious concerns about the right to equality and freedom fromdiscrimination.and Indigenous Affairs and Other Legislation Amendment (Northern Territory National EmergencyResponse and Other Measures) Act 2007 (Cth).22 Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, Women in Australia,Australia's combined 6th and 7th report to the United Nations on the implementation of the Conventionon the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination (2008),, [2.45] (Australian Government Report).23 Some Australians have maintained that the intervention is ‘inherently and fatally flawed,’ while othersbelieve ‘that decisive government action on a broad range of policy fronts was essential, not leastbecause it had been the persistent demand of many, many Aboriginal people striving to keep theirfamilies and communities functioning in conditions of extreme stress.’ One continuing criticism is thetop-down approach in implementing the reforms and lack of community engagement and ‘sharedresponsibility.’ Sean Brennan, Gilbert and Tobin Submission to the NTER Review (2008) 2-4,. at 2 February2009.25