Dear Editor,

There has been an allegation of another child being raped in Tennant Creek. I understand it is the fourth known rape or alleged rape a child since 2018. The 2018 rape was the reason for the establishment of the Barkly Regional Deal in 2019, a plan that came with with $100.5 million in funding to allow the three tiers of government to work with the Barkly community to support social and economic development, and address disadvantage of Indigenous peoples.

But the federal Indigenous Australians Minister Linda Burney and Chief Minister Eva Lawler now need to review the Barkly Regional Deal.

The Barkly Regional Deal purports to be the centre of decision making in advancing service provision, including new initiatives, to improve the well being and quality of life in the region. But this is not the case.

The levels of all forms of violence in the Barkly is at least 20 to 25 per cent higher than Alice Springs, school attendance is at about 30 per cent, unemployment is at about 80 per cent, and service provision and the coordination of the same is non-existent, and that includes government agencies.

The Barkly Regional Deal has failed dismally.

In fact, the service provision, coordination, and capacity to engage Indigenous people has gone backwards.

The governance table provides no leadership. It is insular in its governance and management practices. It has become a clearing bank for only infrastructure projects plus a few tractors here and there.

There are absolutely no cultural considerations across the Barkly.

The federal and Territory governments have pumped an extra $300 million into Alice Springs. And they appointed a regional coordinator in an attempt to ensure that the dollars would be targeted.

I would respectfully request that you apply the same response and principles to the Barkly.

Both Julalikari Council Aboriginal Corporation and the Barkly Regional Council are in administration. None of the Indigenous and/or the Barkly region entities engage with each other. It is shambolic with no likelihood or intent to address.

The public servants are held to ransom by the Indigenous leadership; we are our own enemy.

We are advised that entities in the Barkly are not eligible to submit grant applications in respect to the approximate $97 million underspend in Central Australia.

We are told: “You have the Barkly Regional Deal”.

It’s a nonsense. People in the Barkly are part of Central Australia. Again, this is incompetent commonwealth public servants compromising the well being of Indigenous people.

Minister Burney, Chief Minister, it is important, it is critical, that you intervene as you did in the Alice Springs region.

Start by reviewing the Barkly Regional Deal.

We don’t want it dumped. We want it to carry out its tasks in the interest of everyone in the Barkly. Appoint a regional coordinator to restore a sense of certainty and direction and a prudent expenditure of dollars.

Elliot McAdam,

Member of the suspended Barkly Regional Council

Tennant Creek

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