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New housing promised "next year" for One Mile Dam Aboriginal community |
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Justice for One Mile Dam?
David Timber gave Mick Lambe a yell to meet a visitor waiting outside their home/office/refuge (tin shed) this afternoon (10th June, 2005). It was Kim Hill a former NLC/ATSIC employee now working for the NT government. Kim was here to talk to us regarding governmental concerns about Yilli Rreung Housing not providing services to our community. David told Kim, "I'm still here" - underlining the reality of the threat to the One Mile Dam community's survival since development began encroaching on the community. We discussed a few matters that have been causing concern. http://onemiledam.org/pages/Legal_Threat.htm David let Kim know how the people here felt about Yilli Rreung's legal threat which poses a stumbling block to any Service Level Agreement being signed with them. Our willingness to work with Yilli Housing despite their "performance" needed to be reiterated a couple of times. The government obviously needed reassurances on that score. The Kumbutjil Association did make that 'willingness' clear in our response to Yilli's legal threat. It's not as though there are a host of service providers to choose from and we'd still have the same problems with any other housing mob. The NT is a very small place. (Appendix 2) And we are realists.
New housing promised
The last time Mick Lambe, Kumbutjil Association's Project Officer, suggested new housing for One Mile Dam to someone at Kim's level in the NT government heirarchy he was called a "smartarse" so it was a pleasant surprise to have Kim bring the subject up. Kim will be sending a planner around here soon to have a look at our situation and new housing is definitely on the agenda. In fact Kim stated, construction would begin "next year". We insisted on full consultation with the Kumbutjil Association, which is a basic (and logical) right, as the residents will be the people impacted by any changes. The Kumbutjil Association's right to represent the people of One Mile Dam is a legal and moral reality and our problems with Yilli Housing make what we consider "good governance" even more dependent on consultation. The NT Greens have already contributed some plans which we also hope will be addressed. http://onemiledam.org/pages/NT_GREENS_COMMUNITY_LIVING_ZONING.htm
Role of One Mile Dam needs recognition
We discussed the One Mile Dam community's long-term role in sheltering people passing through Darwin and the total unsuitability of the current 'refuge shelters' that would have been unacceptable in apartheid-era Soweto. The need for a medical facility was also discussed. Holding a frozen steak to a woman's broken arm for pain relief at 4am is just surreal, so close to the Darwin CBD. (There were three car accidents that night - so no reflection on the St John's Ambulance service which is much appreciated by the people here) Kim said, that the lease here was actually enacted with temporary accommodation in mind (which only highlights the neglect people have faced here for decades) so maybe we'll have beds and lighting in the 'wire mesh' one day soon. Like every other 'refuge' in Australia. Unfortunately, Kim balked at an office/admin' facility, although a lockable and weather/vermin/insect-proof demountable to house our delicate computer equipment in, doesn't seem a big ask. We have daily administrative needs just the same as every other (non-Aboriginal) community and apart from the nightmare of safe paperwork storage, we have already lost one computer, a monitor, etc...due to water, rats and insects. If anyone has a spare monitor sitting around it would be appreciated... We believe (given the increased administration tasks that new housing and cleaning up the dam will bring) that this refusal is unacceptable. We deserve the same working conditions as the people who are paid for their efforts, denying us this basic and essential community facility.
Yilli Rreung Housing
The Kumbutjil Association expect to hear from Yilli Rreung Housing in the near future and to be advised that their legal threats against us has been dropped. Kim Hill rightly stated, that this issue was between us and Yilli Housing. We suggest Yilli would do better, to either explain their actions logically or accept the current situation. We have yet to be coherently challenged on any of the facts (or even speculation) we have published. We publicise the good that people do - as readily as critiques. Performance-based assessments are an important part of 'good governance' as Kim Hill would (no doubt) be happy to testify.
Thanks The rapidity of this positive announcement in regard to our response to Yilli Housing's legal threat is appreciated. The people here are very pleased, as they were understandably worried about recent events. Clare Martin's NT government can only be expected to act appropriately in regard to the One Mile Dam community when in possession of a truthful and community-based assessment of its current situation.
Thank you Clare
- Mick lambe - Kumbutjil Association - Project Officer
Authorised by the Kumbutjil Association
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