Young offenders plunge Yuendumu into chaos

By ERWIN CHLANDA

See update below.

Relentless burglaries of businesses and homes by juveniles, in many cases night after night.

A fee of more than half a million dollars to provide private security for a business premises.

A superbly successful art business started in 1985 driven to uncertainty about its future.

Confusion about government Covid requirements: Should artists working as contractors be required to be vaccinated as are other workers?

This is a snapshot of Yuendumu today, a community of some 900 mostly Warlpiri people north-west of Alice Springs.

An outbreak of the pandemic on top of all that would plunge the community into chaos, says Warlukurlangu Artists manager Cecilia Alfonso.

Warlukurlangu has some 800 members from the region, some more sporadically involved than others, who provide art works to it, for sale the world over. Ms Alfonso says the commercial success this year has been outstanding.

The company usually takes a summer break and will this year, except the period of closure is unclear.

PHOTO supplied.

UPDATE November 17 2.35pm

Alice Springs News editor ERWIN CHLANDA spoke this morning to the chairman of the Central Desert Council, Adrian Dixon (pictured), asking how come there is so much trouble at the moment?

DIXON: It is a police matter. With our council buildings we get the police involved.

CHLANDA: How come the police are not able to stop this crime wave? It seems to be happening every night in some places.

DIXON: We [also] have the Southern Tanami Kurdiji (“an indigenous corporation in the industry of religious organizations with a revenue of $90,000” according to its website). They have meetings with the communities. We’re aware of all that. Everybody is involved there. [There are] programs though WYDAC (Warlpiri Youth Development Aboriginal Corporation).

CHLANDA: How come the programs are not helping? They don’t seem to be working.

DIXON: WYDAC is not part of Central Desert.

CHLANDA: I’m especially interested in the break-ins in Yuendumu. People are desperate. How come the community cannot stop the children from behaving in that way?

DIXON: It is up to the parents. There are programs that are identified. Yuendumu is a big community. Like I said, Central Desert doesn’t [take responsibility] for the program. That is WYDAC. And yes they do have a mediation group, families, and work out what needs to be done. And if it gets worse the police gets involved. For us, our council, we look after all the assets there. If things like this happen we usually go to the police.

CHLANDA: What do you think the parents should be doing to stop these troubles?

DIXON: To be honest, I don’t have that answer. Yuendumu is a bit separate – not separate, the parents, you know. Like I said, WYDAC is the one that should be involved. But the whole of Yuendumu should have a big community meeting, put in stronger laws into that place. With WYDAC and also the mediation group, get involved with the parents and the police. Have a meeting, how is it happening, who are the main instigators? They also have the Mt Theo program for troubled kids.

CHLANDA: What should be done by the parents?

DIXON: I don’t have that answer. It’s the parents’ decision. It goes on and on and on. We talk with the parents – not just us but we get the police to get involved. Some of the talking is just a waste of time. That’s my view.

CHLANDA: Are some of the parents not in Yuendumu? Are they in Alice Springs?

DIXON: I don’t know. People move around a lot.

CHLANDA: If such a meeting takes place, what decisions should it be making?

DIXON: It’s up to the parents and the community members.

CHLANDA: Thank you.