Officials stonewall Yuendumu violence report

By ERWIN CHLANDA

The responses received by the Alice Springs News into a survey of government and NGOs dealing with out-of-control youths in the township of Yuendumu are offensively shortcoming.

We asked Byron Matthews, Regional Manager of the National Indigenous Australians Agency, to arrange an interview about how many children are involved and what kind of involvement there is.

After a delay a spokesperson answered: “Unfortunately on this occasion we don’t have an appropriate person” to be interviewed but the News could say “the NIAA funds a number of activities in the region to support community safety.

“This includes a community safety patrol, a mediation and community justice program as well as programs to encourage young people to attend and engage at school.”

NIAA participates in fortnightly meetings with police and “seeks to address patterns of anti-social behaviour,” the spokesman stated.

Our survey started at the top: The Chief Minister and the Minister for Territory Families Kate Jane Worden gave no reply, and neither did police, prison in Alice Springs (some 600 inmates), schools nor Congress.

GOOGLE EARTH PHOTO: Yuendumu.