Well at least it's nice to get a response

Dear Kaja

Thank you for your email about the Federal Government's intervention in
the Northern Territory.

Labor believes that the safety of children is paramount and has given
in-principle, bipartisan support to this initiative.

Akelyernemane Meke Mekarle: Little Children are Sacred, the Northern
Territory report on child abuse detailed disturbing levels of child
abuse in Indigenous communities. It is incumbent on all levels of
government and all sides of politics to make preventing this abuse a
national priority.

The Federal Government is still developing detailed plans for the
measures they are implementing. We have asked to receive regular
briefings from the Federal Government to ensure it accords with
best-practise in health, policing, child protection and community
engagement.

We will provide a detailed response to the Federal Government's measures
when any proposed legislation has been drafted and is made available.
The Government has advised that this may be several weeks away. The test
that Labor will apply to this legislation is whether it helps to make
children safe.

Federal Labor believes that we need both an urgent and long-term
approach to secure the safety and well-being of children at risk. We
have to back positive community leadership and put in place the building
blocks for a more sustainable future in remote areas.

Federal Labor has already made a number of commitments to long term
initiatives to improve the lives of Indigenous Australians:

* to close the Indigenous life expectancy gap in a generation and
halve the Indigenous child mortality gap in ten years
* $261 million for comprehensive coverage of Indigenous child and
maternal health, parenting support, early learning and intensive support
for literacy and numeracy
* $30 million to provide an extra 200 teachers for the at least
2,000 Aboriginal children who are not enrolled in school - at all - in
remote Indigenous communities in the Northern Territory
* to rapidly recruit more Indigenous officers in the Australian
Federal Police under a $200 million Australian Federal Policing plan
* $15.7 million towards social and emotional well-being through
more Bringing Them Home counsellors and link up services, particularly
in remote areas

We are working hard on developing further proposals in partnership with
Indigenous Australians that will make a lasting difference in the
Northern Territory, and across Australia.

Thank you again for your contribution to this tremendously important
issue.

Kind regards,



Kevin Rudd
Federal Labor Leader
Member for Griffith

and

Ian has his L-plates now (much like a permit in the States)
He drove home this afternoon. Boy have I forgotten how hard
it is when you first start driving. Was it really that long ago that I taught
Iver and Torfinn? I guess it's been a good 6 years now since Iver learned. I hope I'm still
cut out for this job!
This is a monumental week for us, Thursday Morning I have our Citizenship interview. I'm applying for a New Job, and well
it's all just very exciting around here.

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