AFTER years of government neglect at all levels, the community on Mornington Island this week received the news that the federal minister for Indigenous Affairs, Nigel Scullion and the assistant minister for Health, Fiona Nash will make a flying visit in May.
The news was announced by Queensland LNP senator Barry O’Sullivan, who flew to the island himself in January, a visit he described as sobering.
“I would describe it as a microcosm of the third world in paradise," he said.
“There’s no general community awareness of the difficulties there. It’s not on a drive to anywhere.
“It will take a special awareness to bring the issues out and I’m sure these ministers will come with their eyes wide open and I hope they will have solutions in their pockets.”
News of the May 20 visit was welcomed by Mornington Shire Council mayor Bradley Wilson, who said it would set a new direction for Mornington and all of the Wellesley Islands.
“They will be able to see first-hand the difficulties we have in providing the services our community needs and expects now and in the future,” he said.
CEO Frank Mills described the visit as an opportunity to put their views and aspirations to the right audience.
“The council and staff are working tirelessly to set a direction that will see sustainability of local government. This can only be achieved if the right support is given to achieve these goals.”
The very poor and isolated community at the bottom of the Gulf of Carpentaria has a total dependence on government funding, is regularly sending community members to Townsville for renal dialysis, has very few jobs to offer its youth, and has a steady stream of people through its courts on charges of home brewing.
The announcement of the ministerial visit comes soon after Prime Minister Tony Abbott presented the 2015 Closing the Gap report to parliament, describing it as in many respects “profoundly disappointing”, saying that Australia was not on track to achieve most outcomes.
The campaign’s goal is to close the health and life expectancy gap between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and non-indigenous Australians within a generation.
It has a strong emphasis on practical actions to get children to school, adults into work, make communities safer and to advance constitutional recognition.
Mr O’Sullivan said he had highlighted the issues of diabetes, rogue alcoholic manufacture, the damage it was causing to health and the lack of facilities to deal with it on the island to Senator Nash.
“Root causes need to be looked at and measures taken right across the country,” he said.
Mr O’Sullivan had originally promised the Mornington community an audience with any federal minister they wanted to see to state their case, saying it was difficult for politicians to find time to travel.
Mayor Bradley Wilson dug his heels in, responding that a trip to Canberra would be a huge expense for the small local government, and the policy makers needed to see the scale of the issues first-hand.
“It is good to see Senator O’Sullivan come through on his promise to council,” Cr Wilson said.
Sally Cripps
Journalist
Journalist
