Northern Territory Emergency Response

The majority voted against a motion moved by Greens Senator Rachel Siewert, which means that it was unsuccessful. The motion was:

That the Senate—

(a) notes:

_(i) that it has been 4 years since the Northern Territory Emergency Response began,_

(ii) that investment in the program now exceeds $1.5 billion,

(iii) that the Closing the Gap report indicated that incarceration rates have risen, and that school attendance and

child nutrition have not improved, and

_(iv) the growing crisis in Alice Springs as many people move from community into Alice Springs;_

(b) draws attention to:

_(i) the statement being launched in Darwin, ' Rebuilding from the ground up – an alternative to the Northern Territory Intervention' which calls for a new approach based on principles of self-determination, community control and a commitment to land rights, and_

_(ii) the serious concern raised by the United Nations' Universal Periodic Review and the United Nations' Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination over Australia's failure to eliminate discrimination; and_

(c) calls for:

(i) the repeal of the Northern Territory Emergency Response legislation, and

(ii) the development of a long-term plan in partnership with Aboriginal communities to equalise life opportunities and outcomes, backed up with a sustained investment of resources, particularly in community-based organisations.