Paper short abstract

The Intervention commenced in July 2007 with a subsequent “roll out” of intervention and the appointment of General Business Managers in a number of communities. I will summarize the consequences of the Intervention on Aboriginal communities in the South-west region of the Northern Territory, the country of the Anangu Pitjantjatjara.

Paper long abstract

Abstract:

In this paper I wlll examine the government's adopted theory that the contemporary social pathology was caused by welfare. The Federal Government justified intervention based on constructions of widespread Aboriginal community dysfunction and in particular child sex abuse as outlined in the Northern Territory report, Little Children are Sacred (Ampe Akelyernemane Meke Mekarle) (Wild 2007). Media reports were numerous in the lead up to the intervention contributing to a national moral panic concerning Aboriginal children.

An analysis of consequences of intervention that sought to implement a number of changes, including: restructuring economies, test children for STDs and restrict alcohol sales. Quantitative and qualitative data will be presented to explore the consequences of these government programmes.