Federal Minister for Indigenous Australians Malarndirri McCarthy says social issues are key to addressing Far North youth crime. Photo: Facebook.
Federal Minister for Indigenous Australians Malarndirri McCarthy has visited Cape York and declared the “focus is on jobs and on families” to help drive down youth crime across the Far North.
Ms McCarthy was asked how the community could address young people stealing cars, raiding homes and engaging in antisocial behaviour in public when she appeared on 4CA’s Breakfast with Murray Jones in Cairns on Thursday (18 June).
It comes as Far North police have been targeting property offenders as part of Operation Yankee Forge. Between 27 February and 11 June, 239 children were charged with 770 offences, compared to 264 adults charged with 458 offences.
“Well, it’s all connected. Clearly, if people have jobs, if they come from homes where they can have a roof over their head and have a decent sleep, all of this is connected,” Ms McCarthy said.
She said the government was “aware of the social issues” and “our focus is on jobs and on families right across the country”.
“And I’d just say to your listeners that from my perspective and certainly from Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and our team, we are definitely working with every area in terms of trying to improve the lives for all Australians, but especially with my area of First Nations Australians,” Ms McCarthy said.
“I was able to go to AFL Cape York House and see the work that’s being done with our students, our young girls, there’s the young boys in the AFL House.
“These sorts of programs are there to also assist, to ensure that we get our youth on the right track, not just with their families, but also in places like the schools and the education system.”
Ms McCarthy said she had spent the past couple of days on the road in the “stunning part of the world”.
“I had the opportunity to drive up to Wujal Wujal. Taking the Bloomfield track to get there and obviously saw a lot of the roadworks through Mossman and was able to go to Jabalbina’s Visitor Centre,” she said.
“One of the areas that I’m trying to look at is our remote regions with jobs … to make sure that we’re rolling out the jobs that we need to here in Queensland, especially in the Far North. Jobs to be able to lift people out of poverty and to get on with their lives in remote and regional Australia.”
The minister spoke about Indigenous rangers becoming more involved in tourism across the region. Photo: Queensland Police.
Mr Jones pointed out there was potential for Indigenous communities when it came to untapped minerals in the region.
Ms McCarthy agreed, but said some communities “don’t have the luxury of being close to major productions or major mining developments”.
“So, it’s also about how do we look at the small scale as well … for example, in Wujal Wujal, we were looking at the (community) nursery there and the food security and the planting of foods and how they’re going, certainly since Cyclone Jasper, and listening to families and elders there,” she said.
Ms McCarthy spoke about Indigenous rangers becoming more involved in tourism across the region.
” … when I was at Cape Tribulation and went to see the Jabalbina staff there, there were rangers, there were interpreters, people who could tour guide and they actually had a school group, one of the schools from Victoria, I think, Haileybury school,” she said.
“And so these jobs that we’re providing is actually about sustainability, but also work that people enjoy, looking after Country, being on Country, talking about Country and being able to share that experience with all Australians and visitors from overseas.”
Ms McCarthy also said she wanted to attend the Cairns Indigenous Art Fair at some stage, if not this year.
“In fact, I met with some of the art gallery owners, Larissa Hale and her family up in Cooktown, and they’re preparing to come down and bring all their wares here … they’ll also go over to the Darwin Aboriginal fashion show over there,” she said.
Ms McCarthy said there was “extraordinary talent in the art sector and the fashion sector”.
Original Article published by Luke Mortimer on Region Tropical North Queensland.
