Budget Measures 2008-09 - Budget Paper No. 2 - Part 2: Expense Measures

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Whole of Government (continued)

Election Commitments

Closing the Gap — Bringing Them Home counsellors and Link‑Up services

Expense ($m)
	2007‑08	2008‑09	2009‑10	2010‑11	2011‑12
Department of Health and Ageing	0.5	4.4	5.9	5.0	-

The Government will provide $15.7 million over four years to improve counselling and other services for Indigenous people. The funding will provide for 20 additional Bringing Them Home counsellors by 2010‑11, targeted towards areas of need, and will enable over 1000 members of the Stolen Generations to reunite with their families through access to Link‑Up services.

This measure delivers on the Government's election commitment.

Closing the Gap — child and maternal health services

Expense ($m)
	2007‑08	2008‑09	2009‑10	2010‑11	2011‑12
Department of Health and Ageing	0.8	9.9	20.3	27.1	32.3

The Government will provide $90.3 million over five years to provide national coverage of child and maternal health services to Indigenous Australians.

This measure will provide $58.0 million to expand health education, treatment and care services to Indigenous mothers, babies and children. This includes funding for the screening and treatment of sight, hearing and other development issues through primary schools.

A further $32.3 million will be provided for home visits by nurses to Indigenous children in rural areas for children up to eight years of age. This will build on current funding under the Health @ Home Plus program. Infrastructure support, of up to $14.2 million, will also be provided to fund additional accommodation for health professionals and home visiting services in rural and remote locations.

A contribution of $75.0 million will be sought from State and Territory governments to provide further child and maternal services.

This measure delivers on the Government's election commitment.

Closing the Gap — contribution to Indigenous boarding colleges

Expense ($m)
	2007‑08	2008‑09	2009‑10	2010‑11	2011‑12
Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations	-	18.8	5.1	2.5	2.5

The Government will provide $28.9 million over four years towards the construction and operation of three new boarding colleges for Indigenous secondary school students in years 8 to 12 in the Northern Territory.

This will assist Indigenous young people from remote communities to obtain a secondary school education. One 40‑bed boarding facility will become operational during the 2009 school year, and 72‑bed and 40‑bed facilities will become operational during the 2010 school year.

An additional contribution of $15.0 million toward the construction costs will be provided by the Indigenous Land Corporation.

This measure delivers on the Government's election commitment.

Closing the Gap — expansion of intensive literacy and numeracy programs and individual learning plans

Expense ($m)
	2007‑08	2008‑09	2009‑10	2010‑11	2011‑12
Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations	-	8.1	16.1	16.1	16.1

The Government will provide of $56.4 million over four years to expand intensive literacy and numeracy programs in schools to improve educational outcomes for Indigenous students and contribute to the Government's objective of halving the literacy and numeracy achievement gap between Indigenous and non‑Indigenous students. This funding will include support for teachers to enable them to prepare and maintain individual learning plans for every Indigenous student for every year of schooling up to Year 10.

Funding of $51.5 million for the measure will be provided from the redirection of funds from the Realising Our Potential — Summer Schools for Teachers Program.

See also the related savings measure titled Realising Our Potential — Summer Schools for Teachers Program in the Education, Employment and Workplace Relations portfolio.

This measure delivers on the Government's election commitment.

Closing the Gap — getting remote Aboriginal children to enrol in school

Expense ($m)
	2007‑08	2008‑09	2009‑10	2010‑11	2011‑12
Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations	3.8	11.6	20.0	29.0	34.4

The Government will provide $98.8 million over five years to provide 200 additional teachers to assist in the education of up to 2000 additional students of compulsory school age who are currently not enrolled in schools in the 73 communities affected by the Northern Territory Emergency Response. As a result of this measure 50 additional teachers will commence in each calendar year over four years from the 2008 school year. The funding will be provided to Northern Territory education providers to recruit and employ the additional teachers.

This measure delivers on the Government's election commitment.

Closing the Gap — Indigenous early development and learning services — parenting support

Expense ($m)
	2007‑08	2008‑09	2009‑10	2010‑11	2011‑12
Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs	0.6	3.1	4.8	8.1	-

The Government will provide $16.6 million over four years for additional early childhood and informal parenting services for Indigenous children and their families across Australia. In child care centres and play group settings, additional services will be provided to assist parents with their new parenting role, including to assist them to meet the health, education and nurturing needs of their children. The aim is to provide early intervention to families in greatest need, to ensure the needs of their children are being met from an early age.

This measure delivers on the Government's election commitment.

Closing the Gap — Indigenous mothers' accommodation fund

Expense ($m)
	2007‑08	2008‑09	2009‑10	2010‑11	2011‑12
Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs	-	2.0	4.0	4.0	-

The Government will provide $10.0 million over three years to establish new hostels and expand existing accommodation in cities and regional centres to assist Indigenous women needing to leave their communities temporarily to have their babies. These facilities will help Indigenous women receive appropriate care in the final weeks of their pregnancy, as well as during and immediately after the birth of their child.

This measure delivers on the Government's election commitment.

Closing the Gap — National Arts and Crafts Industry Support Program — expansion

Expense ($m)
	2007‑08	2008‑09	2009‑10	2010‑11	2011‑12
Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts	1.6	2.0	2.0	2.0	-

The Government will provide an additional $7.6 million over four years for the National Arts and Crafts Industry Support Program to support Indigenous arts centres. This additional support will bring total Government funding for the program to $31.4 million over four years from 2007‑08.

The additional funding will assist these organisations build sustainable businesses by strengthening governance and business management practices, providing opportunities for artists in their professional art practice, and providing art workers with opportunities to develop professional skills and experience.

This measure delivers on the Government's election commitment.

Closing the Gap — reconciliation between Indigenous and Non‑Indigenous Australians — consultation

Expense ($m)
	2007‑08	2008‑09	2009‑10	2010‑11	2011‑12
Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs	-	-	-	-	-

The Government will provide $1.2 million (including $0.7 million in 2007‑08) to advance the process of reconciliation between Indigenous and non‑Indigenous Australians.

This measure will fund consultation on the establishment of a national representative body and a regional representation structure for Indigenous Australians. Funding has already been provided in 2007‑08 to facilitate consultation on the nature of the Apology to the Stolen Generations.

The cost of this measure will be met from within the existing resourcing of the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs.

This measure delivers on the Government's election commitment.

Closing the Gap — reducing rheumatic heart fever for Indigenous children

Expense ($m)
	2007‑08	2008‑09	2009‑10	2010‑11	2011‑12
Department of Health and Ageing	0.1	1.6	3.1	3.2	3.2

The Government will provide $11.2 million over five years to establish a national unit to coordinate efforts to tackle Rheumatic Heart Fever among Indigenous children, and to establish program sites in the Northern Territory, Western Australia and Queensland to provide diagnosis and improved access to necessary antibiotics.

See also the related expense measure titled Closing the Gap — child and maternal health services in the Health and Ageing portfolio.

This measure delivers on the Government's election commitment.

Other measures

Closing the Gap — Australian Public Service Indigenous Employment Strategy — continuation

Expense ($m)
	2007‑08	2008‑09	2009‑10	2010‑11	2011‑12
Australian Public Service Commission	-	2.6	-	-	-

The Government will provide $2.6 million in 2008‑09 to continue the Australian Public Service Indigenous Employment Strategy. The strategy aims to increase the employment and retention of Indigenous Australians across the public service.

Closing the Gap — closing the evidence gap

Expense ($m)
	2007‑08	2008‑09	2009‑10	2010‑11	2011‑12
Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs	-	1.1	0.6	-	-

The Government will provide $1.7 million over two years to address data gaps in relation to Indigenous outcomes to help improve Indigenous policy making. This measure includes an extension to the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Survey, to provide more data on the wellbeing of Indigenous children. The extra data will assist governments to better evaluate their progress in addressing Indigenous disadvantage, and report on the results of the programs. Additionally, a clearing house will be established to gather and disseminate evidence on effective policy interventions for Indigenous children.

Closing the Gap — extension of the Business Ready Program for Indigenous Tourism

Expense ($m)
	2007‑08	2008‑09	2009‑10	2010‑11	2011‑12
Department of Resources, Energy and Tourism	-	1.8	-	-	-

The Government will provide $1.8 million in 2008‑09 for the extension of the Business Ready Program for Indigenous Tourism, a pilot program which assists Indigenous tourism operators develop, establish and run successful tourism businesses. The extension of the program for one year will provide continuity of mentoring to those businesses currently in the program, while allowing more time for the Government to develop a comprehensive strategy for the role of tourism in the economic development of Indigenous communities.

Closing the Gap — Indigenous drug and alcohol services

Expense ($m)
	2007‑08	2008‑09	2009‑10	2010‑11	2011‑12
Department of Health and Ageing	-	4.0	10.4	17.0	18.0

The Government will provide $49.3 million over four years to expand drug and alcohol rehabilitation and treatment services for Indigenous Australians, especially in remote areas. This will include the construction or expansion of residential rehabilitation facilities, increased staff and staff accommodation, and the establishment of community‑based multidisciplinary teams to provide a comprehensive approach to countering substance abuse in Indigenous communities.

State and Territory governments, through agreements reached by the Council of Australian Governments, have committed to providing complementary investments and services to support this initiative.

Closing the Gap — Indigenous tobacco initiative

Expense ($m)
	2007‑08	2008‑09	2009‑10	2010‑11	2011‑12
Department of Health and Ageing	-	-	-	-	-

The Government will provide $14.5 million over four years from 2008‑09 to establish an Indigenous tobacco initiative to tackle high rates of smoking in the Indigenous population.

This will include supporting research into effective anti‑tobacco strategies in Indigenous communities; trialling innovative, culturally appropriate community interventions and communication activities; and offering smoking cessation training to staff working in Indigenous health. Tobacco smoking is a major risk factor for chronic conditions and diseases such as cardiovascular disease and cancer among Indigenous Australians.

The cost of this measure will be met from within the existing resourcing of the Department of Health and Ageing.

Closing the Gap — Northern Territory — Aboriginal Interpreter Service

Expense ($m)
	2007‑08	2008‑09	2009‑10	2010‑11	2011‑12
Attorney-General's Department	-	0.8	-	-	-

The Government will provide $0.8 million in 2008‑09 to continue additional Indigenous interpreter services in support of the Northern Territory Emergency Response. The services will be delivered by the Northern Territory Aboriginal Interpreter Service and will assist Indigenous people to obtain information and advice regarding the Emergency Response.

Ongoing funding requirements for the Northern Territory Emergency Response will be reviewed prior to the 2009‑10 Budget and will be based on the evaluation. Provision has also been made in the Contingency Reserve for ongoing costs associated with the Emergency Response.

Closing the Gap — Northern Territory — accommodation for government personnel in remote communities

Expense ($m)
	2007‑08	2008‑09	2009‑10	2010‑11	2011‑12
Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs	-	0.3	-	-	-
Related capital ($m)
Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs	-	6.7	-	-	-

The Government will provide $8.9 million in 2008‑09 as part of the Northern Territory Emergency Response to enable upgraded accommodation to be provided to government personnel at 24 sites in the Northern Territory.

Funding of $1.9 million will be met from within the existing resourcing of the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs. This measure also includes $6.7 million in capital funding in 2008‑09 for the acquisition and associated costs of 24 transportable buildings.

Ongoing funding requirements for the Northern Territory Emergency Response will be determined prior to the 2009‑10 Budget and will be based on the evaluation. Provision has also been made in the Contingency Reserve for ongoing costs associated with the Emergency Response.

Closing the Gap — Northern Territory — Centrelink's role

Expense ($m)
	2007‑08	2008‑09	2009‑10	2010‑11	2011‑12
Centrelink	-	4.2	-	-	-
Related capital ($m)
Centrelink	-	1.6	-	-	-

The Government will provide $5.8 million in 2008‑09 to continue and enhance Centrelink's service delivery capability in the Northern Territory. This measure will assist Centrelink to improve agent services and infrastructure for the delivery of services to Indigenous Australians in remote Northern Territory communities.

This measure includes capital funding of $1.6 million for upgrading office equipment in the affected Centrelink agent sites.

Closing the Gap — Northern Territory — Commonwealth Ombudsman support

Expense ($m)
	2007‑08	2008‑09	2009‑10	2010‑11	2011‑12
Office of the Commonwealth Ombudsman	-	0.2	-	-	-

The Government will provide $0.2 million in 2008‑09 to continue complaints‑handling procedures in relation to Northern Territory Emergency Response activities.

Closing the Gap — Northern Territory — community engagement

Expense ($m)
	2007‑08	2008‑09	2009‑10	2010‑11	2011‑12
Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs	-	3.8	-	-	-

The Government will provide $3.8 million in 2008‑09 for community engagement in the Northern Territory. This measure includes funding to facilitate community input into the implementation of the Emergency Response through regional consultation workshops, the recruitment of Indigenous community engagement brokers and improved access to trained interpreters.

Closing the Gap — Northern Territory — continuation of early childhood program

Expense ($m)
	2007‑08	2008‑09	2009‑10	2010‑11	2011‑12
Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs	-	0.4	-	-	-

The Government will provide $0.4 million in 2008‑09 for four early childhood services in the Northern Territory. These services focus on early intervention support for families, including addressing family and child violence, child development and wellbeing needs, and linking families with other assistance such as housing, health and education services. This measure will provide improved support for Indigenous parents and their children.

Closing the Gap — Northern Territory — crèches

Expense ($m)
	2007‑08	2008‑09	2009‑10	2010‑11	2011‑12
Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations	-	2.3	-	-	-

The Government will provide $2.3 million in 2008‑09 to fund the operating expenses of ten crèches in the Northern Territory.

The crèches will provide a platform for the delivery of childhood immunisation and health screening, parenting support and information programs, nutrition programs, child abuse prevention and awareness and cultural activities.

Closing the Gap — Northern Territory — enhancing education

Expense ($m)
	2007‑08	2008‑09	2009‑10	2010‑11	2011‑12
Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations	-	19.1	-	-	-

The Government will provide $19.1 million in 2008‑09 as part of an enhanced education package for the Northern Territory. The funding will provide professional development for teachers to enable them to deliver proven, evidence‑based methods of teaching literacy and numeracy to Indigenous students. It will help them gain professional qualifications, such as English as a second language. Funding will also be provided for up to six additional classrooms to meet demand as school attendance measures increase enrolments.

Closing the Gap — Northern Territory — extension of the National Indigenous Violence and Child Abuse Intelligence Task Force

Expense ($m)
	2007‑08	2008‑09	2009‑10	2010‑11	2011‑12
Australian Crime Commission	-	4.2	-	-	-

The Government will provide $4.2 million in 2008‑09 to the Australian Crime Commission to sustain the National Indigenous Violence and Child Abuse Intelligence Task Force special investigation in the Northern Territory for another year.

This measure will facilitate a better understanding of the nature and extent of child abuse and violence in the Northern Territory. It will enable the Australian Crime Commission to guide investigations in collaboration with the Northern Territory Police.

Ongoing funding requirements for the Northern Territory Emergency Response will reviewed prior to the 2009‑10 Budget and will be based on the evaluation. Provision has also been made in the Contingency Reserve for ongoing costs associated with the Emergency Response.

Closing the Gap — Northern Territory — family support package

Expense ($m)
	2007‑08	2008‑09	2009‑10	2010‑11	2011‑12
Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs	-	9.8	-	-	-

The Government will provide $9.8 million in 2008‑09 as part of a family support package for the Northern Territory. The funding will support the operation of safe houses established in 15 communities. It will also provide support for a mobile child protection team and Indigenous family and community workers to operate in remote areas with high needs.

Closing the Gap — Northern Territory — follow up care

Expense ($m)
	2007‑08	2008‑09	2009‑10	2010‑11	2011‑12
Department of Health and Ageing	-	13.6	-	-	-

The Government will provide $13.6 million in 2008‑09 to provide follow‑up care, including specialist care, to address health problems identified through the child health checks delivered as part of the Northern Territory Emergency Response. This funding will specifically address short‑term requirements for follow‑up treatment and care including ear, nose and throat and oral health care. It will also provide for the continuation of outreach teams to support Indigenous Australians in communities affected by the withdrawal of alcohol, and ongoing services for children and families affected by child abuse and trauma. Services will be targeted specifically at the Northern Territory Emergency Response designated communities and aim to reduce waiting lists and the backlog of untreated health needs.

Ongoing funding requirements for the Northern Territory Emergency Response will be reviewed prior to the 2009‑10 Budget and will be based on the evaluation. Provision has been made in the Contingency Reserve for ongoing costs associated with the Emergency Response.

Closing the Gap — Northern Territory — further welfare and employment reform

Expense ($m)
	2007‑08	2008‑09	2009‑10	2010‑11	2011‑12
Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations	-38.6	66.4	-	-	-
Department of Human Services	-1.9	-	-	-	-
Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs	49.5	-	-	-	-
Total	9.1	66.4	-	-	-

The Government will provide $75.5 million over two years to continue employment services and pre‑employment programs in the Northern Territory. This includes funding for Centrelink of $1.0 million in 2008‑09.

This measure will enhance employment opportunities (including through the provision of around 30 Community Employment Brokers) and continue to provide employment services to Indigenous people who previously received Remote Area Exemptions relating to activity testing for income support.

This measure also includes funding for Community Development Employment Projects (CDEP) in the Northern Territory as part of the Government's commitment to review and reform CDEP announced by the Minister for Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs on 10 December 2007.

Closing the Gap — Northern Territory — government business managers

Expense ($m)
	2007‑08	2008‑09	2009‑10	2010‑11	2011‑12
Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs	-	30.8	-	-	-

The Government will provide $30.8 million in 2008‑09 for government business managers in Northern Territory communities. The government business managers, who are based in local Indigenous communities, have coordinated the implementation of the Emergency Response in these communities and will continue to facilitate the effective delivery of government services.

Closing the Gap — Northern Territory — income management

Expense ($m)
	2007‑08	2008‑09	2009‑10	2010‑11	2011‑12
Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs	2.7	60.1	-	-	-
Department of Human Services	2.8	3.6	-	-	-
Total	5.5	63.7	-	-	-

The Government will provide $69.2 million over two years to continue income management as part of the Northern Territory Emergency Response.

Under income management arrangements, 50 per cent of income support and family payments are quarantined for priority items such as food, clothing and shelter. The aim is to limit the scope for alcohol and substance abuse, which can lead to violence and other anti‑social behaviour, and to ensure the key needs of Indigenous families and children are met. The measure includes the introduction of an income management debit card which will make it easier for Indigenous people and businesses to make transactions.

The measure also includes: continuation of licensing arrangements for community stores to ensure they are providing adequate food supply and improved services; and financial education, training and financial crisis support to Indigenous families to help them to better manage their finances.

This measure includes funding for Centrelink of $2.7 million in 2007‑08 and $50.4 million in 2008‑09 to implement and administer income management in the Northern Territory.

Closing the Gap — Northern Territory — leadership and coordination

Expense ($m)
	2007‑08	2008‑09	2009‑10	2010‑11	2011‑12
Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs	-	32.4	-	-	-

The Government will provide $32.4 million in 2008‑09 for the continued management and coordination of activities in the Northern Territory. This measure includes funding for:

the continuation for a further six months of the Northern Territory Emergency Response Taskforce, which provides oversight and guidance in relation to the Emergency Response;
an independent review of the Emergency Response, which will commence in July 2008, to inform the future extent and scope of initiatives commenced under the Emergency Response;
policy, planning and logistics support (including vehicles and communications); and
a community capability fund to meet local needs identified as not able to be met by other established programs.

Closing the Gap — Northern Territory — legal assistance for Indigenous Australians

Expense ($m)
	2007‑08	2008‑09	2009‑10	2010‑11	2011‑12
Attorney-General's Department	-	2.0	-	-	-

The Government will provide $2.0 million in 2008‑09 to continue funding for additional legal aid services in support of the Northern Territory Emergency Response.

Closing the Gap — Northern Territory — night patrol operational equipment

Expense ($m)
	2007‑08	2008‑09	2009‑10	2010‑11	2011‑12
Attorney-General's Department	3.9	-	-	-	-

The Government will provide $3.9 million in 2007‑08 for vehicles, communication and safety equipment for night patrol operations funded under the Northern Territory Night Patrol Program. Funding for this measure will be partially provided from the redirection of funds initially provided to Department of Families, Housing Community Services and Indigenous Affairs to meet leasing costs associated with items of capital equipment. Given the specialised nature of the night patrol vehicles and associated safety equipment, these items could not be leased through the funds originally provided.

Closing the Gap — Northern Territory — night patrol services

Expense ($m)
	2007‑08	2008‑09	2009‑10	2010‑11	2011‑12
Attorney-General's Department	-	17.7	-	-	-

The Government will provide $17.7 million in 2008‑09 to fund night patrol services in identified Northern Territory communities. The Attorney‑General's Department currently funds night patrol services in 73 Indigenous communities, promoting community safety and assisting individuals at risk.

Closing the Gap — Northern Territory — playgroups

Expense ($m)
	2007‑08	2008‑09	2009‑10	2010‑11	2011‑12
Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs	-	0.7	-	-	-

The Government will provide $0.7 million in 2008‑09 to support playgroups in the Northern Territory. The playgroups will provide 190 Indigenous children with structured learning through play‑based activities and a safe development environment for children and their carers. Additional services are also provided to Indigenous parents to assist them in their parenting roles.

Closing the Gap — Northern Territory — promoting law and order

Expense ($m)
	2007‑08	2008‑09	2009‑10	2010‑11	2011‑12
Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs	-	11.6	-	-	-

The Government will provide $11.6 million in 2008‑09 to continue a range of law and order activities, to provide greater safety and security to people in Northern Territory Indigenous communities.

This measure includes funding for:

ancillary costs associated with the deployment of 66 Australian Federal Police officers to the Northern Territory (such as for uniforms, equipment and infrastructure);
activities supporting restrictions on alcohol, such as alcohol management plans, education programs and prevention activities; and
helping restrict access to pornography through audits of government funded computers.

Closing the Gap — Northern Territory — school nutrition

Expense ($m)
	2007‑08	2008‑09	2009‑10	2010‑11	2011‑12
Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations	-	7.4	-	-	-

The Government will provide $7.4 million in 2008‑09 for a school nutrition program. This funding is part of an education package for the Northern Territory and aims to improve school attendance, student performance and health by delivering nutritious breakfast and lunch in schools.

Closing the Gap — Northern Territory — youth alcohol diversion

Expense ($m)
	2007‑08	2008‑09	2009‑10	2010‑11	2011‑12
Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs	-	9.5	-	-	-

The Government will provide $9.5 million in 2008‑09 to support activities which are an alternative to drinking and other substance abuse, such as participation in sport. This measure will enable the establishment and operation of a Northern Territory Regional Youth Development Network, in order to improve the quality, quantity and coordination of diversionary activities. This measure will also enable continuation of the Alice Springs Town Camp Youth Diversion Project and the Central Australia School Holiday Program.

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