Aboriginal Territorians who were abused encouraged to access support service

With the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses in Child Sexual Abuse due in Darwin in two weeks, Relationships Australia NT said it’s important Aboriginal Territorians aren’t forgotten.

The organisation says that many of the victims, survivors and people affected by institutional childhood abuse in the Territory are Aboriginal and Islander peoples.

“We have Indigenous advisors, cultural consultants and Aboriginal family workers who can, where appropriate, work with Aboriginal people who were abused in coming forward to give evidence,” Ms Morrison said.

“But we also want people to know that we are here for them whether or not they choose to share their story with the Commission.

“We can answer any questions about the process, be a friendly and supportive ear and also help those who want to tell their story.”

Relationships Australia NT was the only NT support service to be given Federal funding to support victims presenting at the Royal Commission.

Know More was funded to provide legal support across Australia, while the Northern Australian Aboriginal Justice Association (NAAJA) will provide community education in the Top End.

Relationships Australia NT is meeting and working with these agencies and others, including Aboriginal services to ensure the most culturally sensitive and appropriate response.

Ms Morrison said Relationship Australia NT’s services are free to victims, survivors and people affected by childhood institutional abuse.

“Our staff will be there for people before, during and after the Commission,” she said.

“On the Tiwi Islands alone, including Nguiu, Milikapiti and Pirlingimpi, we have a qualified counsellor and three Aboriginal staff who can talk with people.

“People who live more than 50Km away from where they are scheduled to share their experiences in a private sitting can also apply to the Commission to assist with their  travel and accommodation costs.”

The Royal Commission will be in Darwin on Tuesday 15 October as part of its national tour to hear from victims and survivors of institutional childhood sexual abuse.

Territorians who want to present their story to the Commission are required to register their interest via www.childabuseroyalcommission.gov.au  but Ms Morrison said her staff can help people through this process.

To contact Relationships Australia NT for more information or support please visit www.nt.relationships.org.au or call 1300 364 277.

Alice Springs’ new recycled water scheme ready for testing

New water recycling facilities have been commissioned in Alice Springs this week and will undergo three months of testing before the water is supplied to businesses and institutions south of Heavitree Gap.

 As part of the Alice Water Smart Reuse Project, the new treatment processes at the Alice Springs wastewater plant will improve the quality of recycled water available.

 Around ten large businesses and institutions south of The Gap will use the water for irrigation and horticultural purposes, such as watering gardens at caravan parks and the cemetery, as well as road and civil construction works.

 “It will save around 220 million litres of the drinking water that is currently used for these purposes each year. That’s equivalent to 100 Olympic sized swimming pools”, says Alice Water Smart Project Manager Les Seddon.

The new facilities include an architecturally designed building to house gravity filters and UV reactors, as well as 3.5km of new network distribution pipe and an additional 2.5 Megalitre storage tank.

 As part of the three-month testing period, Power and Water Corporation and the Department of Health will carry out a series of validation checks to ensure the system is robust.

 "Along with water quality testing, we’ll be monitoring how the system works under various operational conditions, such as when there is peak demand or low water levels in the tanks.”

 “We are currently in discussions with businesses and institutions south of the Gap about how they can access the scheme and we look forward to that first turn of the tap.”

 95 tonnes of special sand media has been brought in from NSW for use in the system’s new gravity filters; which has some irony for a place that is surrounded by sand.”

 "The certified sand has a high quartz content, so it is quite strong and won’t break down into powder form to clog the system. The sand grains are uniform in size to allow wastewater to filter through, and small enough to pick up tiny solid particles along the way.”

 After the sewerage has travelled through several wastewater ponds over a 70-day period, the recycling process takes about one hour, which includes the following five steps:

 Acid and coagulant is added to a reactor tank to modfy pH and bind fine solids together

Waste water enters a Dissolved Air Flotation (DAF) tank to inject air and allow solid particles to float to the top (which are scraped off and sent to waste)

Partially treated water enters the new gravity media (sand) filters to remove more solid particles and further improve quality

Pumps push the water through 80 high intensity UV lamps to disinfect pathogens (disease forming bacteria)

Recycled water is then injected with chlorine and stored in two 2.5 megalitre storage tanks, from where it is accessed by the end user.

 Testing is expected to be complete by mid December and will be available for customers straight away.

 Alice Water Smart is supported by the Australian Government.

 

Residents move into Zuccoli

While residential construction continues at Zuccoli its first residents have moved in.

A handful of Territorians now call the Palmerston East suburb home after the finishing touches on their houses were recently completed.

They are the first of more than 6000 people who will live in master planned community, which is fringed by bushland and adjacent to the Stuart Highway and Lambrick Avenue. 

Urbex, in partnership with the Land Development Corporation, developed Stage 1 of the neighbourhood and spent more than $6 million on the installation of electrical, sewage, water and telecommunications networks.

Urbex General Manager Wayne Rex said it was a momentous day for the project and for the joint venture partners Urbex and the Land Development Corporation.. 

“Our team has worked diligently with the government and local builders to keep the project on track and on target,” Mr Rex said.

“We are passionate about what we do and committed to building communities that are affordable and maintain the Territory way of life.

“Zuccoli has been designed for life with flexibility, diversity and room for growth and it’s wonderful to see residents moving in and fulfilling the joint ventures’ vision of urban development in the Territory.”

Miriam Smith and her partner Chris Ryan are one of the first Territory families to call Zuccoli home after purchasing land in December last year.

 
They rented in Moulden to save for a deposit and haven’t looked back since moving into their new address, built by Vanguard Homes, last week.

“It was the best decision we’ve ever made,” Ms Smith said.

“I love the area and at night time it’s so peaceful and there’s lots of nature sounds.

“It (Zuccoli) has a semi-rural feeling with the surrounding bush, and it’s great having the parks so close by for my girls and our dogs.”

 
Zuccoli features lots ranging in size from 577 sqm to more than 1000 sqm, a variety of cycling and walking paths, and easy access to the amenities of Palmerston and Coolalinga.
 
More than 30 per cent of Stage 1 has been dedicated to parks and conservation with Mitchell Creek and the 17 Mile Camp WWII Heritage Trail on its doorstep.

Large lots are currently available at Zuccoli and residents looking to buy land are encouraged to visit the Urbex Realty, Sales and Information Centre at 18 Cavenagh Street, Darwin.

For more information visit www.zuccolivillage.com.au.

Sex abuse victims told to seek support

Territorians affected by childhood sexual abuse are encouraged to connect with Relationships Australia NT ahead of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses in Child Sexual Abuse, which comes to Darwin on Tuesday 15 October for the first round of private hearings.

The Commission, which started in Western Australia last month and held the first public hearing was in Sydney this week, will be in town to hear from victims and survivors in private sessions over several days.

 Relationships Australia NT CEO Marie Morrison said the organisation can support anyone who has experienced institutional childhood sexual abuse including people who wish to share their story with the Commission.

“It can be a very emotional, challenging and confronting experience for people to talk about what happened to them,” Ms Morrison said.

“We have been counselling in the Territory for 40 years and worked with many people affected by childhood sexual abuse and abuse experienced in a variety of intuitional settings.  

“Our counsellors are available to help victims explore and collate their story, provide referrals where appropriate and in addition we can provide appropriate liaison through our Aboriginal advisors.”

During the private sessions, people will have one hour to present their story to one or two commissioners in a confidential and informal setting.

Ms Morrison said a high number of those sexually abused as children in the Northern Territory are Aboriginal and/or living in remote Territory communities.

“Where appropriate our Indigenous advisors, cultural consultants and Aboriginal family workers assist in connecting counsellors with victims,” she said.

“On the Tiwi Islands alone, including Nguiu, Milikapiti and Pirlingimpi, we have a qualified counsellor and three Aboriginal staff who will help those who were abused in coming forward to give evidence.”

Relationships Australia NT was awarded $650 000 in funding over the next three years by the federal government to support survivors of childhood sexual abuse that will take part in the Commission.

It was the only support service for victims presenting at the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses in Child Sexual Abuse to be funded in the Northern Territory.

“Our staff will be there for people before, during and after the Commission,” Ms Morrison said.

Territorians who want to present their story to the Commission are required to register their interest via www.childabuseroyalcommission.gov.au  but Ms Morrison said her staff can help victims through this process.

To contact Relationships Australia NT for more information or support please visit www.nt.relationships.org.au or call 1300 364 277.

 

TIO partners with CareFlight to support rescue helicopter

TIO and CareFlight have announced a partnership to support a life-saving community service in Darwin today.

 

TIO will sponsor CareFlight’s Darwin based Rescue Helicopter for a minimum of three years.

 

TIO Chief Executive Richard Harding said the cost of road trauma in the Territory is more than triple the national average and rapid response was key to survival and to minimise injury.

 

“Evidence shows the severity of injury can be lessened by reducing the time it takes emergency medical services to start treating injured people,” Mr Harding said.

 

“Rapid medical intervention, particularly for people with internal, spinal or head injuries, can save lives and reduce the risk of catastrophic and permanent impairment.

 

“CareFlight’s rapid response capability supports TIO’s goal for personal injury management and improving health outcomes.

 

“The work they do further supports our understanding of the unique challenges created by great distance and remoteness for communities in the Top End.”

 

Mr Harding said TIO already made a significant investment in road safety awareness and behavioural change programs and the new partnership would complement this work.

 

“We see this partnership as a way to support the needs of Territorians which will ultimately deliver benefits to the wider motor accidents compensation scheme,” Mr Harding said.

 

CareFlight Chief Executive Officer Derek Colenbrander said TIO’s sponsorship of the rescue helicopter would help meet the running costs of the rapid-response helicopter service which forms part of the Top End Medical Retrieval Service which CareFlight operates for the NT Health Department.

 

Mr Colenbrander said the partnership will enable TIO and CareFlight to coordinate with the broader “road trauma” sector to improve outcomes for people involved in motor vehicle crashes.

 

“The helicopter is an integral component of our charity’s aeromedical service as it allows our flight nurses and doctors to respond direct to motor vehicle crashes and other trauma patients,” Mr Colenbrander said.

 

“Patients can be stabilised by our medical team working with health clinic nurses and St John Ambulance officers then given intensive care treatment as they are flown direct to Royal Darwin Hospital.”

 

The helicopter will now be known as the CareFlight TIO Rescue Helicopter.

Change the story, change your life

 

A leading American counsellor is in Top End to train local therapists on the power of narrative therapy and helping clients ‘re-author’ their lives.

Relationships Australian NT invited preeminent Chicago-based Narrative Counsellor Jill Freedman to Darwin to lead an intensive four-day workshop on ‘Working with Families from a Narrative Perspective’ this week.

Narrative therapy was developed in the late 1970s and is based on the concept that peoples’ identity is shaped by the events in their lives and their interpretation of these accounts.

A narrative therapist will work with people’s life stories, the effects, meanings and the context in which they were formed.

“We want to work with people to bring forth and thicken stories that do not support or sustain problems in their lives. We help them facilitate the development of new stories about themselves or events, which are more empowering and satisfying,” Ms Freedman said.

“As people begin to inhabit and live out alternative stories on an event, the results are beyond solving problems. Within the new stories, people live out new self-images, new possibilities for relationships and new futures.”

Ms Freedman explains that narrative therapy empowers people and takes into consideration the broader cultural explanations for their life.

“Parents may bring their son to counselling because of concerns about attention seeking behaviour. This behaviour may make it hard for both the parents and the child to notice other positive behaviours. An exploration of alternative stories can create space for change, such as those on how the boy overcame troubles in earlier times in his life.”

Relationships Australia NT Chief Executive Officer Marie Morrison said around 20 local counsellors have registered for the workshop, with places still available.

“We are very excited and honoured to have Jill Freedman here,” Ms Morrison said.

“This is a great opportunity for our counsellors and those in the community to enhance their skills and learn more about this practice from the very best and enrich their narrative practice.”

Jill Freedman is a Director of Evanston Family Therapy Centre in Chicago and co-authored three books and more than 30 journal articles and book chapters on alternative methodology.

She teaches Narrative Therapy internationally and in 2009 won the award for Innovative Contribution to Family Therapy by the American Therapy Academy with her partner Gene Combs.

For more information please visit www.nt.relationships.org.au/

BBQ to bring Forgotten Australians together

They were once forgotten children but Relationships Australia NT is hoping to bring locals who were raised in foster care and orphanages prior to the 1980s together.

More than half a million Australians spent time in orphanages, foster care, children’s homes and other institutions across the country from the late 1800’s to 1980’s, including some 7 000 children who were deported from the UK and Malta as child migrants.

Relationships Australia NT, in collaboration with Find and Connect Australia, is holding a social barbecue for Forgotten Australians and Former Child Migrants and their friends and family at the East Point barbecues this Sunday from 5pm.  

Relationships Australia NT Chief Executive Officer Marie Morrison said it was an opportunity for people to meet, share stories and support one another.  

“Little is known or understood about the history of child welfare in Australia and it is important that people raised in out-of-home care are acknowledged and have their stories told,” Ms Morrison said.

“The barbeque will be an opportunity for everyone to come together, connect and support one another.”

Senate Inquiries in 2001, 2004 and 2009 highlighted that identity was a vital issue for Forgotten Australians and Former Child Migrants and their families.

“Former Child Migrants were often deported and placed with charitable and religious organisations in Australia without their family’s consent or knowledge,” Ms Morrison said.

“Those children, who are now adults, tragically never saw their families again and all too frequently lost their connection to their country of origin and culture.

“But we’re here to help and support them on their journey and with moving forward.”

Relationships Australia NT provides counselling, Family Dispute Resolution (mediation), relationship courses and other services for people going through difficult times.

The Relationships Australia NT ‘Find and Connect BBQ’ is on this Sunday at the East Point Barbeques from 5pm.

For more information and a map of the site please visit www.nt.relationships.org.au

Darwin Cup Carnival racegoers urged to go home safely

Darwin Cup Carnival racegoers who don’t plan ahead can leave their car at the track safely if they have a few drinks.

TIO is again sponsoring the provision of overnight security at the Darwin Turf Club as an initiative under its PartySafe road safety program.

The program raises awareness of the dangers of drink driving and encourages Territorians who have a few drinks to find alternative ways to get home.

TIO Community Relations Manager Chris Thiel said the car park security was one of a number of measures to give people peace of mind.

“Our aim is not to stop people having a good time but to make the right choices before getting behind the wheel,” she said.

“If they know their vehicle is going to safe if they leave it overnight, they will be more likely to leave it there and find another way home.”

The PartySafe program has teamed up with Darwin Cup Carnival since 2009 to drive home the road safety message.

On Darwin Cup Day the PartySafe tent will be at the races offering free breath testing and advice on getting home safely.

Supermarket giant wins state employer award

It may be a big business but it’s the small things that Coles stores in Darwin did for struggling job seekers that saw it win Mission Australia’s 2013 Northern Territory Employer of the Year award.

Coles, which has five stores in the Darwin region, took out the award from a field of businesses that Mission Australia’s Employment Solutions Team works with to find stable jobs for people who’ve been out of work or require additional skills, training and support.

Mission Australia Employment Solutions Manager Dean Procter said Coles went above and beyond to help workers referred by them.

“Coles shone out from the rest because of their willingness to teach people new skills and provide a range of employment options for job seekers to find their feet and niche, such as butchering, working in the bakery or on checkouts,” Mr Procter said.

“We’ve had numerous clients go through their Indigenous Employment Program and each time Coles has willingly worked with the individual’s personal circumstance to ensure continuity of employment and the very best outcome for everyone.”

Mr Procter said Coles provided skills development and a variety of hours to suit the many different job seekers in the Darwin market.

“Any business that commits to hiring job seekers with significant challenges or who require extra support, deserves recognition,” he said.

“Coles has not only made a difference to these workers’ lives by helping them turn around their circumstances, but the whole community and Mission Australia congratulates them.”

Coles’ Zone HR Manager SA/NT Roncie Briggs said winning Mission Australia’s top employer award for the Northern Territory was a great thrill.

“Coles is continually striving to develop as a leader in employment and training, so awards like this provide fantastic recognition of the programs we’ve put in place and our ongoing commitment to generating new job opportunities for people across the Territory and Australia,” said Ms Briggs.

Job seekers are referred to Mission Australia from Centrelink and other health providers.

Coles will now go in the running for the national award to be announced on 8 October 2013.

The national winner will be recognised at a gala dinner in Sydney with a prize to the value of $5000.

For more information visit www.missionaustralia.com.au

Urban Quest discovers Darwin's next singing sensation

2013 Urban Quest winner
Charlotte Gittins

She may be just fourteen but that didn’t stop Charlotte Gittins from singing her way to Urban Quest success over the weekend.

The Dripstone Middle School student outperformed nine other finalists to win Mission Australia’s premier singing competition at the Darwin Waterfront on Saturday night.

Gittins sang Florence and the Machine’s I won’t call you a Liar to win the hotly contested event and land herself a career pathways package with Music NT, an Apple MacBook laptop and headphones.

"Darwin a star is born," former Australian Idol judge Mark Holden said about the Palmerston singer’s mesmerising performance.

The music industry veteran also awarded her one of his trademark “touchdowns” and said Urban Quest was just the beginning of her music career.

Crowd favourite VJ Bumanlag was the 2013 Urban Quest runner up while Katherine singer Sarina Pech was second runner up with an original track. 

Now in its third year, Mission Australia’s Urban Quest aims to help young people build self esteem and confidence through music.

Youth Services Manager Adrian McCann said the night was a huge success with a 600-strong crowd enjoying the concert under the stars.

“It was wonderful to see so many people come down and support these up and coming young stars”, Mr McCann said.  

“All of the finalists should be very proud and put on an amazing show for the Darwin community after three days mentoring with Mark Holden and Paul Costa.”

The night also included guest performances by judges Paul Costa and Dave Garnham, 2012 Urban Quest winner Gabby Wright, Darwin X Factor star Shiane Hawke and local hip hop group My Team Dilemma.

Urban Quest is proudly supported by sponsors Larrakia TV and Radio, the Darwin Waterfront Corporation, Dreamedia, Casuarina Square, Music NT, Inpex, the Office of Youth Affairs and Darwin International Airport.

For more information visit www.missionaustralia.com.au