What is the Gordon Inquiry?
On 15 January 2002, the Premier appointed Magistrate Sue Gordon, Kay O'Hallahan
and Darryl Henry to inquire into the response by Government to reports of child
abuse and family violence in Aboriginal communities.
The Inquiry ran for 6 months, heard from 45 witnesses and
produced a report totalling 642 pages with 197 recommendations.
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What did the Gordon Inquiry conclude?
The Gordon Inquiry reported to Government on 31 July 2002 and made 197
recommendations. Those recommendations can be grouped around 4 main themes:
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Strengthening the responses to child abuse and family violence;
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Strengthening responses to vulnerable children and adults at risk;
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Strengthening the safety of communities;
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Strengthening the governance, confidence, economic capacity and sustainability
of communities.
More generally the Gordon Inquiry found that:
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Family violence and child abuse occur in Aboriginal communities at a rate that
is much higher than that of non-Aboriginal communities;
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Better responses are needed when family violence and child abuse occur;
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The Government needs to provide a coordinated 'joined-up' approach to service
delivery that responds to each community's need for integrated service
provision;
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There is a need to increase the capacity of workers to be responsive to abuse
and violence in Aboriginal communities and the needs of Aboriginal people.
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What is the Government doing about
it?
Upon receiving the Gordon Inquiry Report, the Government formed a Taskforce of
Directors General, chaired by the Director General of the Department of the
Premier and Cabinet. That Taskforce then prepared a response to the Report,
which was considered, and adopted, by Cabinet and published.
The Response included $75 million dollars new expenditure over 5 years,
a commitment by Government to do things differently and better and a paradigm
shift in how the Government worked with indigenous people to create change.
Which organisations are
directly involved in the implementation of the Gordon Response?
Department for Community Development
Department of Education and Training
Department of Health
Department of Housing and Works
Department of Indigenous Affairs
Department of Justice
Department of Local Government and Regional Development
Western Australia Police Service
Department of the Premier and Cabinet
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Service
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission
Commonwealth Family and Community Services
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What is happening in my region?
Some of the initiatives being implemented in various communities throughout
Western Australia are:
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Provision and staffing of multi-functional facilities in conjunction with
establishment of permanent police services in remote communities;
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Employment of 25 new Child Protection Workers;
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Expansion of the Strong Families program;
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Expansion of the services of the Child Protection Unit;
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Expansion of the Sexual Assault services
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Expansion of Victim Support Services and Child Witness Services;
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Expansion of localised Community Supervision Agreements;
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Employment of Aboriginal Support Workers;
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Employment of Domestic Violence Liaison Officers.
Further information on the Regional implementation of these
initiatives is available in Appendix B of the
First Progress Update.
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What is the indigenous community
saying about these issues?
See What indigenous leaders are saying.
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How is the Government working with
the Indigenous community?
The Gordon Inquiry stated that strategies to address child abuse and family
violence needed to be created with the Indigenous community rather than 'for'
them. The Government agreed that communities should be actively involved in
identifying their needs and priorities, and in planning for how best to address
these with support from Government.
The Government is committed to Indigenous communities being
supported to participate in decision making. This includes supporting
Indigenous women and men to confront abuse and violence in their communities,
and to take steps to develop local strategies to address abuse and violence.
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Is it only for remote Indigenous
communities?
No, the Government's Response to the Gordon Inquiry addresses communities
across Western Australia and includes a pool of funding which can be directed
to programs in any regions. Information on city based initiatives is available
in Appendix B of the
First Progress Update.
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How have the locations for
services, like police stations, been chosen?
At the same time the Gordon Inquiry was being conducted, the Western Australia
Police Service also conducted its own review of service delivery across Western
Australia, particularly to Indigenous communities. That review showed clearly
which communities were most urgently in need of services - by measuring
distance and time needed for people from those communities to access police
officers.
Similar needs analysis has been undertaken by other departments
to determine where services and resources are to be located - both in regions
and within the metropolitan area.
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How can I get involved in dealing
with these issues in my community?
The first way to get involved in dealing with these issues in your community is
through your local government.
Government service providers such as the
Department for Community Development have resources that you can
access.
For more information contact the:
Family and Domestic Violence Unit.
Phone (08) 6217 8300
Facsimile (08) 9481 0445
E-mail:
fadvu@dcd.wa.gov.au
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Why was the Swan Valley Nyungah
Community closed?
Putting People First described how the Government registered a
new management order over the Swan Valley Nyungah Community land. This new
order was to make sure the management of the reserve was in the best interests
of the women and children who lived there. Local service providers then made
efforts to work with the management group and the residents. Despite this, the
Premier was advised by Directors General that the risk to women and children at
the Community remained unacceptably high. Subsequently, legislation has passed
through Parliament and the Swan Valley Nyungah Community land is now to be
managed for the benefit of all Aboriginal people. A short-term administrator
was appointed who met with interest groups and has provided a report on options
for the future use of the land to Government. This report is now being
considered. The Government is also working with families from the community,
who no longer reside on that land, to meet their needs.
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Who can I talk to if I am
experiencing family violence and child abuse, or think that someone else might
be?
The Family and Domestic Violence Unit has been established as a
portfolio office of the Department for Community Development. The purpose of
the Unit is to coordinate an across government response to family and domestic
violence.
Agencies that may be Helpful - 24 hours:
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Crisis Care Unit: (08) 223 1111 or 1800 199 008 (free to STD callers)
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Family Helpline: (08) 9223 1100 or 1800 643 000 (free to STD callers)
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Men's Domestic Violence Helpline (08) 9223 1199 or 1800 000 599 (free to STD
callers)
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When will the Government report
again?
The next report on the Governments Response is due in December
2003 and each 6 months thereafter over the next 12 - 18 months (this is from
page 33 of the response where it commits to reports over the next 18 - 24
months).
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