Anthony Albanese’s government pledges $1.3billion to Indigenous communities as part of efforts to close the gap

The Albanese government new Budget has pledged a further $1.3billion to various programs for Aboriginal communities, but critics argue such funding does little to  help those most in need.

Budget papers reveal that $842million will be allocated over six years to support remote communities, improving policing, women’s safety, health and education, in partnership with the NT Government and Aboriginal Peak Organisations NT.

An additional $506m over five years will be spent on the Closing the Gap programs to improve health, education and employment outcomes in indigenous groups.

Much of the funding in Tuesday night’s budget had already been announced, including $50m set aside to lower grocery prices in remote communities.

Other spending includes $21.8m for domestic and sexual violence services, $27.4m to improve access to ‘culturally safe’ mental health care, and 150 scholarships for Indigenous psychologists.

An additional $9.2m will go towards improving the detection, monitoring, and management of acute rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease in remote communities. 

Over two years, $70.9m will be allocated to expand homeownership opportunities for  while over three years, $3.4m will support initiatives to increase women’s participation in business. 

One Nation leader Pauline Hanson argued most of the funds designed to help Aboriginal communities was wasted because the Indigenous corporations which control the purse strings lack transparency, and spending more will not help matters.

‘Large amounts of exclusive funding for Indigenous corporations in this Budget will again be allocated with no transparency and no accountability for closing the gaps,’ she told Daily Mail Australia.

‘One Nation’s policy takes this sort of racial privilege out of the equation. I have always advocated for equality for all Australians and for assistance to be based on need, not race.

‘One Nation will dismantle racial privilege and finally put a stop to the Aboriginal industry gravy train.

‘Indigenous Australians in genuine need will not miss out on assistance, but they will have no more assistance than anyone else in genuine need. All Australians in need will be treated equally in this regard.’

From the opposite end of the political spectrum, independent Aboriginal senator Lidia Thorpe also criticised the Budget measures, describing them as ‘just more crumbs on the table’.

‘It comes as no surprise that Truth and Treaty are completely off the agenda. The government had made clear they already broke that promise,’ she said.

‘Of the $842m for NT remote community spending, we already know that a quarter of that – $205m – goes to the police, who will only hurt and criminalise more of our people and send more of our children into jail.

‘This will widen, not close the gap.

‘Hidden behind these numbers, too, are infrastructure projects that address basic needs such as waste and water treatment in a few communities, which should be part of basic service provision to every community in the country.

‘This is a low bar, and too little too late.’

Despite the criticisms, Pat Turner – lead convener of the Coalition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peak Organisations – said ‘this Budget gives us cause for cautious optimism’.

A significant portion of the funding will be channelled through Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community-controlled peak organisations.

‘Every dollar invested in Aboriginal community-controlled organisations delivers better value.

‘It drives stronger outcomes for our people, builds local economies, and makes public spending more effective – because the work is done with community, not to community.’