Media statement

Senate Select Committee on Regional and Remote Indigenous Communities

Media statement

The Senate Select Committee inquiring into Regional and Remote Indigenous Communities will be meeting with Indigenous organisations and representatives of the community in Milingimbi on Tuesday 19 May.

A public hearing will be held in Katherine on Wednesday 20 May at the Katherine Town Council Chambers between 9:00 am and 4:30 pm. The public hearing in Darwin will be held in the Litchfield Room at Parliament House between 9:00 am and 5:15 pm on Thursday 21 May, and between 8:45 am and 1:00 pm on Friday 22 May 2009.

The committee intends to gather first hand information from a range of organisations and representatives on issues affecting local communities in Northern Australia, and will table its next report to the Senate on 15 June 2009.

The select committee was established in March 2008 and is required to report to the Senate twice yearly until the end of the current parliament on four broad issues, including the impact of state and territory government policies on the wellbeing of regional and remote Indigenous communities, the health, welfare, education and security of children in these communities, employment and enterprise opportunities as well as the effectiveness of Commonwealth Government policies following the Northern Territory Emergency Response. The first report was tabled on 30 September 2008.

Submissions received by the committee are publicly available on its website www.aph.gov.au/senate_indigenous. Further submissions from Indigenous people, communities and organisations, local, state, territory and Commonwealth governments, non-government organisations and other interested people are welcome

The committee is chaired by the Deputy Leader of the Nationals the Hon. Senator Nigel Scullion.

Other members of the committee include:

Media contact:

Committee Secretary Toni Matulick 0419 292 755

For further information, contact:

Senior Clerk's Office
Department of the Senate
PO Box 6100
Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600
Australia

Phone: +61 2 6277 3555
Fax: +61 2 6277 3899
Email: seniorclerk.committees.sen@aph.gov.au