Dan, good post.
I’m only learning about things in the NT and will take your view into account.
But why aren’t there enough child welfare officers in those communities in the first place? Isn’t that asking for trouble?
Don’t forget that at some time, communities that wanted to take initiative have been denied funds even when they wanted to address child abuse, as far as I know.

I admit I simply don’t trust Howard.
Howard lobbied against Indigenous rights in Canada in 2006 http://ipcaucus.net/aust+parl.html
I find it hard to believe that he doesn’t have a ‘secret’ agenda. Time will tell, I suppose.

Anyway, I hope that things will improve for the aboriginal communities and that the government will finally come to realise that they need to make some changes long term.