TPP, "I think some of these communities go bad because they end up being huge extended families that are isolated from others. They end up cult like?"

Maybe there is some truth in that in some cases, however from what I have seen it is more likely to be a case of thugs getting their own way for far too long. Closed communities offered a screen to hide what was going on. Over the years we have met hundreds of people who love the outback and are very supportive of indigenous people but I have never met a single one who was not opposed to the permit system to visit or cross Aboriginal land. Closed communities are touted as offering privacy but instead they draw teatree screens behind which bullying and crime are free to flourish undetected.

Yes Cornflower there was at least 2 city communities that I know of that were occupied only by Aborigines and run by an Aboriginal male elder.

Even the police did not enter these communities without permission, and then, never with less than 2 cars of police.

Child abuse and domestic violence were rife in these communities and ran unchecked for years because of 'political correctness' gone mad.

The only other people alowed in these communities were medical staff.
They patched people up and knew very well what was going on but were reluctant to report it because of cries of racism and not being aloowed back into the community to provide healthcare.

Both these communities were eventually closed after some brave residents went to police and finally laid charges.
Closed communities are not the answer.

Banjo,

A few pages back you asked if Fractelle or Cornflower could name any well-managed indigenous communities. I can't make any claims from personal experience, but indigenous people with whom I work seem to think that Hopevale and Laura, both in NQ (or perhaps FNQ) are managed quite nicely.

Otokonoko,
As cornflower said the Ministers office is likely to know of the better managed places, but I will pass the names onto the Minister.

I would like to hear of more places. It sounds like those places could come under the influence of Noel Pearson and that would not surprize me.

He strikes me as a level headed and practical bloke.

Better late than never. Here's a link to an article by Andrew Bolt (who I'm sure plenty here will love to hate). It sums up my position on aboriginal issues:
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,21816376-25717,00.html

Has anyone seen what goes on around Alice Springs. It is not safe to go out at night, every dark space around town has a troup of indigenous people occupying it. They come out of the hills like a trail of ants, at first light in the mornings. All day they congregate on corners and leaning against walls.
The supermarkets reak of BO. The problem around Alice is out of control.
I did not recognise a particular brand of petrol, so i asked the attendant what it was. I was assured it was normal unleaded petrol just unsnifable.
These people are living without water, power, sewerage,and BO killer.
Your drivers license goes into some sort of card reader before you can buy alcohol.