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[3 July 2007] - A Northern Territory Indigenous community says it is shocked the Federal Government has rejected its funding application for a child safety program. The program from the Arnhem land community of Maningrida was recommended as a model for other communities in the 'Little Children are Sacred' report into Indigenous child abuse. It is run by the Bawinanga Aboriginal Corporation. Corporation CEO Ian Munro says the Commonwealth's lack of support does not make sense. "Last week we heard Minister [Mal] Brough saying one of the problems of Aboriginal communities was that there was no point of reference for kids, there was no safe place that they could report child abuse," he said. "Well, in Maningrida there is such a place and it is working well and it's just had its funding knocked back." Northern Territory Senator Nigel Scullion has refused to explain why the funding application failed, but says a separate shared responsibility agreement is being negotiated. "We have a shared responsibility agreement that encompasses the application, and the outcome of that application and goes much further to include a whole range of initiatives that would complement the patrols in any event," Mr Scullion said. "I think that the nature of the comprehensive program in Maningrida will find them in much better circumstances than potentially successful funding for the patrol." Further information
pdf: http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/07/03/1968424.htm