Victoria
Aboriginal groups accuse NT government of weaponising funding
Aboriginal groups have called on the federal government to overhaul Northern Territory funding arrangements over accusations of weaponised Closing the Gap funds.
Aboriginal groups in the Northern Territory have renewed their calls for the Commonwealth to overhaul its funding arrangements with the Territory government. The groups have accused the local Country Liberal Party administration of weaponising federal Indigenous disadvantage funding against Aboriginal Territorians.
According to reporting from the wire service, the peak bodies representing Indigenous interests have raised concerns about how federal money, specifically Closing the Gap funding, is managed by the Northern Territory government. They argue the current framework allows the government to politicise resources intended to address entrenched disadvantage in regional and remote communities.
The Country Liberal Party government, which is responsible for administering the Commonwealth funds locally, has become the focus of intense criticism from advocacy groups. The groups claim that the administration is using the funding as a tool against Aboriginal residents, rather than directing it to the vital programs and services it was designed to support.
The demand for a major overhaul of the funding agreement highlights growing frustration among Indigenous representatives over the lack of progress on regional socio-economic targets. While the specific actions behind the weaponisation claim have not been detailed in full, the call for reform signals a deep division between Aboriginal leadership and the Territory government.
Proponents of the overhaul are urging the federal government to step in and reassess the terms under which these national funds are transferred to Darwin.
It remains to be seen whether the federal government will initiate a review into the Northern Territory's allocation of Closing the Gap funds in response to these complaints.
This report draws on original reporting by Wire report.
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