Aboriginal Family Legal Service Southern Queensland Indigenous Corporation

REVIEW 2017

aflssq.org.au

© 2017 Aboriginal

© AFLSSQ 2017

This Review and its contents may not be reproduced, transmitted, communicated or adapted in whole or any part without attributing Aboriginal Family Legal Service Southern Queensland Indigenous Corporation (AFLSSQ).

AFLSSQ is an Indigenous managed community non-profit organisation registered in the State of Queensland Australia.

ABN 87 742 004 366 ICN 7898

AFLSSQ’s registered office is at 52 Hawthorne Street Roma, Queensland.

For more information please see: AFLSSQ, PO Box 481, Roma, QLD 4455 http://www.aflssq.org.au

This Review does not necessarily represent the views of AFLSSQ, or the view of individuals contributing information.

Acknowledgements: AFLSSQ thanks contributors to this Review, especially Ms Susan Hamilton, Mr John Nze-Bertram and Ms Madonna Price, and community members.

Prepared by: Dr Catherine Demosthenous and Dr Hellene Demosthenous.

The cover includes an image that represents the work of AFLSSQ. The cover also includes the AFLSSQ logo. The main colour for this Review is red, which was chosen from the AFLSSQ logo, using ColorZilla. Complimentary colours and hues were used throughout the report.

About Us

OUR MESSAGE

Our message is community matters.

OUR VISION Our vision is to understand, respond and prevent violence to enable Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families in Southern Queensland to live safely in their own homes and communities.

OUR MISSION

Our Mission is to develop and deliver culturally-appropriate, high-quality services, to make and maintain inclusive relationships and collaborative partnerships, and to advance and affect practices that empower women, men and children to make informed decisions about families, communities and lives in ways that are respectful, responsible and right for them and their communities.

OUR VALUES Our values are guided by the following principles and protocols.

Self-Determination Protect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people's right to determine their own futures.

Justice Assist people to access and exercise their right to be heard and treated fairly before the law.

Respect Foster relationships that have regard for the difference, rights and traditions of all.

Integrity Maintain open, transparent and professional practices that instil confidence and inspire trust in the law and our services.

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Key Facts and Figures

KEY FACTS AND FIGURES ABOUT AFLSSQ AND ITS SERVICES IN 2016-2017

1 home office 1 Chief Executive Officer

7 board members 4 permanent staff

5 key areas of law 4 key services

12 communities serviced 13,881 collective members

405,671.3 km2 covered 2,300 access services

900 phone calls 700 internet visits

50 working partners 10 community boards

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Contents

About Us ...... i Key Facts and Figures ...... ii Contents...... iii 1 Marking Boundaries...... 1 1.1 AFLSSQ...... 1 Aim of the Review...... 2 1.2 Framework ...... 3 Methodology...... 3 Data Sources ...... 3 Ethical Practices...... 4 Defining Statements ...... 4 1.3 Structure...... 5 2 Southern Queensland...... 6 2.1 Region...... 6 Population...... 7 Household and Family Composition ...... 12 Education, Income and Work ...... 15 2.2 Communities ...... 18 Balonne (S)...... 19 Bulloo (S)...... 22 Cherbourg (S)...... 25 Goondiwindi (R)...... 28 Maranoa (R)...... 31 Murweh (S)...... 34 Paroo (S)...... 37 Quilpie (S) ...... 40 South Burnett (R) ...... 43 Southern Downs (R)...... 46 Toowoomba (R) ...... 49 Western Downs (R) ...... 52 2.3 Services ...... 55 3 Tracking Performance...... 57 3.1 Performance...... 57 3.2 Equity...... 59 Access...... 60 3.3 Effectiveness...... 65 Access...... 66 Appropriateness...... 71 Quality ...... 81 3.4 Efficiency ...... 85

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4 References ...... 86 5 Appendices ...... 88 Appendix A: GLOSSARY OF TERMS ...... 89 Appendix B: Towns and Localities by LGA, Southern Queensland ...... 90 Appendix C: Sample Policy Document...... 93

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1 Marking Boundaries

This Review presents information on Aboriginal Family Legal Services Southern Queensland Indigenous Corporation. Part 1 Marking Boundaries presents the project and report. It introduces the organisation, the review framework and report design.

1.1 AFLSSQ

Aboriginal Family Legal Service Southern Queensland Indigenous Corporation (hereafter, AFLSSQ)1 is funded by the Commonwealth of Australia as represented by the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet for the purposes of delivering one or more Family Violence Prevention Legal Services projects under its Safety and Wellbeing Programme.

Outcomes of the Safety and Wellbeing Programme are intended to contribute to the following outcomes: • ensure the ordinary law of the land applies in Indigenous communities; and/or • ensure Indigenous people enjoy similar levels of physical, emotional and social wellbeing enjoyed by other Australians.

Further and as part of that Project Agreement, AFLSSQ is required to comply with the ruling that its projects do not conflict with or adversely impact upon the school attendance of children in the locations in which its services are being delivered.

AFLSSQ provides culturally appropriate legal services and assistance to Indigenous (i.e., Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) people, families and communities of Southern Queensland in the State of Queensland, Australia.

LEGAL EDUCATION COUNSELLING ADVOCACY

Free legal service Knowledge sharing Court support, Legislative, policy and assistance in forums and cross professional and societal the areas of agency counselling and change by domestic and family collaborations referral services promoting, violence, child to improve to ensure reporting and protection, family information and client needs participating in law, victims’ access to the are met in an activities that compensation and legal system integrated and advance client witness protection. and our services. holistic way. requests.

1 See Appendix A for the Glossary of Terms used in this Review.

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As the image presented above shows, AFLSSQ provides four broader service areas: legal services, education services, counselling services and advocacy services. These services are made available to eligible Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander victims / survivors of family violence or sexual assault, and include the following activities: • legal advice and casework assistance; • court support; • counselling to victims of sexual assault; • child protection and support; • information, support and referral services; • community engagement; • referrals; • early intervention and prevention; and • community legal education.

AFLSSQ’s advocacy services include: • advocacy services that are delivered at the request of clients, as they relate to clients; and • submissions to provide factual information and/or advice about systemic issues affecting access to justice for clients.

Law types covered by AFLSSQ include: • domestic violence; • family law; • child protection; • victims compensation; and • witness assistance law.

Aim of the Review AFLSSQ’s current Chief Executive Officer (CEO), who was appointed after the signing of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet’s Head Agreement for Indigenous Grants on 11 June 2015, wishes to ensure that the organisation is meeting the targets stipulated in the Project Agreement. AFLSSQ’s CEO is committed to ensuring the organisation is on track in terms implementing solutions that produce positive outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, their families and communities across the local government areas that make up Southern Queensland.

To this end, this Review: • develops and presents an up-to-date, accurate and detailed profile of information on Southern Queensland, including the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, families and communities that make up the region;

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• captures and presents information contained within service data and corporate files, including the outcomes, objectives and performance targets; • examines and discusses information as it relates to the success or otherwise of services, including areas of compliance and non-compliance; and • identifies opportunities that AFLSSQ is following to guide the organisation’s future and service delivery for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, their families and communities of Southern Queensland.

1.2 FRAMEWORK

The framework informing the design of the Review is presented below.

Methodology Methodology refers to the system of methods, principles and rules applied in this Review. The underlying principles of the methodological framework are grounded in a strengths-based cultural determinants approach that emphasises people’s self- determination. This approach fits well with AFLSSQ’s formation and fabric, as a community-led organisation that is driven by its local communities. It draws on their resources, resilience and rights for making decisions about our lives, families and communities; as expressed in AFLSSQ’s catchphrase, Community Matters.

The methodological paradigm draws on the approach to performance established in the annual Report on Government Services (RoGS). It uses quantitative and qualitative techniques to present information on performance as it relates to dimensions of equity, effectiveness and efficiency indicators and measures. Readers should note that the Community Legal Assistance Services System (CLASS) that is used to manage data was implemented in February 2017, and replaces the previous Community Legal Service Information System (CLSIS) for data management.

The Review relies on timely data and presents current year data for most services. However, some gaps remain. Where this is the case, relevant caveats and supporting commentary are provided. Further, improvements to performance reporting are ongoing.

Data Sources A list of data sources were used to collect information, including: • desktop based literature and policy analysis relevant to our service area; • existing statistics from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) drawn from the 2011 Census of Population and Housing (ABS, 2012), and based on the Australian Statistical Geography Standard (ASGS, 2016);

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• service data and information captured by AFLSSQ in CLASS, corporate files and relevant documents; • observations in the field; and • interviews with key stakeholders, clients and communities.

Ethical Practices The approach adopted here adheres to the Australian Government’s guidelines for appropriate industry and other protocols and standards including the Australian Market and Social Research Standard ISO 20252 for continual improvement.

In addition, the ethical practices adopted here comply with the unwritten moral and cultural principles and codes that govern the conception, design, conduct and reporting of information about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, families and communities, as established by the local communities with the region of Southern Queensland.

Further, the ethical practices adopted here conform to separate, complementary sets of guidelines, as set down by AITSIS (Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies) (2000, 2012), and NHMRC (National Health and Medical Research Council) (2003, 2007).

Defining Statements Defining statements that underpin this Review are presented below.

We acknowledge the unique, rich diversity among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander groups, and the shared status as First Nations people of these lands, and the history of shared treatment.

The terms “Indigenous (+)” and “First Nations (+)” are often used interchangeably and collectively to label “Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (+)” (e.g., Indigenous Advancement Strategy, First Nations people). We use these collective labels where quoted, when making comparisons with non-Indigenous people and for stylistic reasons.

In addition, the term “Aboriginal (+)” is often used to collectively label “Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (+)” (e.g., Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research). We use this collective label where quoted. Wherever possible, we avoid using the term “Aboriginal” to refer to “Torres Strait Islander”.

Further, we understand that the terms “Aboriginal (+)” and “Torres Strait Islander (+)” subsume the rich diversity of multiple groups of people, with their own languages, cultures and traditions. We do not use clan or traditional group names as some

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groups are currently involved in proving ongoing connection to land/s over for which they wish to claim native title. We acknowledge that parties can be numerous and diverse, with complex relationships, and feel that naming clan and / or traditional groups may have ramifications and consequences.

Finally, we note that AFLSSQ uses the term “Aboriginal” in its business name (i.e., Aboriginal Family Legal Services Southern Queensland Indigenous Corporation) in line with the region of Southern Queensland, which sits on Aboriginal Country and not Torres Strait Islander lands, which are located to the north of the Queensland coast in the Torres Strait.2

1.3 STRUCTURE

Part 1 Marking Boundaries has presented information on Aboriginal Family Legal Service Southern Queensland Indigenous Corporation. It presented the project and report, and introduced the organisation, the review framework and report design.

Part 2 Southern Queensland provides a profile of the region and communities within Southern Queensland using statistics from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) drawn from the 2011 Census of Population and Housing (ABS, 2012), and based on the Australian Statistical Geography Standard (ASGS, 2016).

Part 3 Tracking Performance examines the performance of AFLSSQ’s services and delivery using the approach to performance established in the RoGS, and draws on information from the CLASS data management program, desktop based literature, corporate files, observations in the field, and interviews with key stakeholders, clients and communities.

2 Hellene Demosthenous, Susan Hamilton and Catherine Demosthenous discuss some of the aspects of Torres Strait Islander people, life and communities in their 2010 community book, Boigu Island: Out of Sight, Out of Mind.

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2 Southern Queensland

Part 2 Southern Queensland provides a profile of our Region and Communities to assist in the interpretation of performance indicators presented in this Report.3

2.1 REGION

The Southern Queensland Region is a custom region made up of the 12 Local Government Areas (LGAs) that are eligible to receive services (Figure 2.1).

Figure 2.1 Map of Queensland Demarcating the Southern Queensland Region Boundary and Local Government Area Boundaries in Our Region

Local Government Areas

(1) Balonne (S) (2) Bulloo (S) (3) Cherbourg (S) (4) Goondiwindi (R) (5) Maranoa (R) (6) Murweh (S) (7) Paroo (S) (8) Quilpie (S) (9) South Burnett (R) (10) Southern Downs (R) (11) Toowoomba (R) (12) Western Downs (R)

Note. S = Shire Council; R = Regional Council Source: MapCustomizer, 2017, ABS, ASGS, July 2016.

3 Here we present selected statistics about Indigenous people of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander origin, as released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). The data are drawn from the 2011 Census of Population and Housing (ABS, 2012), and based on the Australian Statistical Geography Standard (ASGS, 2016), as these are currently the most up to date, accurate and detailed data for our Region and Communities.

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The following factors are addressed for our Region: • Population; • Family and Household; and • Education, Income and Work.

Population Southern Queensland’s Indigenous4 people and families are the recipients of AFLSSQ services. The size, characteristics and circumstances of this population play an important role in the demand for services and the cost of service delivery across Southern Queensland. This section begins with a description of the population in the Region to assist in the interpretation of performance data provided in the Report.

Population Size and Trends In the 2011 Census a total of 13,881 people or 4.9 per cent of the usual residents in Southern Queensland identified as Indigenous (Table 2.1). The overwhelming majority (90.2%) identified as non-Indigenous, while the remaining 4.9% did not answer the question about their Indigenous status.

Table 2.1 Population by Indigenous Status, Southern Queensland Population Census Counts % Indigenous 13,881 4.9 non-Indigenous 257,278 90.2 Not stated 14, 032 4.9 Total 285,191 100.0

Source: ABS, Census of Population and Housing, 2011 Indigenous Profile - I02

Since around one in every 20 people in Southern Queensland did not answer the question about their Indigenous status in 2011, there is no way of knowing how many Indigenous people have not stated their Indigenous status. For this reason, the analysis by Indigenous status excludes people for whom Indigenous status is unknown.

That said, in the ten years that passed from the Census in 2001 to the Census in 2011, Southern Queensland’s count of Indigenous usual residents increased by 3,773 (or 37.5%).5 This population growth reflects a natural increase with births exceeding deaths, and a mixed partnerships increase in which an Indigenous partner and a non-Indigenous partner produce a child who is identified as being of Indigenous origin (Biddle, 2013).

4 The term "Indigenous" is used in reference to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to ensure that our tables and figures are kept succinct. 5 Source: ABS, Census of Population and Housing, 2011, Time Series Profile -T06.

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Almost all (13,153 or 94.8%) of the 13,881, Indigenous people in Southern Queensland identified as being of Aboriginal origin only on Census Night in 2011 (Figure 2.2). Just 2.7 per cent identified as being of Torres Strait Islander origin only, and the remaining 2.5 per cent identified as being of both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander origin.

Figure 2.2 Indigenous Population by Origin, Southern Queensland

Aboriginal Torres Strait Both Islander

Source: ABS, Census of Population and Housing, 2011, Indigenous Profile – I02

Population, by Age and Sex A lower life expectancy and a higher fertility rate contribute to the Indigenous population having a younger age structure than the non-Indigenous population in Australia.

In our Region, 59.3 per cent of Indigenous residents were children (aged 0-14 years) and young people (aged 15-24 years), compared with 32.9 per cent of non- Indigenous residents in 2011 (Figure 2.3). Only 3.5 per cent of Indigenous people were aged 65 years and over, compared with 16.3 per cent of non-Indigenous people.

There was a fairly even distribution between the sexes in 2011, with females making up 51.7 per cent of the Indigenous population and 50.8 per cent of the non- Indigenous population. However, this proportion varies noticeably by age, particularly for the Indigenous population (Figure 2.3).

Further, we find that there were slightly more Indigenous males under 15 years (in age category 0 to 14 years), and slightly more Indigenous females in all other age categories (15-24 years, 25-44 years, 45-64 years and 65 years and over) in 2011. This shows that Indigenous males tend to pass away earlier than Indigenous females.

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Figure 2.3 Population by Age, Sex and Indigenous Status, Southern Queensland

• Female • Male

Years Indigenous Years Non-Indigenous

65 + 65 + 45-64 45-64 25-44 25-44 15-24 15-24 0-14 0-14

50 40 30 20 10 0 10 20 30 40 50 50 40 30 20 10 0 10 20 30 40 50 Per cent Per cent

Source: ABS, Census of Population and Housing, 2011, Indigenous Profile – I03

Population, by Geographic Location Southern Queensland’s population is spread over land area of 405,671.3 square kilometres, of which 88.2 per cent is categorised as “remote” and “very remote” Australia, as per the ABS’ ASGS Remoteness Structure (Table 2.2).

Table 2.2 Remoteness Areas, Southern Queensland Remoteness Area Name Area Km2 % Inner Regional Australia 20,132.2 5.0 Outer Regional Australia 27,680.5 6.8 Remote Australia 127,973.6 31.5 Very Remote Australia 229,885.0 56.7 Total 405,671.3 100.0

Source: ABS, ASGS, July 2016. In some cases these data have been concorded from other geographical boundaries.

Classes of remoteness areas range from “highly accessible” (major cities) to “slightly or not at all accessible” (very remote).

That said, there are no major cities in our region.

In 2011, 39.1 per cent of all Indigenous people usually resident in Southern Queensland were living in Remote Australia (3,182) or Very Remote Australia (1,259), as was 25.7 per cent of all non-Indigenous people usually resident in our Region (Figure 2.4).

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Figure 2.4 Population Living in Remote or Very Remote Areas by Indigenous Status, Southern Queensland

• Indigenous people • non-Indigenous • Indigenous • Indigenous in remote or very people in remote or proportion of all proportion of all remote areas of very remote areas of people in remote people in very Southern Southern Southern remote Southern Queensland (39.1%) Queensland (25.7%) Queensland (6.9%) Queensland (17.1%)

• Indigenous people • non-Indigenous • non-Indigenous • non-Indigenous in other areas of people in other proportion of all proportion of all Southern areas of Southern people in remote people in very Queensland (60.9%) Queensland (74.3%) Southern remote Southern Queensland (93.1%) Queensland (82.9%)

Source: ABS, Census of Population and Housing, 2011, Indigenous Profile – I02

Population, by a Different Address In 2011, a total of 3,164 Indigenous people in Southern Queensland said that they usually lived at a different address one year earlier, not counting infants less than one year of age. This number represents 23.5 per cent of all Indigenous people in the Region. Comparatively, 17.2 per cent of all non-Indigenous people in Southern Queensland were usually living at a different address one year earlier.

Migration one year ago was highest for those aged 15-24 years for both Indigenous people (32.4%) and non-Indigenous people (31.2%).

Further, migration to a different address increased over time. In 2011, around half (49.5%) of all Indigenous people usually living in Southern Queensland stated that they were usually living at a different address five years earlier. Likewise, 43.9 per cent of all non-Indigenous people usually living in Southern Queensland reported usually living at a different address five years earlier.

Migration five years ago was highest for Indigenous people aged 15-24 years (56.2%) and for non-Indigenous people aged 25-44 years (60.6%).

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Population, by Disability In 2011, 5.5 per cent of Indigenous residents in Southern Queensland had a profound or severe disability, which means that they required help with looking after themselves, or getting around and/or talking to other people due to a long term health condition (lasting six months or more) or disability (lasting six months or more) or old age.

Also, 5.5 per cent of non-Indigenous people who were usually resident in Southern Queensland in 2011 had a profound or severe disability.

Population, by Index of Relative Socio-Economic Disadvantage Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas (SEIFA) is a measure of social and economic conditions of geographic areas.

In 2011 the ABS produced an index of relative socio-economic disadvantage where low index values represent areas of most disadvantage and high index numbers represent areas of least disadvantage.

In Southern Queensland, 31.1% of the usual resident population were in the most disadvantaged state-based quintile, and 11.0% of that population were in the least disadvantaged state-based quintile (Figure 2.5).

Figure 2.5 Population by Index of Relative Socio-Economic Disadvantage, Southern Queensland

Quintile 1 Most

. Quintile 2

. Quintile 3

. Quintile 4

Socio-Economic Disadvantage Disadvantage Socio-Economic Quintile 5 Least

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 Per cent

Source: ABS, Census of Population and Housing, 2011, SEIFA- 2033.0.55.001

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Household and Family Composition Households, by Family Type In Southern Queensland there were 5,242 Indigenous households in 2011, as shown in Figure 2.6. Of these, 83.0 per cent were (single and multiple) family households6 and 12.6 per cent were lone person households (Figure 2.6).

In comparison, 70.6 per cent of (98,625) non-Indigenous households were family households and 26.4 per cent were lone person households.

Figure 2.6 Households(a) by Type and Indigenous Status, Southern Queensland

- Indigenous - 4,107 Single family 246 Multiple family 663 Lone person 226 Group(b) households (78.3%) households (4.7%) households (12.6%) households (4.3%) - non-Indigenous - 68,654 Single family 942 Multiple family 26,038 Lone person 2,991 Group(b) households (69.6%) households (1.0%) households (26.4%) households (3.0%) (a) Excludes visitors only and other not classifiable households. (b) A group household is a non-family household with more than one person present on Census Night.

Source: ABS, Census of Population and Housing, 2011, Indigenous Profile – I12

Among single family households, the proportion of Indigenous households occupied by one parent families was almost three times that of non-Indigenous households occupied by one parent families, that is, 26.5 per cent compared with 9.1 per cent, respectively (Figure 2.7).

This is important to note because one parent families can have a greater need for legal and other services and support, for example, around parental rights in custody matters, issues to do with child protection and safety, and other matters relating to child care arrangements.

6 The ABS Census Dictionary (ABS 2011) defines a household as one or more persons, one of whom is at least 15 years of age, and usually resident in the same private dwelling. An Indigenous household is one where at least one usual resident was an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander person. The total number of households is therefore equal to the total number of occupied private dwellings.

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Figure 2.7 Single Family Households by Composition, Southern Queensland

• Indigenous • non-Indigenous

40 35 30 25 20

Percent 15 10 5 0 Couple family Couple family One parent Other family with no with children family children

Source: ABS, Census of Population and Housing, 2011, Indigenous Profile – I12

Indigenous Households, by Tenure Type In 2011, 62.5 per cent of Indigenous occupied private dwellings were rented, while 10.4 per cent were owed outright (Figure 2.8). Comparatively, 28.7 per cent of non- Indigenous occupied private dwellings were rented, while 36.2 per cent were owed outright (Figure 2.8).

Figure 2.8 Occupied Private Dwellings by Tenure Type, Southern Queensland

• Owned Outright • Owned with Mortgage •Rented • Not Stated/Other

100 90 80 70 60 50

Per cent 40 30 20 10 0 Indigenous Households Non-Indigenous Households

Source: ABS, Census of Population and Housing, 2011, Indigenous Profile – I10

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Indigenous Households, by Living Conditions A total of 18.9 per cent of all Indigenous families lived in households that were overcrowded in 2011, that is, in an occupied private dwelling with at least two people more than the number of bedrooms.

Indigenous Families Financial Independence Employment status impacts the financial independence of families. In our Region, 41.4 per cent of all dependent children lived in Indigenous families where no parent was employed in 2011, compared to 12.2 per cent of all dependent children in non- Indigenous families (Table 2.3).

Table 2.3 Dependent Children(a) and Families with No Parent Employed(b) by Family Composition and Indigenous Status of Family(c). Southern Queensland Family Type Indigenous % non-Indigenous % Couple family(d) Dependent children 797 20.9 2,558 5.2 Families 320 19.0 1,145 4.7 One parent family Dependent children 1,932 69.5 4,823 42.9 Families 901 63.9 2,524 37.7 Total family Dependent children 2,729 41.4 7,381 12.2 Families 1,221 39.5 3,669 11.8

(a) Dependent children defined as children aged 0-14 and full time students aged 15-24, who were usual residents and at home on Census night. (b) A couple family with no parents employed includes both parents unemployed or both not in the labour force or one unemployed and the other not in the labour force. (c) An Indigenous family is one where any member of the family is of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander origin and who was at home on Census night. (d) Couple family includes couple family with or without children.

Source: ABS, Census of Population and Housing, 2011, unpublished data

Further, there were many more dependent children in unemployed single parent Indigenous families (69.5%), than in unemployed Indigenous couple families (20.9%). The situation was similar for dependent children in non-Indigenous families, albeit to a lesser degree.

That said, the gravity of the situation is likely to be underestimated, as these figures exclude all people who were temporarily absent on the night of the Census.

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Education, Income and Work Highest Level of Schooling Completed On Census night 2011, 25.5 per cent of Indigenous usual residents aged 15 years and over who were no longer attending school reported Year 12 or equivalent as their highest year of school completed, compared with 40.4 per cent of non- Indigenous usual residents (Table 2.4).

Further, for each sex, the proportion of Indigenous people who reported Year 12 or equivalent as their highest year of school completed was lower than the proportion of non-Indigenous people who reported Year 12 or equivalent as their highest year of school completed (Figure 2.9).

Table 2.4 Highest Level of Schooling by Indigenous Status, Southern Queensland Highest Level of Schooling Indigenous % non-Indigenous % Year 12 or equivalent 1,942 25.5 78.824 40.4 Year 11 or equivalent 796 10.5 13,091 6.7 Year 10 or equivalent 2,283 30.0 61,087 31.3 Year 9 or equivalent 957 12.6 11,950 6.1 Year 8 or below 984 12.9 20,114 10.3 Did not go to school 76 1.0 953 0.5 Not stated 573 7.5 8,912 4.6 Total 7,611 100.0 194,931 100.0

Source: ABS, Census of Population and Housing, 2011, Indigenous Profile – I06

Figure 2.9 Year 12 or Equivalent as the Highest Year of Schooling Completed by Sex and Indigenous Status, Southern Queensland

Females • Indigenous

Males • non-Indigenous

0 10 20 30 40 50

Per cent of completions

Source: ABS, Census of Population and Housing, 2011, Indigenous Profile – I06

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At School or Studying In 2011 42.2 per cent of Indigenous people at school or studying were attending infants or primary school, compared with 37.9 per cent of non-Indigenous people (Table 2.5).

Table 2.5 Level of Schooling by Indigenous Status, Southern Queensland Level of Schooling Indigenous % non-Indigenous % Pre-school 257 4.8 2,801 4.3 Infants/Primary school 2,244 42.2 24,634 37.9 Secondary school 1,299 24.4 16,619 25.6 Technical institution 258 4.9 4,663 7.2 University/Tertiary institution 200 3.8 6,850 10.5 Other 69 1.3 1,304 2.0 Not stated 988 18.6 8,062 12.4 Total 5,315 100.0 64,933 100.0

Source: ABS, Census of Population and Housing, 2011, Indigenous Profile – I06

Income In Southern Queensland, around half (49.9%) of all Indigenous people aged 15 years and over had a negative, nil income or rather low weekly personal income of $1 to $399 per week in 2011 (Figure 2.10). In comparison, 38.6 per cent of their non- Indigenous counterparts were in the same income bracket.

Figure 2.10 Weekly Personal Income by Indigenous Status, Southern Queensland

• Indigenous • non-Indigenous

Negative/nil income $1-$199 $200-$399 $400-$599 $600-$799 $800-$999 $1000 or more Not stated

0 10 20 30 40 Per cent Source: ABS, Census of Population and Housing, 2011, unpublished data

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Work Status According to the Census data, 4,187 Indigenous people aged 15 years to 64 years were in the labour force in Southern Queensland in 2011. Of these, 44.4 per cent were employed and 9.6 per cent were unemployed (Table 2.6).

Table 2.6 Labour Force by Indigenous Status, Southern Queensland Labour Force Status Indigenous % non-Indigenous % Employed(a) 3,426 44.4 117,268 72.5 Unemployed(a) 739 9.6 5,408 3.3 CDEP participants 22 0.3 0 0.0 Total in labour force 4,187 54.2 122,679 75.8 Not in labour force 3,240 42.0 37,504 23.2 Total(b) 7,718 100.0 161,783 100.0 (a) Excludes CDEP participants. (b) Includes labour force status not stated. Source: ABS, Census of Population and Housing, 2011, unpublished data

Further, in 2011 the unemployment rate for Indigenous people (aged 15 to 64 years) was four times that of their non-Indigenous counterparts, that is, 17.6 per cent and 4.4 per cent respectively (Figure 2.11).

Figure 2.11 Unemployment Rate by Age and Indigenous Status, Southern Queensland

30

25

Percent 20 Indigenous 15 Non-Indigenous

10

5

0 15-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 Age (in years)

Source: ABS, Census of Population and Housing, 2011, unpublished data.

Figure 2.11, shows that the unemployment rate varied with age and was highest for young people aged 15 to 24 years, reaching 26.3 per cent for Indigenous young

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people, and 9.3 per cent for non-Indigenous young people. This comparison excludes CDEP participants because there are no non-Indigenous CDEP participants.

Unpaid Work At the time of the 2011 Census, 1,040 Indigenous people aged 15 years and over or 12.7 per cent of the population usually resident in Southern Queensland provided unpaid care to someone with a disability, a long-term illness or problems with old age, as did 11.7% of the non-Indigenous population in the Region.

Further, in the 12 months prior to Census night, 1,138 or 13.9 per cent of all Indigenous people aged 15 years and over in our Region participated in voluntary work through an organisation or group. The same can be said for 24.2 per cent of the non-Indigenous population.

Section 2.1 has provided a regional profile of Southern Queensland. Next we present information about the communities that comprise the Region.

2.2 COMMUNITIES

Recall AFLSSQ provides culturally appropriate legal services and non-legal services to Indigenous families across communities in Southern Queensland’s 12 local government areas (LGAs) of: (1) Balonne Shire Council (S); (2) Bulloo Shire Council (S); (3) Cherbourg Shire Council (S); (4) Goondiwindi Regional Council (R); (5) Maranoa Regional Council (R); (6) Murweh Shire Council (S); (7) Paroo Shire Council (S); (8) Quilpie Shire Council (S); (9) South Burnett Regional Council (R); (10 ) Southern Downs Regional Council (R); (11 ) Toowoomba Regional Council (R); and (12 ) Western Downs Regional Council (R).

These 12 LGAs provide the administration boundaries for our community service provision.

Prior to providing information about available services for our Communities, we present a profile of each Community LGA under the subheadings: Location; Population; Family and Household; and Education, Income and Work.

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Balonne (S) Location Figure 2.12 Map of Balonne (S) LGA

Balonne Shire Council South West Queensland 31,151.8 km2 Saint George is around 200 km south of Roma and 510 km southwest of Brisbane

Source: Office of Economic and Statistical Research, 2011

Balonne (S) LGA has seven towns and localities (Appendix B). The council seat and main administrative hub is Saint George.

Population In 2011 there were 807 Indigenous people in Balonne (S) LGA, which was 17.1 per cent of the total resident population (Table 2.7). Of these Indigenous people, 40.6 per cent were aged 0 to 14 years.

Table 2.7 Population by Indigenous Status, Balonne (S) LGA Indigenous Status Census Counts % Aboriginal 793 16.8 Torres Strait Islander 6 0.1 Both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander 8 0.2 Indigenous total 807 17.1 non-Indigenous 3,644 77.2 Not stated 269 5.7 Total 4,720 100.0

Source: ABS, Census of Population and Housing, 2011 Indigenous Profile - I02

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In Balonne (S) LGA, 38.0 per cent of the usual resident population were in the most disadvantaged quintile, and 0.0 per cent of the population were in the least disadvantaged quintile (Figure 2.13).

Figure 2.13 All People by Index of Relative Socio-Economic Disadvantage, Balonne (S) LGA

Quintile 1 Most

. Quintile 2

. Quintile 3

. Quintile 4

Socio-Economic Disadvantage Quintile 5 Least

0 10 20 30 40

Source: ABS, Census of Population and Housing, 2011, SEIFA- 2033.0.55.001

Family and Household In Balonne (S) LGA there were 281 Indigenous households in 2011. Of these, 84.3 per cent were family households and 13.5 per cent were lone person households (Figure 2.14). In comparison, 69.0 per cent of (1,338) non-Indigenous households were family households and 27.8 per cent were lone person households.

Figure 2.14 Households(a) by Type and Indigenous Status, Balonne (S) LGA

- Indigenous - 229 Single family 8 Multiple family 38 Lone person 6 Group(b) households (81.5%) households (2.8%) households (13.5%) households (2.1%) - non-Indigenous - 915 Single family 8 Multiple family 372 Lone person 43 Group(b) households (68.4%) households (0.6%) households (27.8%) households (3.2%) (a) Excludes visitors only and other not classifiable households. (b) A group household is a non-family household with more than one person there on Census Night. Source: ABS, Census of Population and Housing, 2011, Indigenous Profile – I12

20

Indigenous families in Balonne (S) LGA were generally living under harsher conditions than their non-Indigenous counterparts, with a higher proportion of one parent families (23.8% compared to 5.9%), children in jobless families (43.3% compared to 5.7%), overcrowded households (22.7% compared to 5.9%) and families renting (61.4% compared to 32.4%).

Indigenous Indigenous Indigenous Indigenous One Parent Children in Jobless Overcrowded Families Families Families Households Renting 23.8% 43.3% 22.7% 61.4%

Education, Income and Work In Balonne (S) LGA, 21.1 per cent of Indigenous people aged 15 years and over who were no longer attending school reported Year 12 or equivalent as their highest year of school completed, compared to 42.3 per cent of non-Indigenous people aged 15 years and over who were no longer attending school.

Almost half (45.6%) of all Indigenous people (aged 15 years and over) in the area had a negative, nil income or rather low weekly personal income of $1 to $399 per week in 2011.

Around one third of their non-Indigenous counterparts were in a similar situation (32.8%).

Having said that, in Balonne (S) LGA the unemployment rate for Indigenous people (aged 15 to 64 years) was more than four times that of the unemployment rate for non-Indigenous people (aged 15 to 64 years), that is, 13.5 per cent and 3.2 per cent respectively.

Note too that the unemployment rate varied with age and was highest for young people aged 15 to 24 years, reaching 28.1 per cent for Indigenous youths, and 9.4 per cent for non-Indigenous youth.

Indigenous Indigenous Indigenous Indigenous Year 12 Negative, Nil, Low Unemployment Youth Completions Income Rate Unemployment 21.1% 45.6% 13.5% 28.1%

21

Bulloo (S) Location Figure 2.15 Map of Bulloo (S) LGA

Bulloo Shire Council South West Queensland 73,875.0 km2 Thargomindah is around 670 km south west of Roma and 1,100 km west of Brisbane

Source: Office of Economic and Statistical Research, 2011

Bulloo (S) LGA has seven towns and localities (Appendix B). The council seat and administrative hub is Thargomindah.

Population In 2011 there were 49 Aboriginal people in Bulloo (S) LGA, which was 12.1 per cent of the total resident population (Table 2.8). Here we use the term “Aboriginal” instead of the umbrella term “Indigenous” because we are referring to Aboriginal people only. Of all these Aboriginal people, 36.4 per cent were aged 0 to 14 years.

Table 2.8 All People by Indigenous Status, Bulloo (S) LGA Indigenous Status Census Counts % Aboriginal 49 12.1 Torres Strait Islander 0 0.0 Both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander 0 0.0 Indigenous total 49 12.1 non-Indigenous 319 79.0 Not stated 36 8.9 Total 404 100.0

Source: ABS, Census of Population and Housing, 2011 Indigenous Profile - I02

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In 2011, 0.0 per cent of the usual resident population in Bulloo Shire Council LGA were in the most disadvantaged quintile, and 0.0 per cent of the population were in the least disadvantaged quintile (Figure 2.16).

Figure 2.16 People by Index of Relative Socio-Economic Disadvantage, Bulloo (S) LGA

Quintile 1 Most

. Quintile 2

. Quintile 3

. Quintile 4

Socio-Economic Disadvantage Quintile 5 Least

0 10 20 30 40 50 60

Source: ABS, Census of Population and Housing, 2011, SEIFA- 2033.0.55.001

Family and Household In Bulloo (S) there were 17 Indigenous households of Aboriginal origin in 2011. Of these, 100.0 per cent were family households and 0.0 per cent were lone person households (Figure 2.17).

Figure 2.17 Households(a) by Type and Indigenous Status, Bulloo (S) LGA

- Indigenous - 17 Single family 0 Multiple family 0 Lone person 0 Group households households (0.0%) households (0.0%) households (0.0%) (100.0%) - non-Indigenous - 66 Single family 0 Multiple family 34 Lone person 0 Group households (66.0%) households (0.0%) households (34.0%) households (0.0%) (a) Excludes visitors only and other not classifiable households. Source: ABS, Census of Population and Housing, 2011, Indigenous Profile – I12

23

In comparison, 66.0 per cent of (100) non-Indigenous households were family households and 34.0 per cent were lone person households.

Aboriginal families in Bulloo (S) LGA had a higher proportion of one parent families than non-Indigenous families in Bulloo (S) LGA (17.6% compared to 3.0%, respectively).

Note that there were no children in jobless families or families in overcrowded households for either Indigenous families of Aboriginal origin or non-Indigenous families.

Further, 35.0 per cent of Aboriginal families were renting, compared to 46.9 per cent of non-Indigenous families.

Aboriginal Aboriginal Aboriginal Aboriginal One Parent Children in Jobless Overcrowded Families Families Families Households Renting 17.6% 0.0% 0.0% 35.0%

Education, Income and Work In Bulloo (S) LGA 33.3 of all Aboriginal people aged 15 years and over who were no longer attending school reported Year 12 or equivalent as their highest year of school completed, compared to 35.4 per cent of non-Indigenous people.

In 2011, 19.4 per cent of all Aboriginal people and 11.3 per cent of non-Indigenous people (aged 15 years and over) had a personal income of $200 to $399 per week.

There were no unemployment rates recorded for Aboriginal or non-Indigenous people (aged 15 to 64 years) in Bulloo (S) LGA.

Aboriginal Aboriginal Aboriginal Aboriginal Year 12 Negative, Nil, Low Unemployment Youth Completions Income Rate Unemployment 33.3% 19.4% 0.0% 0.0%

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Cherbourg (S)

Location Figure 2.18 Map of Cherbourg (S) LGA

Cherbourg Shire Council Wide Bay-Burnett 31.7 km2 Cherbourg is around 370 km east of Roma and 265 northwest of Brisbane

Source: Office of Economic and Statistical Research, 2011

Cherbourg (S) LGA has one town (Appendix B). The council seat and administrative hub is called Cherbourg (town). This community town, formerly known as Barambah, was founded as a “settlement for Aborigines” in the early 1900s under a policy of segregation that was pursued by the Government of Queensland (Blake, 2001; Hegarty, 1999). Over the years, the policies governing Indigenous people changed. Cherbourg was given formal legal recognition as a local government in 2004.

Cherbourg is the only discrete Indigenous community in our Region. Like other discrete Indigenous communities in Queensland, Cherbourg has alcohol restrictions. These restrictions come with heavy penalties, which are made known to all who enter Cherbourg, and apply to residents and visitors alike.

Population In 2011 there were 1,192 Indigenous people in Cherbourg (S) LGA, which was 97.3 per cent of the total resident population (Table 2.9). Of these Indigenous people, 37.3 per cent were aged 0 to 14 years.

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Table 2.9 All People by Indigenous Status, Cherbourg (S) LGA Indigenous Status Census Counts % Aboriginal 1,172 95.7 Torres Strait Islander 0 0.0 Both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander 20 1.6 Indigenous total 1,192 97.3 non-Indigenous 19 1.6 Not stated 14 1.1 Total 1,225 100.0

Source: ABS, Census of Population and Housing, 2011 Indigenous Profile - I02

In Cherbourg (S) LGA, 100.0 per cent of the usual resident population were in the most disadvantaged quintile, and 0.0 per cent of the population were in the least disadvantaged quintile (Figure 2.19).

Figure 2.19 People by Index of Relative Socio-Economic Disadvantage, Cherbourg (S) LGA

Quintile 1 Most

. Quintile 2

. Quintile 3

. Quintile 4

Socio-Economic Disadvantage Quintile 5 Least

0 20 40 60 80 100

Source: ABS, Census of Population and Housing, 2011, SEIFA- 2033.0.55.001

Family and Household In Cherbourg (S) LGA there were 242 Indigenous households in 2011. Of these, 85.2 per cent were (single and multiple) family households and 13.2 per cent were lone person households (Figure 2.20).

In comparison, 100.0 per cent of (3) non-Indigenous households were family households and 0.0 per cent were lone person households.

26

Figure 2.20 Households(a) by Type and Indigenous Status, Cherbourg (S) LGA

- Indigenous - 164 Single family 42 Multiple family 32 Lone person 4 Group(b) households (67.8%) households households (13.2%) households (1.7%) (17.4%) - non-Indigenous - 3 Single family 0 Multiple family 0 Lone person 0 Group households (100.0%) households (0.0%) households (0.0%) households (0.0%) (a) Excludes visitors only and other not classifiable households. (b) A group household is a non-family household with more than one person present on Census Night. Source: ABS, Census of Population and Housing, 2011, Indigenous Profile – I12

Indigenous families in Cherbourg (S) LGA generally live under harsh conditions, with 21.1 per cent one parent families, 60.5 per cent of all children in jobless families and 38.4 per cent of families living in overcrowded households. All Indigenous families in Cherbourg were renting (100.0%). Comparison figures are not available. Note that the data shows that there were no non-Indigenous families with children (aged 0-14 years) living in Cherbourg in 2011.

Indigenous Indigenous Indigenous Indigenous One Parent Children in Jobless Overcrowded Families Families Families Households Renting 21.1% 60.5% 38.4% 100.0%

Education, Income and Work In Cherbourg (S) LGA, 17.4 per cent of Indigenous people aged 15 years and over who were no longer attending school reported Year 12 or equivalent as their highest year of school completed, compared to 36.8 per cent of non-Indigenous people.

More than three quarters (78.6%) of all Indigenous people (aged 15 years and over) in that area had a negative, nil income or rather low weekly personal income of $1 to $399 per week in 2011.

Comparatively 66.7 per cent of the non-Indigenous people (aged 15 years and over) who were usually resident in Cherbourg (S) LGA had a similar income (32.8%).

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The unemployment rate for (107) Indigenous people and (4) non-Indigenous people (aged 15 to 64 years) in Cherbourg (S) LGA was 36.0 per cent and 40.0 per cent, respectively.

The unemployment rate varied with age and was highest for young Indigenous people aged 15 to 24 years, reaching 40.0 per cent.

There were no young non-Indigenous people living in Cherbourg (S) LGA, but the unemployment rate was 100 per cent for the (4) non-Indigenous people aged 45 to 54 years who were usually resident in Cherbourg.

Indigenous Indigenous Indigenous Indigenous Year 12 Negative, Nil, Low Unemployment Youth Completions Income Rate Unemployment 17.4% 78.6% 36.0% 40.0%

Goondiwindi (R) Location Figure 2.21 Map of Goondiwindi (R) LGA

Goondiwindi (R) LGA Darling Downs 19,283.5 km2 Goondiwindi is around 342 km southeast of Roma and 350 km southwest of Brisbane

Source: Office of Economic and Statistical Research, 2011

Goondiwindi (R) LGA consists of seven towns and localities (Appendix B). The council seat and main administrative hub is Goondiwindi town.

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Population In 2011 there were 517 Indigenous people in Goondiwindi (R) LGA, which was 4.9 per cent of the total resident population (Table 2.10). Of these Indigenous people, 42.6 per cent were aged 0 to 14 years.

Table 2.10 All People by Indigenous Status, Goondiwindi (R) LGA Indigenous Status Census Counts % Aboriginal 489 4.6 Torres Strait Islander 14 0.1 Both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander 14 0.1 Indigenous total 517 4.9 non-Indigenous 9,369 88.2 Not stated 742 7.0 Total 10,628 100.0

Source: ABS, Census of Population and Housing, 2011 Indigenous Profile - I02

In Goondiwindi (R) LGA, 23.6 per cent of the usual resident population were in the most disadvantaged quintile, and 8.8 per cent of the population were in the least disadvantaged quintile (Figure 2.22).

Figure 2.22 All People by Index of Relative Socio-Economic Disadvantage, Goondiwindi (R) LGA

Quintile 1 Most

. Quintile 2

. Quintile 3

. Quintile 4

Socio-Economic Disadvantage Quintile 5 Least

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40

Source: ABS, Census of Population and Housing, 2011, SEIFA- 2033.0.55.001

Family and Household In Goondiwindi (R) LGA there were 199 Indigenous households in 2011. Of these, 82.4 per cent were family households and 12.6 per cent were lone person

29

households (Figure 2.23). In comparison, 69.2 per cent of (3,637) non-Indigenous households were family households and 28.1 per cent were lone person households.

Figure 2.23 Households(a) by Type and Indigenous Status, Goondiwindi (R) LGA

- Indigenous - 154 Single family 10 Multiple family 25 Lone person 10 Group(b) households (77.4%) households (5.0%) households (12.6%) households (5.0%) - non-Indigenous - 2,492 Single family 26 Multiple family 1,021 Lone person 98 Group(b) households (68.5%) households (0.7%) households (28.1%) households (2.7%) (a) Excludes visitors only and other not classifiable households. (b) A group household is a non-family household with more than one person present on Census Night. Source: ABS, Census of Population and Housing, 2011, Indigenous Profile – I12

Indigenous families in Goondiwindi (R) LGA were generally living under harsher conditions than their non-Indigenous counterparts, with a higher proportion of one parent families (24.6% compared to 7.5%), children in jobless families (40.4% compared to 8.5%), overcrowded households (15.2% compared to 5.5%) and families renting (73.3% compared to 32.9%).

Indigenous Indigenous Indigenous Indigenous One Parent Children in Jobless Overcrowded Families Families Families Households Renting 24.6% 40.4% 15.2% 73.3%

Education, Income and Work In Goondiwindi (R) LGA, 19.6 per cent of Indigenous people aged 15 years and over who were no longer attending school reported Year 12 or equivalent as their highest year of school completed, compared to 40.1 per cent of non-Indigenous people.

Over half (53.7%) of all Indigenous people (aged 15 years and over) had a negative, nil income or rather low weekly personal income of $1 to $399 per week in 2011. And more than one third of their non-Indigenous counterparts were under similar financial circumstances (34.8%).

30

Having said that the unemployment rate for Indigenous people (aged 15 to 64 years) was more than six times that of non-Indigenous people (aged 15 to 64 years), that is, 16.8 per cent and 2.6 per cent, respectively. Note too that the unemployment rate varied with age and was highest for Indigenous people aged 35 to 44 years (29.0%) and non-Indigenous people aged 15 to 24 years (5.4%). Further, the unemployment rate for Indigenous youth (16.3%) was three times higher than that of non-Indigenous youth (5.4%).

Indigenous Indigenous Indigenous Indigenous Year 12 Negative, Nil, Low Unemployment Youth Completions Income Rate Unemployment 19.6% 53.7% 16.8% 16.3%

Maranoa (R) Location Figure 2.24 Map of Maranoa (R) LGA

Maranoa Regional Council South West Queensland 58,817.1 km2 Roma is around 480 km west of Brisbane

Source: Office of Economic and Statistical Research, 2011

Maranoa (R) LGA consists of 10 towns and localities (Appendix B). The council seat and main administrative hub is Roma, which is where our office is situated.

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Population In 2011 there were 958 Indigenous people in Maranoa (R) LGA, which was 7.3 per cent of the total resident population (Table 2.11).

Of all these Indigenous people, 37.3 per cent were aged 0 to 14 years.

Table 2.11 All People by Indigenous Status, Maranoa (R) LGA Indigenous Status Census Counts % Aboriginal 933 7.1 Torres Strait Islander 6 0.0 Both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander 19 0.1 Indigenous total 958 7.3 non-Indigenous 11,018 84.3 Not stated 1,097 8.4 Total 13,073 100.0

Source: ABS, Census of Population and Housing, 2011 Indigenous Profile - I02

In Maranoa (R) LGA, 23.4 per cent of the usual resident population were in the most disadvantaged quintile, and 17.4 per cent of the population were in the least disadvantaged quintile (Figure 2.25).

Figure 2.25 All People by Index of Relative Socio-Economic Disadvantage, Maranoa (R) LGA

Quintile 1 Most

. Quintile 2

. Quintile 3

. Quintile 4

Socio-Economic Disadvantage Quintile 5 Least

0 5 10 15 20 25 30

Source: ABS, Census of Population and Housing, 2011, SEIFA- 2033.0.55.001

Family and Household In Maranoa (R) LGA there were 393 Indigenous households in 2011. Of these, 82.7 per cent were (single and multiple) family households and 13.0 per cent were lone

32

person households (Figure 2.26). In comparison, 72.0 per cent of (4,056) non- Indigenous households were family households and 24.8 per cent were lone person households.

Figure 2.26 Households(a) by Type and Indigenous Status, Maranoa (R) LGA

- Indigenous - 309 Single family 16 Multiple family 51 Lone person 17 Group(b) households (78.6%) households (4.1%) households (13.0%) households (4.3%) - non-Indigenous - 2,878 Single family 39 Multiple family 1,005 Lone person 134 Group(b) households (71.0%) households (1.0%) households (24.8%) households (3.3%) (a) Excludes visitors only and other not classifiable households. (b) A group household is a non-family household with more than one person present on Census Night. Source: ABS, Census of Population and Housing, 2011, Indigenous Profile – I12

Indigenous families in Maranoa (R) LGA were generally living under harsher conditions than their non-Indigenous counterparts, with a higher proportion of one parent families (20.6% compared to 6.9%), children in jobless families (31.9% compared to 5.4%), overcrowded households (15.9% compared to 6.0%) and families renting (59.0% compared to 30.3%).

Indigenous Indigenous Indigenous Indigenous One Parent Children in Jobless Overcrowded Families Families Families Households Renting 20.6% 31.9% 38.4% 59.0%

Education, Income and Work In Maranoa (R) LGA, 20.8 per cent of Indigenous people aged 15 years and over who were no longer attending school reported Year 12 or equivalent as their highest year of school completed, compared to 40.0 per cent of non-Indigenous people.

Of all Indigenous people (aged 15 years and over) in Maranoa (R) LGA, 43.5 per cent had a negative, nil income or rather low weekly personal income of $1 to $399 per week in 2011. Around one third of their non-Indigenous counterparts were in a similar income bracket (31.3%).

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Having said that the unemployment rate for Indigenous people (aged 15 to 64 years) was more than five times that of non-Indigenous people (aged 15 to 64 years), that is, 11.5 per cent and 2.1 per cent respectively. Note too that the unemployment rate varied with age and was highest for young people aged 15 to 24 years, reaching 16.2 per cent for Indigenous young people, and 4.5 per cent for non-Indigenous young people.

Indigenous Indigenous Indigenous Indigenous Year 12 Negative, Nil, Low Unemployment Youth Completions Income Rate Unemployment 20.8% 43.5% 11.5% 16.2%

Murweh (S) Location Figure 2.27 Map of Murweh (S) LGA

Murweh Shire Council South West Queensland 40,774.5 km2 Charleville is around 270 km west of Roma and 745 km west of Brisbane

Source: Office of Economic and Statistical Research, 2011

Murweh (S) LGA consists of seven towns and localities (Appendix B). The council seat and main administrative hub is Charleville.

34

Population In 2011 there were 530 Indigenous people in Murweh (S) LGA, which was 11.5 per cent of the total resident population (Table 2.12). Of further interest is the fact that 39.6 per cent of these Indigenous people were aged 0 to 14 years.

Table 2.12 All People by Indigenous Status, Murweh (S) LGA Indigenous Status Census Counts % Aboriginal 499 10.8 Torres Strait Islander 18 0.4 Both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander 13 0.3 Indigenous total 530 11.5 non-Indigenous 3,770 81.6 Not stated 318 6.9 Total 4,618 100.0

Source: ABS, Census of Population and Housing, 2011 Indigenous Profile - I02

In Murweh (S) LGA, 35.7 per cent of the usual resident population were in the most disadvantaged quintile, and 0.0 per cent of the population were in the least disadvantaged quintile (Figure 2.28).

Figure 2.28 All People by Index of Relative Socio-Economic Disadvantage, Murweh (S) LGA

Quintile 1 Most

. Quintile 2

. Quintile 3

. Quintile 4

Socio-Economic Disadvantage Quintile 5 Least

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40

Source: ABS, Census of Population and Housing, 2011, SEIFA- 2033.0.55.001

Family and Household In Murweh (S) LGA there were 194 Indigenous households in 2011. Of these, 86.1 per cent were (single and multiple) family households and 11.3 per cent were lone person households (Figure 2.29). In comparison, 67.0 per cent of (1,461) non-

35

Indigenous households were family households and 30.9 per cent were lone person households.

Figure 2.29 Households(a) by Type and Indigenous Status, Murweh (S) LGA

- Indigenous - 161 Single family 6 Multiple family 22 Lone person 5 Group(b) households (83.0%) households (3.1%) households (11.3%) households (2.6%) - non-Indigenous - 961 Single family 17 Multiple family 452 Lone person 31 Group(b) households (65.8%) households (1.2%) households (30.9%) households (2.1%) (a) Excludes visitors only and other not classifiable households. (b) A group household is a non-family household with more than one person present on Census Night. Source: ABS, Census of Population and Housing, 2011, Indigenous Profile – I12

Indigenous families in Murweh (S) LGA were generally living under harsher conditions than their non-Indigenous counterparts, with a higher proportion of one parent families (24.2% compared to 6.3%), children in jobless families (32.6% compared to 8.1%), overcrowded households (18.9% compared to 5.5%) and families renting (53.4% compared to 30.2%).

Indigenous Indigenous Indigenous Indigenous One Parent Children in Jobless Overcrowded Families Families Families Households Renting 24.2% 32.6% 18.9% 53.4%

Education, Income and Work In Murweh (S) LGA, 23.9 per cent of Indigenous people aged 15 years and over who were no longer attending school reported Year 12 or equivalent as their highest year of school completed, compared to 37.4 per cent of non-Indigenous people.

Of all Indigenous people (aged 15 years and over) in the area, 45.0 per cent had a negative, nil income or rather low weekly personal income of $1 to $399 per week in 2011, as did 34.5 per cent of their non-Indigenous counterparts.

In Murweh (S) LGA the unemployment rate for Indigenous people (aged 15 to 64 years) was more than six times that of non-Indigenous people (aged 15 to 64 years),

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that is, 21.4 per cent and 3.2 per cent respectively.

Further, the unemployment rate varied with age and was highest for Indigenous people aged 25 to 34 years (27.0%) and non-Indigenous people aged 15 to 24 years (7.1%). Though not the highest unemployment rate for the Indigenous group, the unemployment rate for Indigenous youth (26.5%) was still more than three times higher than that of non-Indigenous youth (7.1%).

Indigenous Indigenous Indigenous Indigenous Year 12 Negative, Nil, Low Unemployment Youth Completions Income Rate Unemployment 23.9% 45.0% 21.4% 26.5%

Paroo (S) Location Figure 2.30 Map of Paroo (S) LGA

Paroo Shire Council South West Queensland 47,688.4 km2 Cunnamulla is around 470 km southwest of Roma and 810 km west of Brisbane

Source: Office of Economic and Statistical Research, 2011

Paroo (S) LGA consists of eight towns and localities (Appendix B). The council seat and main administrative hub is Cunnamulla town.

Population In 2011 there were 571 Indigenous people in Paroo (S) LGA, which was 30.7 per cent of the total resident population (Table 2.13). Of these Indigenous people, 40.3 per cent were aged 0 to 14 years.

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Table 2.13 All People by Indigenous Status, Paroo (S) LGA Indigenous Status Census Counts % Aboriginal 545 29.3 Torres Strait Islander 9 0.5 Both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander 17 0.9 Indigenous total 571 30.7 non-Indigenous 1,199 64.6 Not stated 87 4.7 Total 1,857 100.0

Source: ABS, Census of Population and Housing, 2011 Indigenous Profile - I02

In Paroo (S) LGA, 64.3 per cent of the usual resident population were in most disadvantaged quintile, and 0.0 per cent of the population were in the least disadvantaged quintile (Figure 2.31).

Figure 2.31 All People by Index of Relative Socio-Economic Disadvantage, Paroo (S) LGA

Quintile 1 Most

. Quintile 2

. Quintile 3

. Quintile 4

Socio-Economic Disadvantage Quintile 5 Least

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

Source: ABS, Census of Population and Housing, 2011, SEIFA- 2033.0.55.001

Family and Household In Paroo (S) LGA there were 184 Indigenous households in 2011. Of these, 73.4 per cent were family households and 25.0 per cent were lone person households (Figure 2.32).

In comparison, 59.2 per cent of (524) non-Indigenous households were family households and 38.7 per cent were lone person households.

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Figure 2.32 Households(a) by Type and Indigenous Status, Paroo (S) LGA

- Indigenous - 129 Single family 6 Multiple family 46 Lone person 3 Group(b) households (70.1%) households (3.3%) households (25.0%) households (1.6%) - non-Indigenous - 307 Single family 3 Multiple family 203 Lone person 11 Group(b) households (58.6%) households (0.6%) households (38.7%) households (2.1%) (a) Excludes visitors only and other not classifiable households. (b) A group household is a non-family household with more than one person present on Census Night. Source: ABS, Census of Population and Housing, 2011, Indigenous Profile – I12

Indigenous families in Paroo (S) LGA were generally living under harsher conditions than their non-Indigenous counterparts, with a higher proportion of one parent families (24.5% compared to 5.2%), children in jobless families (37.0% compared to 8.6%), overcrowded households (20.6% compared to 3.3%) and families renting (61.4% compared to 26.2%).

Indigenous Indigenous Indigenous Indigenous One Parent Children in Jobless Overcrowded Families Families Families Households Renting 24.5% 37.0% 20.6% 61.4%

Education, Income and Work In Paroo (S) LGA, 23.6 per cent of Indigenous people aged 15 years and over who were no longer attending school reported Year 12 or equivalent as their highest year of school completed, compared to 35.0 per cent of non-Indigenous people.

Of all Indigenous people (aged 15 years and over) in the area, 44.9 per cent had a negative, nil income or rather low weekly personal income of $1 to $399 per week in 2011. More than one third of their non-Indigenous counterparts were in a similar situation (37.2%).

Having said that, in Paroo (S) LGA the unemployment rate for Indigenous people (aged 15 to 64 years) was more than four times that of non-Indigenous people (aged 15 to 64 years), that is, 16.3 per cent and 3.7 per cent respectively. Note that the

39

unemployment rate varied with age and was highest for Indigenous people aged 15 to 24 years (24.4%), and non-Indigenous people aged 25 to 44 years (6.9%).

Indigenous Indigenous Indigenous Indigenous Year 12 Negative, Nil, Low Unemployment Youth Completions Income Rate Unemployment 23.6% 44.9% 16.3% 24.4%

Quilpie (S) Location Figure 2.33 Map of Quilpie (S) LGA

Quilpie Shire Council South West Queensland 67,547.1 km2 Quilpie is around 480 km west of Roma and 1,010 km west of Brisbane

Source: Office of Economic and Statistical Research, 2011

Quilpie (S) LGA has five towns and localities (Appendix B). The council seat and main administrative hub is Quilpie town.

Population In 2011 there were 109 Aboriginal7 people in Quilpie (S) LGA, which was 11.2 per cent of the total resident population (Table 2.14). Of these Aboriginal people, 31.5 per cent were aged 0 to 14 years.

7 We use the term “Aboriginal” instead of the umbrella term “Indigenous” because there were no Indigenous residents of Torres Strait Islander origin in Quilpie (S) LGA in 2011.

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Table 2.14 All People by Indigenous Status, Quilpie (S) LGA Indigenous Status Census Counts % Aboriginal 109 11.2 Torres Strait Islander 0 0.0 Both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander 0 0.0 Indigenous total 109 11.2 non-Indigenous 828 84.9 Not stated 38 3.9 Total 975 100.0 Source: ABS, Census of Population and Housing, 2011 Indigenous Profile - I02

In Quilpie (S) LGA, 58.8 per cent of the usual resident population were in most disadvantaged quintile, and 0.0 per cent of the population were in the least disadvantaged quintile (Figure 2.34).

Figure 2.34 All People by Index of Relative Socio-Economic Disadvantage, Quilpie (S) LGA

Quintile 1 Most

. Quintile 2

. Quintile 3

. Quintile 4

Socio-Economic Disadvantage Quintile 5 Least

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

Source: ABS, Census of Population and Housing, 2011, SEIFA- 2033.0.55.001

Family and Household In Quilpie (S) LGA there were 53 Aboriginal households in 2011. Of these, 81.2 per cent were (single and multiple) family households and 18.9 per cent were lone person households (Figure 2.35). In comparison, 62.9 per cent of (329) non- Indigenous households were family households and 33.7 per cent were lone person households.

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Figure 2.35 Households(a) by Type and Indigenous Status, Quilpie (S) LGA

- Indigenous - 40 Single family 3 Multiple family 10 Lone person 0 Group households (75.5%) households (5.7%) households (18.9%) households (0.0%) - non-Indigenous - 204 Single family 3 Multiple family 111 Lone person 11 Group(b) households (62.0%) households (0.9%) households (33.7%) households (3.3%) (a) Excludes visitors only and other not classifiable households. (b) A group household is a non-family household with more than one person present on Census Night. Source: ABS, Census of Population and Housing, 2011, Indigenous Profile – I12

Aboriginal families in Quilpie (S) LGA were generally living under harsher conditions than their non-Indigenous counterparts, with a higher proportion of one parent families (18.9% compared to 7.6%), children in jobless families (22.9% compared to 11.0%) and families renting (71.7% compared to 32.1%). But no Indigenous families reported living in overcrowded households, whereas 6.2% of non-Indigenous families did report living in overcrowded households.

Indigenous Indigenous Indigenous Indigenous One Parent Children in Jobless Overcrowded Families Families Families Households Renting 18.9% 22.9% 0.0% 71.7%

Education, Income and Work In Quilpie (S) LGA, 29.3 per cent of Indigenous people aged 15 years and over who were no longer attending school reported Year 12 or equivalent as their highest year of school completed, compared to 40.8 per cent of non-Indigenous people.

Of all Indigenous people (aged 15 years and over) in the area, 39.5 per cent had a negative, nil income or rather low weekly personal income of $1 to $399 per week in 2011. Further, 31.6 per cent of their non-Indigenous counterparts were in a similar situation.

That said, in Quilpie (S) LGA the unemployment rate for Indigenous people (aged 15 to 64 years) was over eight times that of non-Indigenous people (aged 15 to 64

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years), that is, 13.7 per cent and 1.7 per cent respectively. Note too that the unemployment rate varied with age and was highest for Indigenous people aged 35 to 44 years, reaching 53.8 per cent, and 12.3 per cent for non-Indigenous people aged 15 to 24 years. No young Indigenous people were recorded as unemployed in Quilpie in 2011.

Indigenous Indigenous Indigenous Indigenous Year 12 Negative, Nil, Low Unemployment Youth Completions Income Rate Unemployment 29.3% 39.5% 13.7% 0.0%

South Burnett (R) Location Figure 2.36 Map of South Burnett (R) LGA

South Burnett Regional Council Wide Bay-Burnett 8,397.0 km2 Kingaroy is around 350 km east of Roma 215 km northwest of Brisbane

Source: Office of Economic and Statistical Research, 2011

South Burnett (R) LGA has 39 towns and localities (Appendix B). The council seat and main administrative hub is Kingaroy.

Population In 2011 there were 1,360 Indigenous people in South Burnett (R) LGA, which was 4.4 per cent of the total resident population (Table 2.15).

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Of all these Indigenous people in South Burnett (R) LGA, 42.1 per cent were aged 0 to 14 years.

Table 2.15 All People by Indigenous Status, South Burnett (R) LGA Indigenous Status Census Counts % Aboriginal 1,257 4.1 Torres Strait Islander 43 0.1 Both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander 60 0.2 Indigenous total 1,360 4.4 non-Indigenous 28,349 91.4 Not stated 1,319 4.3 Total 31,028 100.0

Source: ABS, Census of Population and Housing, 2011 Indigenous Profile - I02

In South Burnett (R) LGA, 61.7 per cent of the usual resident population were in most disadvantaged quintile, and 2.9 per cent of the population were in the least disadvantaged quintile (Figure 2.37).

Figure 2.37 All People by Index of Relative Socio-Economic Disadvantage, South Burnett (R) LGA

Quintile 1 Most

. Quintile 2

. Quintile 3

. Quintile 4

Socio-Economic Disadvantage Quintile 5 Least

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

Source: ABS, Census of Population and Housing, 2011, SEIFA- 2033.0.55.001

Household and Family Composition In South Burnett (R) LGA there were 579 Indigenous households in 2011. Of these, 81.5 per cent were family households and 13.1 per cent were lone person households (Figure 2.38). In comparison, 70.4 per cent of (11,281) non-Indigenous households were family households and 26.6 per cent were lone person households.

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Figure 2.38 Households(a) by Type and Indigenous Status, South Burnett (R) LGA

- Indigenous - 453 Single family 19 Multiple family 76 Lone person 31 Group(b) households (78.2%) households (3.3%) households (13.1%) households (5.4%) - non-Indigenous - 7,850 Single family 88 Multiple family 2,999 Lone person 344 Group(b) households (69.6%) households (0.8%) households (26.6%) households (3.0%) (a) Excludes visitors only and other not classifiable households. (b) A group household is a non-family household with more than one person present on Census Night. Source: ABS, Census of Population and Housing, 2011, Indigenous Profile – I12

Indigenous families in South Burnett (R) LGA were generally living under harsher conditions than their non-Indigenous counterparts, with a higher proportion of one parent families (29.4% compared to 9.5%), children in jobless families (42.2% compared to 19.7%), overcrowded households (18.4% compared to 5.5%) and families renting (56.0% compared to 25.7%).

Indigenous Indigenous Indigenous Indigenous One Parent Children in Jobless Overcrowded Families Families Families Households Renting 29.4% 42.2% 18.4% 56.0%

Education, Income and Work In South Burnett (R) LGA, 25.9 per cent of Indigenous people aged 15 years and over who were no longer attending school reported Year 12 or equivalent as their highest year of school completed, compared to 32.0 per cent of non-Indigenous people.

More than half (53.3%) of all Indigenous people (aged 15 years and over) in the area had a negative, nil income or rather low weekly personal income of $1 to $399 per week in 2011.

Further, 47.4 per cent of their non-Indigenous counterparts were in a similar situation.

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That said, in South Burnett (R) LGA the unemployment rate for Indigenous people (aged 15 to 64 years) was almost three times that of non-Indigenous people (aged 15 to 64 years), that is, 18.7 per cent and 6.4 per cent respectively. Note too that the unemployment rate varied with age and was highest for young people aged 15 to 24 years, reaching 25.5 per cent for Indigenous young people, and 11.9 per cent for non-Indigenous young people.

Indigenous Indigenous Indigenous Indigenous Year 12 Negative, Nil, Low Unemployment Youth Completions Income Rate Unemployment 25.9% 53.3% 18.7% 25.5%

Southern Downs (R) Location Figure 2.39 Map of Southern Downs (R) LGA

Southern Downs Regional Council Darling Downs 7,122.0 km2 Warwick is around 440 km southeast of Roma 160 km southwest of Brisbane

Source: Office of Economic and Statistical Research, 2011

Southern Downs (R) LGA has 43 towns and localities (see Appendix B). The council seat and main administrative hub is Warwick.

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Population In 2011 there were 1,129 Indigenous people in the Southern Downs (R) LGA, which was 3.3 per cent of the total resident population (Table 2.16).

Of all those Indigenous people in the Southern Downs (R) LGA, 41.0 per cent were aged 0 to 14 years.

Table 2.16 All People by Indigenous Status, Southern Downs (R) LGA Indigenous Status Census Counts % Aboriginal 1,033 3.0 Torres Strait Islander 50 0.1 Both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander 46 0.1 Indigenous total 1,129 3.3 non-Indigenous 31,432 92.8 Not stated 1,323 3.9 Total 33,884 100.0

Source: ABS, Census of Population and Housing, 2011 Indigenous Profile - I02

In the Southern Downs (R) LGA, 42.5 per cent of the usual resident population were in most disadvantaged quintile, and 0.9 per cent of the population were in the least disadvantaged quintile (Figure 2.40).

Figure 2.40 All People by Index of Relative Socio-Economic Disadvantage, Southern Downs (R) LGA

Quintile 1 Most

. Quintile 2

. Quintile 3

. Quintile 4

Socio-Economic Disadvantage Quintile 5 Least

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45

Source: ABS, Census of Population and Housing, 2011, SEIFA- 2033.0.55.001

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Family and Household In Southern Downs (R) LGA there were 484 Indigenous households in 2011. Of these, 83.9 per cent were family households and 12.0 per cent were lone person households (Figure 2.41). In comparison, 70.5 per cent of (12,378) non-Indigenous households were family households and 27.1 per cent were lone person households.

Figure 2.41 Households(a) by Type and Indigenous Status, Southern Downs (R) LGA

- Indigenous - 382 Single family 24 Multiple family 58 Lone person 20 Group(b) households (78.9%) households (5.0%) households (12.0%) households (4.1%) - non-Indigenous - 8,597 Single family 122 Multiple family 3,351 Lone person 308 Group(b) households (69.5%) households (1.0%) households (27.1%) households (2.5%) (a) Excludes visitors only and other not classifiable households. (b) A group household is a non-family household with more than one person present on Census Night. Source: ABS, Census of Population and Housing, 2011, Indigenous Profile – I12

Indigenous families in Southern Downs (R) LGA were generally living under harsher conditions than their non-Indigenous counterparts, with a higher proportion of one parent families (26.7% compared to 9.4%), children in jobless families (44.6% compared to 14.8%), overcrowded households (16.8% compared to 5.3%) and families renting (62.1% compared to 26.7%).

Indigenous Indigenous Indigenous Indigenous One Parent Children in Jobless Overcrowded Families Families Families Households Renting 26.7% 44.6% 16.8% 62.1%

Education, Income and Work In Southern Downs (R) LGA, 21.7 per cent of Indigenous people aged 15 years and over who were no longer attending school reported Year 12 or equivalent as their highest year of school completed, compared to 35.0 per cent of non-Indigenous people.

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More than half (53.3%) of all Indigenous people (aged 15 years and over) in the area had a negative, nil income or rather low weekly personal income of $1 to $399 per week in 2011, as were 43.3 per cent of their non-Indigenous counterparts.

But in Southern Downs (R) LGA the unemployment rate for Indigenous people (aged 15 to 64 years) was more than four times that of non-Indigenous people (aged 15 to 64 years), that is, 21.3 per cent and 4.9 per cent respectively. Note that the unemployment rate varied with age and was highest for Indigenous people aged 25 to 34 years (26.3%) and for non-Indigenous people aged 15 to 24 years (9.1%). Furthermore, the unemployment rate for Indigenous youth (26.5%) was more than twice that of non-Indigenous youth (9.1%).

Indigenous Indigenous Indigenous Indigenous Year 12 Negative, Nil, Low Unemployment Youth Completions Income Rate Unemployment 21.7% 53.3% 21.3% 26.5%

Toowoomba (R) Location Figure 2.42 Map of Toowoomba (R) LGA

Toowoomba Regional Council Darling Downs 12,978.5 km2 Toowoomba is around 350 km southeast of Roma and 130 km west of Brisbane

Source: Office of Economic and Statistical Research, 2011

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Toowoomba (R) LGA consists of 107 towns and localities (Appendix B). The council seat and main administrative hub is Toowoomba town.

Population In 2011 there were 5,242 Indigenous people in Toowoomba (R) LGA, which was 3.5 per cent of the total resident population (Table 2.17). Of these Indigenous people, 42.2 per cent were aged 0 to 14 years.

Table 2.17 All People by Indigenous Status, Toowoomba (R) LGA Indigenous Status Census Counts % Aboriginal 4,931 3.3 Torres Strait Islander 188 0.1 Both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander 123 0.1 Indigenous total 5,242 3.5 non-Indigenous 139,365 92.2 Not stated 6,583 4.4 Total 151,190 100.0

Source: ABS, Census of Population and Housing, 2011 Indigenous Profile - I02

In Toowoomba (R) LGA, 23.6 per cent of the usual resident population were in most disadvantaged quintile, and 16.9 per cent of the population were in the least disadvantaged quintile (Figure 2.43).

Figure 2.43 All People by Index of Relative Socio-Economic Disadvantage, Toowoomba (R) LGA

Quintile 1 Most

. Quintile 2

. Quintile 3

. Quintile 4

Socio-Economic Disadvantage Quintile 5 Least

0 5 10 15 20 25 30

Source: ABS, Census of Population and Housing, 2011, SEIFA- 2033.0.55.001

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Family and Household In Toowoomba (R) LGA there were 2,052 Indigenous households in 2011. Of these, 84.0 per cent were family households and 11.3 per cent were lone person households (Figure 2.44). In comparison, 70.7 per cent of (53,132) non-Indigenous households were family households and 26.1 per cent were lone person households.

Figure 2.44 Households(a) by Type and Indigenous Status, Toowoomba (R) LGA

- Indigenous - 1,633 Single family 91 Multiple family 231 Lone person 97 Group(b) households (79.6%) households (4.4%) households (11.3%) households (4.7%) - non-Indigenous - 37,044 Single family 544 Multiple family 13,867 Lone person 1,677 Group(b) households (69.7%) households (1.0%) households (26.1%) households (3.2%) (a) Excludes visitors only and other not classifiable households. (b) A group household is a non-family household with more than one person present on Census Night. Source: ABS, Census of Population and Housing, 2011, Indigenous Profile – I12

Indigenous families in Toowoomba (R) LGA were generally living under harsher conditions than their non-Indigenous counterparts, with a higher proportion of one parent families (28.9% compared to 9.7%), children in jobless families (40.3% compared to 11.4%), overcrowded households (18.5% compared to 4.9%) and families renting (63.0% compared to 29.1%).

Indigenous Indigenous Indigenous Indigenous One Parent Children in Jobless Overcrowded Families Families Families Households Renting 28.9% 40.3% 18.5% 63.0%

Education, Income and Work In Toowoomba (R) LGA, at the time of the last Census, 31.1 per cent of Indigenous people aged 15 years and over who were no longer attending school reported Year 12 or equivalent as their highest year of school completed, compared to 44.3 per cent of non-Indigenous people.

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Of all Indigenous people (aged 15 years and over) in the area, 44.9 per cent had a negative, nil income or rather low weekly personal income of $1 to $399 per week in 2011. Further 37.1 per cent of their non-Indigenous counterparts were living under similar financial circumstances.

Having said that in Toowoomba (R) LGA the unemployment rate for Indigenous people (aged 15 to 64 years) was 3.5 times higher than that of non-Indigenous people (aged 15 to 64 years), that is, 16.1 per cent and 4.6 per cent respectively. Note too that the unemployment rate varied with age and was highest for young people aged 15 to 24 years, reaching 27.2 per cent for Indigenous young people, and 10.0 per cent for non-Indigenous young people.

Indigenous Indigenous Indigenous Indigenous Year 12 Negative, Nil, Low Unemployment Youth Completions Income Rate Unemployment 31.1% 44.9% 16.1% 27.2%

Western Downs (R) Location Figure 2.45 Map of Western Downs (R) LGA

Western Downs Regional Council Darling Downs 38,004.7 km2 Dalby is around 270 km southeast of Roma and 210 km northwest of Brisbane

Source: Office of Economic and Statistical Research, 2011

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Western Downs (R) LGA consists of seven towns and localities (Appendix B). The council seat and main administrative hub is Dalby.

Population In 2011 there were 1,417 Indigenous people in Western Downs (R) LGA, which was 4.5 per cent of the total resident population (Table 2.18). Furthermore, of those Indigenous people, 41.5 per cent were aged 0 to 14 years.

Table 2.18 All People by Indigenous Status, Western Downs (R) LGA Indigenous Status Census Counts % Aboriginal 1,343 4.3 Torres Strait Islander 42 0.1 Both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander 32 0.1 Indigenous total 1,417 4.5 non-Indigenous 27,966 88.5 Not stated 2,206 7.0 Total 31,589 100.0

Source: ABS, Census of Population and Housing, 2011 Indigenous Profile - I02

In Western Downs (R) LGA, 23.0 per cent of the usual resident population were in the most disadvantaged quintile, and 4.7 per cent of the population were in the least disadvantaged quintile (Figure 2.46).

Figure 2.46 All People by Index of Relative Socio-Economic Disadvantage, Western Downs (R) LGA

Quintile 1 Most

. Quintile 2

. Quintile 3

. Quintile 4 Socio-Economic Disadvantage Quintile 5 Least

0 5 10 15 20 25 30

Source: ABS, Census of Population and Housing, 2011, SEIFA- 2033.0.55.001

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Family and Household In Western Downs (R) LGA there were 564 Indigenous households in 2011. Of these, 81.0 per cent were family households and 13.1 per cent were lone person households (Figure 2.47). In comparison, 71.5 per cent of (10,386) non-Indigenous households were family households and 25.3 per cent were lone person households.

Figure 2.47 Households(a) by Type and Indigenous Status, Western Downs (R) LGA

- Indigenous - 436 Single family 21 Multiple family 74 Lone person 33 Group(b) households (77.3%) households (3.7%) households (13.1%) households (5.9%) - non-Indigenous - 7,337 Single family 92 Multiple family 2,623 Lone person 334 Group(b) households (70.6%) households (0.9%) households (25.3%) households (3.2%) (a) Excludes visitors only and other not classifiable households. (b) A group household is a non-family household with more than one person present on Census Night. Source: ABS, Census of Population and Housing, 2011, Indigenous Profile – I12

Indigenous families in Western Downs (R) LGA were generally living under harsher conditions than their non-Indigenous counterparts, with a higher proportion of one parent families (25.2% compared to 7.8%), children in jobless families (41.5% compared to 11.0%), overcrowded households (16.6% compared to 6.3%) and families renting (53.7% compared to 29.6%).

Indigenous Indigenous Indigenous Indigenous One Parent Children in Jobless Overcrowded Families Families Families Households Renting 25.2% 41.5% 16.6% 53.7%

Education, Income and Work In Western Downs (R) LGA, 24.5 per cent of Indigenous people aged 15 years and over who were no longer attending school reported Year 12 or equivalent as their highest year of school completed, compared to 36.7 per cent of non-Indigenous people.

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Of all Indigenous people (aged 15 years and over) in the area, 48.2 per cent had a negative, nil income or rather low weekly personal income of $1 to $399 per week in 2011. Further, 37.6 of their non-Indigenous counterparts were in a similar situation.

Having said that in Western Downs (R) LGA the unemployment rate for Indigenous people (aged 15 to 64 years) was more than four times that of non-Indigenous people (aged 15 to 64 years), that is, 14.3 per cent and 3.5 per cent respectively. Note too that the unemployment rate varied with age and was highest for young people aged 15 to 24 years, reaching 25.7 per cent for Indigenous young people, and 6.8 per cent for non-Indigenous young people.

Indigenous Indigenous Indigenous Indigenous Year 12 Negative, Nil, Low Unemployment Youth Completions Income Rate Unemployment 24.5% 48.2% 14.3% 25.7%

Section 2.2 has provided a profile of the communities that comprise Southern Queensland. Next we present information about the available services in the Region’s communities by LGA.

2.3 SERVICES

Available government funded services in our Communities include:

(i) Aged care services which refers to "care and support services for older people and their carers, which are provided at home, in the community and in residential care facilities" (SCRGSP, 2017, p. 14.1).

(ii) Courts that “aim to safeguard and maintain the rule of law and ensure equal justice for all" (SCRGSP, 2017, p. 7.16).

(iii) Early childhood services and Education that aspires to "meet the education and care needs of all children in developmentally appropriate ways, in a safe and nurturing environment" (PC News, 2016 March).

(iv) Emergency services and Safety where "an emergency event is an event that endangers or threatens to endanger life, property and/or the environment, and requires a significant and coordinated response" (SCRGSP, 2017, p. D.2).

A comparison of the available services for each LGA is set out in Table 2.19, below.

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Table 2.19 Comparison of Service Provision for Our Communities by LGA, Southern Queensland Services Community LGAs

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

rnDowns Paroo Bulloo Quilpie Murweh Balonne Maranoa Cherbourg Goondiwindi Toowoomba South Burnett South Weste Southern Downs Southern

Aged care services Aged care services ! - ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! Aged care service ! - ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! operational places(a) Courts District Court - - - ! ! ! ! - ! ! ! ! Family Law Court ------Federal Circuit Court ------! - ! - Magistrates Court ! - ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! Murri Court(b) ! - ! ------! - Supreme Court - - - - ! - - - - - ! - Early childhood services and Education Family day care ! - - ! - ! - - ! ! ! ! Kindergarten ! - ! ! ! ! ! - ! ! ! ! Long day care ! - ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! School aged care ! - - ! - - ! - ! ! ! ! Limited hours care ------! ! - School ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! Emergency services and Safety Alcohol Restrictions - - ! ------Ambulance station ! ! - ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! Fire station ! - ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! Police station ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! Hospital ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! (a) Aged care service operational places comprise community care and residential care. (b) Murri Courts are located in the Magistrates Courts in the community LGAs. Source: Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing, 2016; Department of Education and Training, 2015; Family Court of Australia, 2017; Federal Circuit Court of Australia, 2017; Office for Early Childhood Education and Care, 2017; Queensland Ambulance Service, 2015; Queensland Courts, 2017; Queensland Fire and Emergency Services, 2015; Queensland Health, 2015; Queensland Police, 2015.

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3 Tracking Performance

Part 3 Tracking Performance examines the performance of AFLSSQ’s services and delivery using the approach to performance established in the RoGS, and draws on information from the CLASS data management program, desktop based literature, corporate files, observations in the field, and interviews with key stakeholders, clients and communities.

3.1 PERFORMANCE

The framework of performance for culturally appropriate legal services and assistance relates to the governments’ objectives for family violence prevention legal services project under the Safety and Wellbeing Programme.8

Objectives for family violence prevention legal services

The family violence prevention legal services sector aims to ensure (i) the ordinary law of the land applies in Indigenous communities, and (ii) Indigenous people enjoy similar levels of physical, emotional and social wellbeing enjoyed by other Australians.

To achieve these aims, governments seek to provide legal services that: • ensures laws are followed in all communities across the country; • improve the ability of the justice system to meet the needs of Indigenous people; • are integrated, inclusive and responsive to achieve real results for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people; support the existing leadership and knowledge base of Aboriginal and Torres • Strait Islander communities;

• emphasises early intervention and primary prevention;

• better respond to victims of violence and hold perpetrators to account; • supports children who are at risk of violence, abuse and neglect within their families; and • supports women, children and men in a holistic manner to ensure they can live safely in their families, homes and communities.

Governments aim for family violence prevention legal services that meet these objectives in an equitable, effective and efficient manner.

8 These objectives are compiled from the Commonwealth of Australia, Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, Closing the Gap Prime Minister’s Report 2017, and the Third Action Plan 2016– 2019 of the National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children 2010–2022.

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The Review draws on the approach to performance information established in the RoGS, which is a tool for government services in Australia. This approach informs the performance framework in this Review. It provides a robust structure for identifying and capturing a mix of indicators and measures for understanding, reporting and driving AFLSSQ’s performance.

The performance framework applied here provides information on equity, effectiveness and efficiency, as shown in the diagram below (which is based on RoGS) (Figure 3.1). In each section – equity, effectiveness and efficiency – a background to inform objectives to service areas is provided, outputs are presented, and flow on outcomes are discussed.

Figure 3.1 AFLSSQ Services Performance Indicator Framework

Source: Based on RoGs 2017

Further, the Review relies on timely data and presents current year data for most services and data for previous years to provide points of comparison, where possible. However, gaps remain. Where this is the case, relevant caveats and supporting commentary are provided. Also, readers should note that improvements to performance reporting at AFLSSQ are ongoing.

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Recall that Part 2 Southern Queensland contains information and data that may assist in interpreting the performance indicators presented in Part 3 (here).

3.2 EQUITY

The Australian Government is committed to achieving real and positive change in the lives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are the poorest of the poor, experience multiple disadvantage and are one of the most vulnerable groups in Australia.

Recent research indicates that people with multiple disadvantage are particularly likely to have high need for public legal assistance. They tend to have both elevated vulnerability to legal problems and low legal capability.9

When it comes to having their ‘high need for public legal assistance’ met, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people face complex barriers. One such barrier to access relates to the perception that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people hold of the justice system and the law. Many view the law and legal services in a negative way, and have a lack of faith in the justice system, government services, the police and non-Indigenous providers, in general.

Further to this, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people can experience anxiety around dealing with organisations and services that they see as culturally unsafe. Culturally safe environments help people to feel spiritually, socially and emotionally protected. This can be difficult to achieve in environments where language barriers are present.

In fact, significant differences exist between the language used in the courts, and the language used in some of our communities, especially those where ‘home talk’ and ‘creole’ is common usage. While this can signal the need for interpreters, language can act as another barrier to access for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, families and communities.

Closely associated with this is the fear that many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have with regard to making contact with the law. Many fear that coming into contact with the law will result in adverse consequences. Some expect contact will result in family members being arrested and removed to ‘lock up’, while others fear it will result in children being removed from the family and / or community and subsequently placed in the child protection system. These fears gain traction in a

9 Christine Coumarelos, Hugh M. McDonald, Suzie Forell and Zhigang Wei, Collaborative Services Planning – Service Planning, Law and Justice Foundation of NSW, Sydney, 2015.

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justice system in which Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are over- represented in institutional custody and child protection systems.

In addition, many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, families and communities can and do face multiple disadvantage. At any given time, they can be managing multiple problems at one time. This can end up with social, health, economic and other problems taking priority over legal problems. Further, while some people ignore a problem exists, some need time to ask for help, and others may opt against seeking legal assistance. Some people simply want to maintain control for decisions that affects their lives, and the lives of their families and communities.

This is a partial background that may assist in understanding equity indicators.

Access According to RoGS (2016, p.1.14), equity indicators “measure how well a service is meeting the needs of particular groups that have special needs or difficulties in accessing government services”. For AFLSSQ, this means measuring how well services are meeting the needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families from Southern Queensland. The information below presents equity indicators that are considered relevant to performance, including some that may not be considered in mainstream legal services.

Indigenous Corporation For AFLSSQ, ‘Indigenous Corporation’ can be considered an indicator of governments’ objective to provide equitable access to justice via family violence prevention legal services. The information presented below (Figure 3.2) presents the pathway the organisation has taken since winding up Marumali Mari Outreach Service, which was auspiced under the Maranoa Regional Council.

It is relevant to point out that since re-establishing itself as AFLSSQ, the organisation has been registered by the Office of Registrar of Indigenous Corporations (ORIC) and funded by the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet.

The timeframe presented in the pathway covers the period 2013 to 2017, which marks the shift to becoming AFLSSQ. The information presented in the pathway indicator can be considered complete at the time of writing the report.

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Figure 3.2 Indigenous Corporation Pathway 2013 to 2017

Source: AFLSSQ, 2017

Commenting on this pathway, AFLSSQ CEO, Ms Susan Hamilton said: We are passionate about the law and providing successful outcomes for our clients. We deal with issues that change people’s lives. These are sensitive and life changing and private. If you want Indigenous families to come forward and use your service, it has to be a service where they can want to come, and trust to come. You have to help the community in ways they want and will accept. Taking advice and seeking guidance from our leaders and communities is essential to that. The changes we’ve made have been community driven to a large extent, and they have community backing, which helps people in the community to come and ask for help.

An important output for AFLSSQ relates to the organisation’s status as an Indigenous Corporation. As an Indigenous Corporation, the pathway taken has been driven by the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities of Southern Queensland themselves, which is an important aspect of The Third Action Plan 2016-2019 (Australian Government Department of Social Services, 2016, p.14).

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The Third Action Plan [2016-2019] aims to support the existing leadership and knowledge base of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities to oversee the development of culturally appropriate policy, programs and primary prevention activities, delivered in partnership with their communities. .

One outcome of being an Indigenous Corporation is that AFLSSQ can positively affect the negative perception that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Southern Queensland communities mighty hold of the justice system, the law and legal services. As communities involve themselves in defining the type of organisation they want to service their legal needs, they are, in a sense, becoming more involved in the law – that is, gaining a better understanding of the law, the types of legal services and assistance available to them, and their legal rights and responsibilities, which has a positive effect on ensuring the rule of law applies in communities.

Further, while ‘Indigenous Corporation’ was presented as an indicator for measuring AFLSSQ’s performance in terms of access to equity, it can be considered an indicator of appropriate access to equity. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community people generally prefer to deal with Indigenous organisations (rather than non-Indigenous organisations).10 Being an Indigenous Corporation satisfies this preference, and has the added benefit of portraying the organisation as a culturally safe environment, offering culturally appropriate access to legal services and assistance. This can also be measured by looking at the people at AFLSSQ.

Indigenous Board AFLSSQ is governed by a Board of Directors. The Board are respected leaders and voices in their communities. They are culturally astute, respected professionals, who are (s)elected to govern the organisation, and establish corporate management related policies and to make decisions on major organisation issues. The role they perform is key to ensuring the organisation’s prosperity by collectively directing the organisation’s business, while meeting the needs of its stakeholders and relevant parties.

The Board consists of seven directors: • four member directors (each of whom is an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person of at least 18 years of age, who usually resides in the Region); and • three specialist directors (one with expertise in law, one with expertise in finance and one with expertise in social and emotional wellbeing).

10 A number of reports have written about this point. See, Demosthenous, C.M. & Demosthenous, H.T. (2011), The Indigenous Safe Sleeping Project: Closing the Gap on Knowledge, Resources and Access in Queensland, SIDS and Kids Queensland Inc., ISBN 9780646566719.

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Presented below is information on the eligibility of directors drawn from ORIC on 11 27.01.2017. Included here is information on race and gender, which are indicators of equity of access to legal services (Table 3.1).

Table 3.1 The Board, 2017 Criteria Levels Directors

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Community South West - ! - - - ! ! Representation Darling Downs - - ! - - - - Membership AFLSSQ Member - ! ! - - ! ! Specialist Non-Member ! - - ! ! - - Age At least 18 years of age ! ! ! ! ! ! ! Under 18 years of age ------Aboriginal or Torres Indigenous - ! ! - - ! ! Strait Islander people Non-Indigenous ! - - ! ! - - Gender Female - ! - ! - ! ! Male ! - ! - ! - - Usually Resident in Yes ! ! ! ! ! ! ! Australia No ------Not AFLSSQ Yes ! ! ! ! ! ! Employees No - - - - - ! -

Source: AFLSSQ, 2017

The Board meets the requirements for the minimum ‘number of directors. • The minimum number of directors is seven, including at least one director from the Darling Downs and one director from the South West in Southern Queensland and three non member specialist directors (Table 3.1).

The Board meets the requirements for the ‘eligibility of directors’. Each director is: • at least 18 years of age; and • a member of AFLSSQ or a specialist non-member director (Table 3.1).

The Board meets the requirements for the ‘majority of directors’ given that a greater number of directors are: • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people; • Female; • Usually resident in Australia; • Members of the AFLSSQ; and • Not employees of the AFLSSQ (Table 3.1).

11 http://register.oric.gov.au/document.aspx?concernID=3735894, retrieved June 16, 2017.

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Indigenous Staff At AFLSSQ, the head of the staff is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO). The CEO leads the organisation and has responsibility for making major corporate decisions, managing overall operations and resources, acting as the point of communication and setting our path to success. Further, the CEO is ultimately responsible for all day-to-day management decisions, including the organisation’s long and short term plans.

AFLSSQ’s CEO is an Indigenous woman of Torres Strait Islander origin. Information relating to the CEO is presented below in Table 3.2.

Table 3.2 Staff, 2017 Factor Level Staff

(b) (a) CEO Solicitor Principal Solicitor Principal Program Manager Program

Employment Status Types Full-time Employee ! ! ! Contractor ! Indigenous Australian Yes ! - - ! No - ! ! - Gender Male - ! ! - Female ! - - ! Age Group (in years) 30-49 - ! - - 50+ ! - ! ! Highest Level of Education Secondary School - - - - University ! ! ! ! Work Area Legal Services ! ! ! Education Services ! - - ! Counselling Services - - - ! Advocacy Services ! - - - Administration Services ! - - ! Culturally Competent Yes ! ! ! ! No - - - - (a) The CEO is a practising solicitor, and provides legal services to the organisation, when needed. (b) This staff member is an independent contractor who is based in Toowoomba and comes to Roma one day per week for Court. The engagement is ongoing. Source: AFLSSQ, 2017

AFLSSQ has four staff in total, two Indigenous full time employees and two full time non-Indigenous employees. These include both legal staff and community staff.

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All staff are: • employed on a full-time basis; and • formally educated at university.

Half of the staff are female.

The majority of the staff are: • Aged 50+ years.

All staff are versed in culturally safe practice, which is in line with the objectives of the AFLSSQ (Table 3.2). Further, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are encouraged to acquire recognised qualifications to enable their practice in professions related to the activities of the Corporation (e.g., Queensland Law Society accreditation) and its services (e.g., professional training in Mental Health). Further, at the time of writing the current report, AFLSSQ had secured a commitment for funds to appoint additional staff.

The Volunteers Volunteers refers to individuals and organisations that provide generic and specialist knowledge, skills and abilities to AFLSSQ. Over the period 2016-2017, the volunteers that assisted AFLSSQ were from ResearchCrowd, an Indigenous Supply Nation accredited organisation that specialises in Indigenous research in Australia. Further, ResearchCrowd’s business owners are from the Gamilaroi people, whose Country crosses into the Balonne (S) LGA in our Region.

This section has looked at Indigenous Corporation, Indigenous Board, Indigenous Staff and Female Staff as indicators and measures of performance. While there is no strict measure or hard and fast rule that can be applied here, as an Indigenous Corporation governed by a Board of Indigenous directors and led by an Indigenous CEO, AFLSSQ is uniquely positioned to deliver culturally appropriate access to justice for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, families and communities of Southern Queensland. AFLSSQ is performing well in this respect.

Next we present information on the effectiveness of access to services by clients.

3.3 EFFECTIVENESS

According to RoGS (2016, p.1.16), effectiveness indicators “measure how well the outputs of a service reflect the stated objectives of that service”. An important consideration in measuring the effectiveness of outputs for AFLSSQ is that of remoteness. Remoteness often sees people dispersed across vast tracks of land, with less than adequate access to phone and internet services and public transportation systems, which can negatively affect effectiveness. Being located far

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from administrative hubs and legal services and assistance can act as barriers to accessing appropriate, quality legal services and assistance. This can present additional challenges that hinder Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, families and communities from the help needed to assist them to overcome their legal problems and fully exercise their legal rights. This can be a big problem in some communities, and can prove fatal for those caught up in domestic and family violence situations and child protection battles.

Access Access indicators measure how easily the community can obtain a service. In this report, access has a number of dimensions, including those that relate to “undue delay (timeliness)” and “undue cost (affordability)” (RoGS, 2016, p.1.16).

Service Delivery AFLSSQ’s office is located in Southern Queensland’s Maranoa Regional Council.

52 Hawthorn Street, Roma

The office (shown above) is situated in the main administrative hub in Roma, within its Central Business District (CBD). As part of the CBD, the office is within easy reach of the town’s public transport system, and important service providers (such as the Police and health care providers). Further, as part of the CBD, the office enjoys relatively reliable online and digital services, including internet and telephone.

Office hours are Monday to Friday between the hours of 9:00am and 5:00pm.

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Many of the services available at AFLSSQ are delivered in locations outside our Roma office, in communities and courts across Southern Queensland. Included below is a storyboard that presents a day in the life of AFLSSQ (Figure 3.3). This storyboard captures the narrative of AFLSSQ staff delivering services on any given day of the week. It includes information on the nature of the service and location markers, which point to the particular community in which the service was delivered. The storyboard’s backdrop is the region known as Southern Queensland.

Figure 3.3 A Day in the Life of AFLSSQ

Source: AFLSSQ, 2017

Commenting on the sheer size and scope of delivering services across the region (which readers will recall covers more than 405,000 square kilometres), the Community Support Program Manager, who regularly travels the region to deliver services, said: Typically, we cover a huge area. I estimate it’s about three and a half times the size of Victoria. I actually really enjoy it. It’s exciting. We do the shortest road, but it’s a big road trip. Say we go to Charleville; we leave Roma by 6:00am [on Monday] or go on the Sunday afternoon to be there in time for court. It’s three hours away to Charleville. If we go in the morning, we get up around 4:30am. We have to pack the car up with all the resources – printer, computer, iPad, resource materials, forms, pens, pencils, client files, mobile phones. We arrive at Charleville around 8:30am, straight for the courthouse. We have a room, an interview room, and I set everything up, then find people [locate clients]. I shadow the lawyer. We’re like a mobile office, always travelling.

While AFLSSQ staff travel to deliver the services they offer to individuals and communities, Southern Queensland is predominately a remote region (88.2%), with

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areas considered to be slightly or not at all accessible. In addition, gaining access to the broader region is always subject to external factors beyond the control of AFLSSQ, such as natural disasters and weather conditions. These factors can adversely impact travel and cause roads to be closed. In turn, this impacts on the effectiveness of staff and client access to legal services and assistance.

AFLSSQ responds to these factors by having in place a system that is responsive. The system includes Plan Bs. Plan Bs are formed in staff meetings, alongside Plan As. While Plan As are first preference travel routes and dates for meeting with clients, court appearances and so forth, Plan Bs provide second preferences that provide schedules of alternate courses of action for achieving a goal in a timely manner, all things considered.

When considering all things, it is important to know that providing effective access to services means having the right numbers of people, in the right places, at the right time. A recent problem for AFLSSQ has been the Roma office being left unattended during service hours. Contributing factors include: current staff numbers, coupled with staff turnover rates, and the loss of partnering organisations in Southern Queensland communities, coupled with emergency call outs to clients.

AFLSSQ is currently implementing actions to ensure the office stays open and available during set office hours. The actions taken include: • securing funds to recruit an appropriately qualified and experienced administration officer, and additional solicitors and counsellors, with an affinity for living and working in a rural area; and • adhering to guidelines relating to office protocols for operating.

The intended outcome of this action is to improve access by ensuring the centre is staffed during office hours to make sure walk-in visitors and calls to the office receive prompt attention in a timely and effective manner. Further, while it can be challenging to recruit suitability qualified personnel to live and work in remote locations, AFLSSQ is also considering strategies for improving its selection and recruitment practices to ensure it puts the right persons in the right jobs as a matter of priority, and to improve its performance in this area.

Maintaining Presence AFLSSQ remains ever mindful of its obligation to communities, and one of its objectives is to ensure it makes good use of traditional and new media platforms to maintain its presence in communities. Traditional media is used for one-way or one-to-many-way communications, and has been the basis of drawing attention from the time of the first Aboriginal rock paintings in Australia, estimated to be circa 40,000 years old.12

12 ABC, ‘Genyornis - a megafauna species of extinct giant bird’, viewed 11 May 2016,

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Industries generally considered as traditional media include: radio, television, newspapers, print and those which are viewed by many, with little or no interaction between producer and consumer. These industries are important in the lives of community people, who value Indigenous news and radio and television broadcasting “for our mob” as a way of controlling, promoting and communicating culture and community needs.13

AFLSSQ makes use of different types of traditional media in its promotional and marketing activities, including flyers (picture here) and brochures. AFLSSQ’s Community Support Program Manager, explained: I always say, ‘our aim is to help you’ because it’s the quality of service delivery that matters. I’m always concentrating on serving our clients. Whenever I see someone, I say, ‘here’s a card. Can I give you some brochures?’. With the brochures and the flyers, people know where to find you and when you’re next around. We really try to put a mark on the community and do what works to make sure that people know we’re here and we can help.

AFLSSQ understands that the development of new media is changing the way people communicate and interact, and is committed to making the most of the available technology to ensure effectiveness and access. AFLSSQ maintains a website to promote the organisation and its services, and one that clients can use as a resource. In 2016-2017, the website attracted an estimated 700 visits.

Further, a number (3) of AFLSSQ staff have LinkedIn pages. AFLSSQ is considering expanding the new media platforms that it currently uses to include Facebook to ensure it communicates using social media tools that are popular among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people of different ages, and from different communities.

CLASS AFLSSQ uses CLASS, the Community Legal Assistance Services System, to manage its internal data.

CLASS is a new web based application (software) that is centrally hosted for NACLC, the National Association of Community Legal Centres, which accredits family legal service centres like AFLSSQ (see section Quality for information on accrediting bodies). CLASS was essentially built to take into account the new data standards put http://www.abc.net.au/news/2010-05-31/megafauna-cave-painting-could-be-40000-years-old/847564 13 Australian Government, ‘Indigenous broadcasting’, viewed on 8 May 2016, http://www.australia.gov.au/about-australia/australian-story/indigenous-broadcasting

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out by the Australian Government’s Attorney-General Department. These new standards are presented in the National Legal Assistance Data Standards Manual.14

Internal data is entered into CLASS, which is accessed via the Internet - primarily from the office, and via remote access, which will be available for use outside the office, such as at court or at an outreach location.

Client Intake Process The client intake process at AFLSSQ consists of a combination of phone calls, meetings, emails, handwritten notes, intake forms and documents. AFLSSQ uses CLASS to help organise its processes.

Further, the client intake process at AFLSSQ is particular to an “Indigenous specific” family service centre that provides services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and their families. This process is presented in our access service flowchart (Figure 3.4).

Figure 3.4 AFLSSQ Access Flowchart

© AFLSSQ, 2017

14 A copy of this manual can be accessed at: https://www.ag.gov.au/LegalSystem/Legalaidprogrammes/Documents/National-Legal-Assistance- Data-Standards-Manual.pdf

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When a new client has been accepted a record of the client and the service(s) that client requires is entered into CLASS. Once fully functional, the system will help us manage our clients, services and day to day workflows.

At the current time, the system is being tested. It has undergone multiple changes, including an important change to the system’s conflict check function, which helps determine conflicts of interest between existing clients with current services and new and existing clients starting new services with the centre (Figure 3.5).

Figure 3.5 Important Change to Conflict Check

Source: NACLC (2017)

This section has provided information relating to the effectiveness of the ease of access for the communities in obtaining legal services and assistance from AFLSSQ. Next we present information on the appropriateness of services.

Appropriateness Appropriateness indicators measure how well services meet client needs. No single factor can predict how well services meet client needs, or whether a client will require legal services and assistance for problems relating to domestic and family violence and abuse, sexual assault, child protection matters and so forth. There exists a complex and broad range of problems that result from social disadvantage, cultural dislocation, racism and trauma. Multiple disadvantage can and does contribute to the legal needs of clients, and the services they require.

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AFLSSQ Clients As at 30 June 2017, a total of 366 clients or 2.6 per cent of all 13,881 Indigenous people in Southern Queensland had accessed our family legal service (Figure 3.6).

In total, these comprise 267 female clients and 8 male clients.

Figure 3.6 AFLSSQ Clients in Southern Queensland (2.6%)

• Potential Clients • Clients

97% 3%

Source: ABS, Census of Population and Housing, 2011 Indigenous Profile - I02; AFLSSQ, 2017

In the Region, the largest numbers of our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients lived in Maranoa (102) and Cherbourg (76) as detailed in Table 3.3, below. The smallest numbers of our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients lived in Southern Downs (0), Bulloo (2), Balonne (3), Quilpie (4) and Toowoomba (4).15

In the Region, the largest numbers of AFLSSQ clients lived in Maranoa (102) and Cherbourg (76). The smallest numbers of AFLSSQ clients lived in Southern Downs (0), Bulloo (2), Balonne (3), Quilpie (4) and Toowoomba (4) (Table 3.3).

15 People living in each of the 12 LGAs across Southern Queensland have accessed our services, including people living in the Southern Downs (R) LGA, even though the CLASS counts stand at zero, as the data is being entered into the new system during its test phase. Having said that it is important to point out that AFLSSQ is not required (but chooses) to deliver legal services to people living in Bulloo (S) LGA, South Burnett (R) LGA, Southern Downs (R) LGA, Toowoomba (R) LGA, and Western Downs (R) LGA.

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Table 3.3 AFLSSQ Clients by LGA, Southern Queensland Indigenous Population Census Counts CLASS Counts % Balonne 807 3 0.4 Bulloo 49 2 4.1 Cherbourg 1,192 76 6.4 Goondiwindi 517 10 2.0 Maranoa 958 102 10.6 Murweh 530 47 8.9 Paroo 571 49 8.6 Quilpie 109 4 3.7 South Burnett 1,360 22 1.6 Southern Downs 1,129 0 0.0 Toowoomba 5,242 4 0.1 Western Downs 1,417 9 6.4

Source: ABS, Census of Population and Housing, 2011 Indigenous Profile - I02; AFLSSQ CLASS, 30 June 2017

But note that 38 clients (or 10.4% of all clients) either resided in LGAs outside Southern Queensland’s region boundary or did not name the Community LGA in which they lived. In the early days a client’s residence was not always recorded, but now this occurs as part of the client intake process check (Figure 3.1, above).

Note too that AFLSSQ clients comprised 10.6 per cent of the Indigenous population of Maranoa, which is the highest proportion of any LGA in the Region (Table 3.3 above). This is to be expected, as our office is located in Roma, which is the administrative hub for Maranoa.

A total of 130 clients received our services in the current financial year, ending 30 June 2017.

AFLSSQ Services The information presented below relates to the four broad service areas delivered at AFLSSQ, which includes: • legal services (classified under ‘services for individuals’ and defined as services delivered to individuals, groups, and organisations); • education services (classified under ‘services for communities’); • counselling services (classified under ‘services for communities’); and • advocacy services (classified under ‘services for individuals’ and ‘services for communities’ as these services are only delivered at the request of our clients in relation to our delivery of culturally appropriate legal services and assistance to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander victims and/or survivors of family violence and/or sexual assault).

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Table 3.4 provides information about AFLSSQ’s legal services.

Table 3.4 AFLSSQ Legal Services for Community LGAs, Southern Queensland Legal Services Community LGAs

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

ns

w

Paroo Bulloo Quilpie Murweh Balonne Maranoa Cherbourg Goondiwindi Toowoomba South Burnett South Western Downs Western Southern Do Southern

Outreach - regular basis(a) ! - ! ! ! ! ! ! ! - - - Outreach - needs basis(b) ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! Federal Circuit Court ------! - ! - Magistrate Court ! - ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! Murri Court(c) - - ! ------

(a) AFLSSQ provides regular legal services in the administrative hubs of several LGAs, including Charleville in Murweh (S) LGA, Cherbourg in Cherbourg (S) LGA, Cunnamulla in Paroo (S) LGA, Goondiwindi in Goondiwindi (R) LGA, Mitchell in Maranoa (R) LGA, Murgon in South Burnett (R) LGA, Roma in Maranoa (R) LGA, St George in Balonne (S) LGA, and Quilpie in Quilpie (S) LGA. (b) An outreach service is provided to communities across Southern Queensland on a needs basis. (c) This Murri Court is located in the Magistrates Court in Cherbourg (S) LGA. Note. AFLSSQ travels to Brisbane for Family Law Court matters. Source: AFLSSQ, June 2017

Murri Court Elders, Cherbourg (S) LGA

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Presented here is a sample case study of the provision of legal services provided to a client from Southern Queensland.

Legal Services – Impractical Parenting Orders

A client sought assistance from AFLSSQ for an application to amend existing interim orders that had been granted in a children’s recovery matter.

The existing interim orders that had been agreed to in Ipswich were completely impractical. The mother resided in Charleville and the father in Toowoomba, 620 kilometres apart. The father had a vehicle and driver’s licence; the mother did not have either.

Pursuant to the interim orders, the mother had to travel some 300 kilometres (each way) with the children and deliver them to the father for changeover. The children then spent 2 nights with the father before returning to the mother. Given the distances involved, the mother had to seek accommodation for herself in the changeover location.

In the remote location where the mother resided, transportation options are severely limited and very costly. The interim arrangements were costing the mother more than $400 per fortnight in travel expenses for herself and three young children.

The Orders had imposed a significant financial burden on the mother, such that she was relying on charitable organisations to ensure she did not breach the Court Orders and could still feed and clothe herself and her children.

After first attempting to negotiate unsuccessfully with the father concerning location of changeover, frequency of contact and cost, AFLSSQ assisted the mother to lodge an urgent application to amend the Interim Orders.

We were successful in obtaining orders that the children would spend one week per month with the father, and that changeover would occur in a location closer to the mother’s residence.

In addition, we successfully sought an order that the cost of the children’s travel to and from the changeover location be shared equally between the parties, further alleviating the financial burden on the mother.

The outcome meant that our client’s stress levels, financial and emotional burdens were significantly reduced and the children were no longer being subjected to excessive amounts of travel.

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Table 3.5 provides information about AFLSSQ’s education services.

Table 3.5 AFLSSQ Education Services for Community LGA’s Southern Queensland Education Services Community LGAs

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Paroo Bulloo Quilpie Murweh Balonne Maranoa Cherbourg Goondiwindi Toowoomba South Burnett South Western Downs Western Southern Downs Southern

Knowledge sharing forums ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! Cross agency collaborations ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

Source: AFLSSQ, June 2017

The data shows that AFLSSQ provides knowledge sharing and / or cross agency services to each of its communities.

Presented here is a sample case study of the provision of cross agency collaboration provided to a community within Southern Queensland.

Education Services – Community Matters

Date: Wednesday 17 May, 2017 Time: 10:00am – 2:00pm Place: Cherbourg Boys and Girls Dormitory Unincorporated Association The Ration Shed, Cherbourg.

Agenda: Knowledge Sharing Agency Collaboration • Hosted by Aunty Melita Orcher. • Indigenous Australian Foetal Alcohol Education Network, represented by Ms Lorian Hayes. • Queensland Reparations Review Panel, represented by Mr David Wragge and Ms Rachel Malthouse.* • AFLSSQ, represented by Ms Susan Hamilton.

*Note, AFLSSQ CEO is also a member of the Queensland Reparations Review Panel.

Presented below is a sample case study of the provision of an intervention program that served as a knowledge sharing forum.

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Education Services – Feel Good

Feel Good is the name of a program established in January 2017.

Feel Good is helping families to feel good by supporting children to feel good.

AFLSSQ, in partnership with community leaders and sponsored by our partners and businesses, were able to provide important educational resources for children. For instance, large item such as desks were donated to the children to encourage them to undertaken school homework at home, and provide them with a space to do craftwork and other activities that allow them to chill, and feel good.

AFLSSQ also facilitated the donation of a number of smaller items to schools, such as drink bottles, socks, gloves, ear muffs, soaps and so on. Some of these items were used as prizes at sports days.

So far, Feel Good has been rolled out in the communities of Cunnamulla, Cherbourg and Charleville.

Table 3.6 below provides information about AFLSSQ’s counselling services.

Table 3.6 AFLSSQ Counselling Services for Community LGAs, Southern Queensland Counselling Services Community LGAs

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

rg

Paroo Bulloo Quilpie Murweh Balonne Maranoa Cherbou Goondiwindi Toowoomba South Burnett South Western Downs Western Southern Downs Southern

In office - - - - ! ------Legal clinic after hours(a) - - - - ! ------Court support ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! (a) AFLSSQ runs regular legal clinics after hours in Roma, which is the administrative hub of the Maranoa ® LGA.

Source: AFLSSQ, June 2017

Presented below is a sample case study of the provision of counselling services provided to a family living in Southern Queensland.

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Counselling Services – Child Protection

AFLSSQ assisted a client who previously had all of her children removed by the Department of Child Safety. Due to the size of the family, the children had been placed at different locations in across the State. The mother moved 195 Kilometres from St George to Roma to engage our services, and maintain close contact with our community support staff.

At the commencement of our service’s involvement in the matter, we were able to secure the return of the client’s two oldest children to her care, under an Intervention with Parental Agreement. Affidavit material was filed on the client’s behalf in response to a child protection order by Child Safety in relation to some of the children, which had raised concerns regarding the mother’s ability to supervise all of her children at all times, and that older children were having to assist the mother with parenting.

The matter proceeded to case conferencing. A lawyer and community support officer assisted the client in negotiations. We also provided advice and referral for courses to improve parenting skills.

The outcome was that the children were returned to the mother’s care and are doing well, with little involvement from the Department, and much relieved parents.

The client was pleased for the assistance received from AFLSSQ.

Table 3.7 provides information about AFLSSQ’s advocacy services.

Table 3.7 AFLSSQ Advocacy Services for Community LGA’s Southern Queensland Advocacy Services Community LGAs 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Paroo Bulloo Quilpie Murweh Balonne Maranoa Cherbourg Goondiwindi Toowoomba South Burnett South Western Downs Western Southern Downs Southern

Client ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! Community ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

Source: AFLSSQ, June 2017

Presented below is a sample case study of the provision of advocacy services provided in line with client requests and community needs.

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Advocacy Services – Accommodating Needs

Meetings with the Minister for Communities, Women and Youth, Minister for Child Safety and Minister for the Prevention of Domestic and Family Violence, Ms Shannon Fentiman, contributed to the building plans of a shelter in Roma to support women, children and families subjected to violence.

360+ $0.00 98% 244

Trusted Clients Cost to Clients Successful Cases Cases Closed

As at 30 June 2017, AFLSSQ had delivered a total of 3,142 services for individuals, groups and organisations recorded across 10 service types Table 3.8). Of these, the service type, Information had the highest number of item counts with 1,482 (or 47.2% of total item counts in all years), followed by Discrete Non-Legal Support Service with 1,054 (or 33.6% of total item counts in all years).

Table 3.8 Services by Service Type Service Type All Years Current Year Item Counts % Item Counts % Court/Tribunal 113 3.6 6 2.3 Discrete Non-Legal Support Service 1,054 33.6 3 1.1 Dispute Resolution 36 1.1 0 0 Duty Lawyer 4 0.1 4 1.5 Information 1,482 47.2 47 17.6 Legal Advice 248 7.9 67 25.1 Legal Task 19 0.6 19 7.1 Ongoing Non-Legal Support Service 12 0.4 4 1.5 Other Representation 158 5 101 37.8 Referral 16 0.5 16 6 Total 3,142 100.0 267 100.0 Source: AFLSSQ, June 2017

In the current financial year, ending 30 June 2017, AFLSSQ had delivered a total of 267 services (Table 3.8). This makes up 8.5 per cent of the total services for all years. Other Representation had the highest number of item counts with 101 (or

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37.8% of all item counts in the current year), followed by Legal Advice with 67 (or 25.1% of all item counts in the current year).

These numbers show a shift in the types of services delivered by AFLSSQ staff to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander individuals, groups and organisations between earlier years and the current financial year, as graphically presented in Figure 3.7.

Most noticeably, all Referral, Legal Task and Duty Lawyer items are recorded for the current year, but no Dispute Resolution items.

Figure 3.7 Shift in Services by Service Type

• Services in Earlier Years • Services in the Current Year

Dispute Resolution

Discrete Non-Legal Support Service

Information

Court/Tribunal

Legal Advice

Ongoing Non-Legal Support Service

Other Representation

Referral

Legal Task

Duty Lawyer

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90%100%

Source: AFLSSQ CLASS, 30 June 2017

There were a total of 94 Ongoing Services recorded, as at 30 June 2017. Of these 86.2 per cent were for Other Representation, 11.7 per cent were for Court/Tribunal and 2.1 per cent were for Ongoing Non-Legal Support Service.

The Dark Figure of AFLSSQ The dark (or hidden) figure of AFLSSQ data is a term (borrowed from criminology and sociology) employed to describe the amount of unreported or undiscovered AFLSSQ services. For instance, among the numbers of clients, There’s so many people out there. You meet people everywhere. You can be out somewhere and run into someone, who ends up needing legal advice. People can open up and ask for help, and say what sort of help they need. You can meet help where you least expect, and just write their name down or not

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even that because you give them advice, and it may include a referral, but you probably don’t think to record that, especially when it’s late night, and cold, and you’re on route to the showers, you know, in situations like that. Communication with Community Support Officer

This section has looked at a range of appropriateness indicators to understand how well services are performing in terms of its services and meeting client needs. By all accounts, AFLSSQ is meeting its targets and performing well. Services are targeted to priority clients with the greatest legal need.

" Services are culturally-appropriate, tailored to local communities and responsive to client needs. " Services help Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, families and communities to identify legal problems and facilitate the resolution of those problems in a timely manner before they escalate. " Services help empower people to understand and assert their legal rights and responsibilities and to address and prevent, legal problems, where they can. " Services are delivered in collaboration with communities, partners and interested stakeholders and parties.

Next we present information on the quality of services.

Quality Quality indicators reflect the extent to which a service is suited to its purpose and conforms to specifications.

Internal Data An important aspect of measuring quality relates to the internal data system that is used to indicate quality. Readers will recall that AFLSSQ has the use of the CLASS data management system, which is currently being rolled out. Like other centres, AFLSSQ is on the waiting list for in-house training to ensure all staff become familiar with the new system. It is anticipated that the new system will increase effectiveness in terms of time, effort and money, and improve the quality of data captured.

Competent Standards Quality standards are dependent upon the meeting and maintenance of standards and certification of competency.

One set of standards relates to the policies in place. AFLSSQ maintains a comprehensive policy library to communicate the organisation’s principles and intent in terms of conduct, human resource and workplace health and safety, service delivery, corporate governance, and finance and administration. AFLSSQ’s

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policy library is reviewed by its Policy Sub-Committee on an annual basis. The policy library is currently under review. (A sample document is at Appendix C.)

AFLSSQ is accredited with the following national bodies. • Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC); • Family Violence Prevention Legal Services (FVPLS); • National Association of Community Legal Centres (NACLC); and • Office of Registrar of Indigenous Corporations (ORIC).

AFLSSQ is accredited by the following state bodies: • Community Legal Centres Queensland (CLCs); and • Queensland Association of Independent Legal Services (QAILS).

AFLSSQ is currently updating information on the ACNC to ensure it meets ongoing obligations for keeping charity status, and updating information on ORIC to ensure currency and accuracy. AFLSSQ’s state body accreditations are up to date, and all staff are appropriately qualified to deliver services within their areas of expertise, i.e., legal - the Queensland Law Society, and counselling – various bodies).

Further, staff need to be aware of the broad range of factors arising out of multiple disadvantage and the contexts in which they operate to effectively respond to client needs. The Community Support Program Manager explained: I might speak to 60 people some days. It’s a lot of people. There’s so many there [in communities and courts]. You’re dealing with a whole range of people. You’re dealing with people who’ve been abused, abusive people, drug-affected people, professional people and different sorts of personalities in professional people, court staff, community people, all sorts of people. You can have issues like the conflicts of family connections. We have a person-affinity and empathy, and know what it’s like to walk in their shoes. If you can leave at the end of the day knowing ‘I’ve actually helped those people’, you’ve done a great job. I’ve been working for 27 years in this area, so people know me. It’s always re- establishing connections, quality and trust.

Staff resources and numbers have a big impact on the quality of service delivery.

External factors such as the closure of mining facilities in the region and the slow move away from towns by some service providers can contribute to a demand for services. While widespread unemployment has been recognised as a contributing factor to violence, support services such as CentreCare, who were providing counselling services in Cunnamulla, Charleville and Roma, have closed their doors, and moved away.

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Clients who had previously been referred to these services, for example, as a requirement by child safety, no longer have this option. Hospitals have a high turnover of counsellors as departmental staff regularly change, which makes it difficult to build and maintain established relationships between clients and hospital staff, and so on.

This has also been a challenge for AFLSSQ, with staff turnover causing some staff to leave the organisation, and new staff to be employed. While this is estimated to be costly in terms of time, energy and money, the current staff at AFLSSQ bring a wealth of experience to the organisation. Our CEO was the first Torres Strait Islander to serve as a barrister in the High Court of Australia, our Principal Solicitor is a dedicated lawyer and philanthropist with several years experience, our Solicitor has practiced in family law for almost three decades and our Community Support Program Manager has a long history of continuity of service provision, having been in the area for “27 years”, which is highly valued at AFLSSQ.

Complaints made by disgruntled staff are being managed.

High numbers of successful cases (98%) have resulted in satisfied clients. At the time of writing the report, there were no known complaints by clients about the organisation and / or clients.

Working Partnership AFLSSQ works in partnerships with a range of agencies (Figure 3.9), including peak organisations (as shown in the photo below, which was hosted by NACLC and CLCs Queensland, and included a keynote presentation by Professor Rosalind Croucher AM, President Australian Law Reform Commission, with other speakers from CLCs, universities, government and funders).

Research Partnerships Roundtable, CLCs Queensland and NACLC, 2016

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Further, AFLSSQ is part of a network of service providers, who deliver services that contribute to ensuring the ordinary law of the land applies in Indigenous communities, and that Indigenous people, families and communities in Southern Queensland enjoy similar levels of physical, emotional and social wellbeing enjoyed by other Australians.

Collaborations have proven beneficial: to knowing more about the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, families and communities of Southern Queensland, understanding legal and other needs, delivering locally-responsive services, creating culturally-appropriate early intervention and prevention programs, that work, well.

Presented below are our partnering organisations.

Figure 3.8 Partnerships

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Working in partnership means that AFLSSQ is part of an integrated, holistic system of support for local communities driven by those on the ground. Together, we: • promote existing leadership and local knowledge, communities and values; • meet client needs, and assist victims/survivors of family violence or sexual assault; and • protect and support children that are at risk of violence, abuse and neglect in families.

Together, we are achieving real outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, families and communities across Southern Queensland, and assisting them to live safely in their families, homes and communities.

This section has looked at a range of quality indicators to understand the extent to which the services on offer meet client needs. By looking at internal data systems, competency standards for the organisation and staff, and our working partnerships, AFLSSQ is on track. Next we present information relating to our efficiency.

3.4 EFFICIENCY

AFLSSQ aspires to promote confidence and integrity in its service delivery. One way we achieve this is with clear and consistent financial reports prepared in accordance with our legislative requirements in Australia. AFLSSQ provides financial reports to: • The Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet; and • The Office of the Registrar of Indigenous Corporations.

This section has presented information on efficiency, and concludes Part 3 Tracking Performance.

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4 References

ABS (Australian Bureau of Statistics) (2011). Census Dictionary, Cat. no. 2901.0, Canberra. ABS (Australian Bureau of Statistics) (2012). 2011 Census of Population and Housing, Canberra. Australian Government Department of Social Services (2016). Third Action Plan 2016–2019 of the National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children 2010–2022. Retrieved from: https://www.dss.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/10_2016/third_action_plan .pdf Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AITSIS) (2000, 2012), Guidelines for Ethical Research in Indigenous Studies (GERAIS) 2012, Retrieved from http://aiatsis.gov.au/research/ethical-research/guidelines-ethical- research-australian-indigenous- Balonne Beacon (2016). News: Police run program for Indigenous Youth, Retrieved from https://www.balonnebeacon.com.au/news/police-run-program-for- indigenous-youth/3109505/ Biddle, N. (2013). CAEPR Indigenous Population Project 2011 Census Papers. Paper 15: Indigenous and non-Indigenous Marriage Partnerships. Retrieved from http://caepr.anu.edu.au/publications/censuspapers.php Blake, T. (Thomas Wesley) (2001). A dumping ground: a history of the Cherbourg settlement. St Lucia, Qld: University of Queensland Press. Demosthenous, C.M. & Demosthenous, H.T. (2011), The Indigenous Safe Sleeping Project: Closing the Gap on Knowledge, Resources and Access in Queensland, SIDS and Kids Queensland Inc., ISBN 9780646566719. Demosthenous, H.T., Hamilton, S.A. & Demosthenous, C.M. (2010), Boigu Island: Out of Sight, Out of Mind, Post Pressed, ISBN 9781921214820. Hegarty, R. (1999/2003). Is That You, Ruthie? St Lucia, Qld: University of Queensland Press. PC News (2016, March). Using the Report on Government Services to monitor the performance of government service delivery: Early Childhood Education and Care. Productivity Commission Newsletter. Retrieved from http://www.pc.gov.au/news-media/pc-news/pc-news-march-2016/report-on- government-services NHMRC (National Health and Medical Research Council), National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research (2007) (National Statement (2007)), Australian Government, Canberra. SCRGSP (Steering Committee for the Review of Government Service Provision) (2017). Report on Government Services 2017. Productivity Commission Canberra.

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Trading Economics (2017). Australian Minimum Weekly Wage. Retrieved from http://www.tradingeconomics.com/australia/minimum-wages

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5 Appendices

The appendices in this review are:

Appendix A: GLOSSARY OF TERMS………………………………………...………..89 Appendix B: Towns and Localities by LGA, Southern Queensland….………….90 Appendix C: Sample Policy Document………………………………………………93

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APPENDIX A: GLOSSARY OF TERMS

The Glossary of Terms used in this Review on AFLSSQ 2017 is presented below.

Term Definition ABS Australian Bureau of Statistics ACNC Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission AFLSSQ Aboriginal Family Legal Service Southern Queensland AITSIS Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies ASGS Australian Statistical Geography Standard CBD Central Business District CEO Chief Executive Officer CLASS Community Legal Assistance Services System CLC Community Legal Centre CLSIS Community Legal Service Information System ESB English-speaking background FVPLS Family Violence Prevention Legal Services LGA Local Government Area LHS left-hand side n.a. not available NACLC National Association of Community Legal Centres NESB non-English speaking background NHMRC National Health and Medical Research Council ORIC Office of Registrar of Indigenous Corporations P Preliminary QAILS Queensland Association of Independent Legal Services R revised R Regional Council RHS right-hand side RoGS Report on Government Services S Shire Council SAR Special Administration Area SEIFA Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas

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APPENDIX B: TOWNS AND LOCALITIES BY LGA, SOUTHERN QUEENSLAND

Balonne LGA Towns and localities Bollon Dirranbandi Hebel Mungindi Nindigully St George (Hub) Thallon

Bulloo LGA Towns and localities Durham Hungerford Noccundra Nockatunga Norley Oontoo Thargomindah

Cherbourg LGA Towns and localities Cherbourg

Goondiwindi LGA Towns and localities Bungunya Goondiwindi Inglewood Talwood Texas Toobeah Yelarbon

Maranoa LGA Towns and localities Amby Injune Jackson Mitchell Muckadilla Mungallala Roma Surat Wallumbilla Yuleba

Murweh LGA Towns and localities Augathella Bakers Bend Charleville Cooladdi (ghost town) Morven Nive Sommariva

Paroo LGA Towns and localities Burringun Coongoola Cunnamulla Eulo Humeburn Tuen Wyandra Yowah

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Quilpie LGA Towns and localities Adavale Cheepie Eromanga Toompine Quilpie

South Burnett LGA Towns and localities Benarkin Blackbutt Booie Boondooma Brooklands Bunya Mountains Byee Cloyna Coolabunia Crawford Durong Ficks Crossing Glenrock Goodger Gordonbrook Haly Creek Hivesville Inverlaw Ironpot Kawl Kawl Kingaroy Kumbia Maidenwell Marshlands Memerambi Moffatdale Mondure Murgon Nanango Proston Silverleaf Taabinga Tarong Tingoora Wheatlands Windera Wondai Wooroolin Wooroonden

Southern Downs LGA Towns and localities Allan Allora Amiens Applethorpe Ballandean Dalcouth Dalveen Diamondvale Elbow Valley Ellinthorp Emu Vale Eukey Gladfield Glen Aplin Glengallan Glennie Heights Goomburra Hendon Junabee Karara Killarney Kyoomba Leslie Dam Leyburn Lyra Maryvale Messines Mingoola Mount Colliery Palgrave Passchendale Pikedale Pikes Creek Pratten Rosenthal HTS. Severnlea Somme Stanthorpe Swanfels The Falls The Summit Thorndale Warwick

Toowoomba LGA Towns and localities Acland Athol Aubigny Back Plains Biddeston Birnam Blue Mountain Hts. Bongeen Bowenville Branchview Bringalily Brookstead Broxburn Cabarlah Cambooya Cawdor Cecil Plains Centenary Hts. Charlton Clifton Cotswold Hills Cranley Crows Nest Darling Heights Djuan Domville Drayton East Greenmount East Toowoomba Ellangowan Evanslea Evergreen Felton Finnie Geham Glencoe

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Glenvale Goombungee Gowrie Junction Gowrie Mountain Grassdale Greenmount Haden Hampton Harlaxton Harristown Highfields Hodgson Vale Irongate Jondaryan Kearneys Spring Kincora Kings Creek Kingsthorpe Lavelle Lemontree Linthorpe Meringandan Meringandan W. Middle Ridge Millmerran Mount Kynoch Mount Lofty Mount Tascal Mount Tyson Nangwee Newtown Nobby North Branch North Toowoomba Norwin Oakey Pampas Pechey Pilton Pittsworth Prince Henry Hts. Rangeville Ravensbourne Redwood Rockville Rossvale Ryeford Scrubby Mountain Southbrook South Toowoomba Spring Bluff Spring Creek Springside St Helens Stoneleigh Toowoomba Top Camp Torrington Tummaville Turallin Upper Yarraman Vale View Wellcamp Westbrook Wilsonton Wilsonton Heights Wyreema Yandilla Yarraman Yarranlea

Western Downs LGA Towns and localities Barramornie Bell Bogandilla Boonarga Brigalow Canaga Chinchilla Columboola Condamine Cooranga Dalby Dalwogon Drillham Drillham South Ducklo Dulacca Eurombah Flinton Glenaubyn Glenmorgan Goranba Goombi Grosmont Guluguba Gurulmundi Hookswood Hopeland Irvingdale Jandowae Jimbour Jimbour East Jimbour West Kaimkillenbun Kogan Kowguran Kumbarilla Macalister Meandarra Miles Moonie Moraby Mowbullan Myall Park Nandi Nangram Pine Hills Pirrinuan Rangemore Rywung St Ruth Sunnyside Tara The Gums Tuckerang Wandoan Warra Weranga Westmar Wychie Yulabilla

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APPENDIX C: SAMPLE POLICY DOCUMENT

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