Tiwi Islands Shire Council ANNUAL REPORT 2008-2009 INSIDE COVER Contact Us Please include your relevant contact details (full name and post or e-mail address) when contacting us. Ward No. of Members Phone: (08) 8970 9500 Fax: (08) 8970 9555 Postal Address: GPO Box 4246 Darwin NT 0801 Email: [email protected] Website: www.tiwiislands.nt.gov.au Index Mayor’s Foreword 1 CEO’s Foreword 1 Contact Us 1 Members of the Tiwi Islands Shire Counci 1 Shire Boundaries & Relevant Facts 1 Population 1 Annual Performance Assessment 1 Audited Financial Statements 1 1 Mayor’s Foreword In late October 2008 the first elections for the new cut to our core operational grant strikes at the Tiwi Islands Shire Council were held. As a result of heart of the Shire being able to remain viable and these elections we now have 11 new Councillors to be able to carry on our core services to the with myself as Mayor. It is our great privilege to community. Further cuts and changes in a range represent all residents of the Tiwi Islands and of other grant funding will only further exacerbate on behalf of the Council I would like to thank this issue for the Shire. The Tiwi’s require a ‘whole everyone for the support and encouragement of government’ co-ordinated funding approach throughout this last year. and a complete re-think of current Government policy insofar as it relates to the Tiwi Shire. I am pleased to report that the Council is working hard for all residents of the Tiwi Islands. I remain committed to ensuring that the residents of the Tiwi Islands are provided with the quality The last year has had many challenges for the and range of Shire services that all Shire residents Shire to confront. This first year has been very in the Northern Territory require and expect. much a year of establishing the new Shire and of building momentum. The Council has greatly Sincerely, appreciated the dedication and hard work of Council staff in achieving all that we have Lynette DeSantis throughout this year. Mayor Regretfully, the Northern Territory Government has decided to halve the operational funding for the Shire over the next four years. This drastic Lynette DeSantis 2 Acting CEO’s Foreword Alan Hudson David Bond 3 List of Councillors Mayor: Lynette DeSantis Deputy Mayor: Barry Puruntatameri Councillors: Raelene Mungatopi, Marius Puruntatameri, , Kathleen Tipungwuti, Richard Tungutalum, David Boyd, Teresita Puruntatameri, Walter Kerinauia (Jnr) and Maralampuwi Kurrupuwu Absent: Emmanuel Rioli, Henry Dunn 4 Lynette DeSantis Barry Puruntatameri Raelene Mungatopi Marius Puruntatameri Kathleen Tipungwuti Richard Tungutalum David Boyd Teresita Puruntatameri Walter Kerinauia (Jnr) Maralampuwi Kurrupuwu Emmanuel Rioli Henry Dunn 5 Shire Boundaries: The boundaries of the Shire are shown in the following map. Relevant Facts: Area The new Tiwi Islands Shire Council covers an area of approximately 7,522 km² of land. 6 Population * The Australian Bureau of Statistics uses a The total estimated resident population* of the number of methods to represent population, Shire is 2,512. The estimated resident population including Usual Resident Population and of the major localities within the Shire are shown Estimated Resident Population. The Northern in Table 1 below. Territory Government and the Northern Territory Grants Commission use Estimated Resident Table 1: Estimated Resident Population by Population figures when representing population. locality (ABS Census 2006) Where Estimated Resident Population figures at the locality or Shire level are not available through Locality Population the 2006 Census Data, the Northern Territory Nguiu 1495 Government has developed a formula to calculate Pirlangimpi 434 these figures. This formula is undergoing constant refinement and as such the figures in Table 1 are Milikapiti 449 subject to change. Wuankuwu** 85 Other Communities 49 ** This figure includes Wurankuwu and 4 Mile Total 2,512 Camp. The following representation model for the Shire has been approved by the Minister and was formally gazetted on 30 June 2008: Members of the Tiwi Islands Shire Council Nguiu Milikapiti Wurankuwu Pirlangimpi Barry Puruntatameri Lynette De Santis Kathleen Tipungwuti Emmanuel Rioli Teresita Puruntatameri Raelene Mungatopi Henry Dunn Francis Xavier David Boyd Marius Puruntatameri Kurrupuwu Richard Tungutalum Ward No. of Members Nguiu 3 Pirlangimpi 5 Milikapiti 3 Wuankuwu** 1 TOTAL: 12 7 Annual Performance Assessment In adherence with NT Local Government Act 2008, section 199, Tiwi Islands Shire Council hereby presents the following report as an assessment of performance during the financial year ended 30 June, 2009. Governance Community Employment & Development Council Elections took place on Saturday, 25th October 2008. The Elected Council Members Compared to the other newly created Northern are listed on page ### of this report. Territory shires, Tiwi Shire has amongst the highest proportion of indigenous versus non- A Strategic Plan, Code of Conduct, Records indigenous employment along with high levels of Management Policy and Procedure for Committee indigenous supervisors and team leaders. Meetings were all endorsed by the Council in November 2008. During the year ninety new permanent jobs were created for Tiwi staff from employees previously In February 2009 Executive Council Members on CDEP. These appointments were made attended a two day workshop at Milikapiti, across all Directorates: Corporate Services, presented by the Department of Local Government Employment Services, Community Services, and Housing. The result was the development of Community Development and Infrastructure. All two draft policies: employees from TILG have retained employment. Professional staff are being relocated in the • The Code of Conduct three major communities to provide a spread of management and capacity building; specifically • The Role of Mayor payroll staff and the function has now been relocated to Pirlangimpi. Also in February Council Members attended a Governance Seminar. Seminar topics addressed The Shire Council has a number of staff understanding the role and responsibility engaged in training through TITEB in the areas of members; finances of organization and of Carpentry, Civil (Plan), Sport and Recreation, reading the signs of possible problems within Business and Essential Services Officer. Some the organization. The seminar re-enforced the students graduated in September this year, and roles of elected members and employees of the many have re-enrolled in the next level of their organisation. training along with staff who have had no previous training. The Council have established improved procedures and guidelines for the CEO recruitment process. Recruitment is currently underway through the Council. At the invitation of the Council, senior students, Grade 7 and up, from Tiwi College and Milikapiti Primary attended a Council Sitting. 8 Community Health & Safety A plan was implemented this year to eradicate feral pigs. As a result of this program all feral pigs in Nguiu have now been destroyed. A dog management program has also been introduced which has resulted in 400 dogs being destroyed and a further 200 dogs being sterilized. Consequently the numbers of dog and pig bites have greatly reduced and this has had a positive effect on the community. The last of the pigs being removed The Community Safety Committee has commenced a curfew of 9.30pm for all children in Nguiu. In addition, a Night Patrol has been operating in the area under the Youth Diversion Program. These combined programs have had good success resulting in a reduction in the number of children walking around at night. Night patrols also operate in Milikapiti and Pirlangimpi. Night Patrol Leaders attended a four day workshop in Darwin in February 2009. The workshop educated Night Patrol workers in handling difficult client situations/issues. Three Safe Houses, funded by NT Government, opened in the communities of Nguiu, Pirlangimpi and Milikapiti in early 2009. The Safe Houses work closely with Police, Night Patrol and the Youth Diversion Program. 9 Community Services Tiwi Youth Diversion & Development Unit • After School Care and Vacation Care Programs (TYDDU) run a number of programs, incorporating which include: a Nutrition Program providing 80- the assistance of other service providers such 110 children per day with a nutritious meal; and as the Red Cross and Catholic Care in order to After School Sports, supervising children at the bring people together and collectively perform a Pool and Recreation Hall each afternoon Monday better service for the community. They operate to Friday. with a team of twelve CDP participants and six full-time staff. Their programs greatly assist the • Men’s Meetings run in Nguiu and Milikapiti to community: improve the health and well-being of men in the community. • Attendance Program - absent students are picked up before and during school hours • Counselling and Family Mediation/ and returned to the classroom. This program Intervention: provided on an ‘as needed’ basis has returned an average of 445 children to the by TYDDU Youth Workers encouraging family classroom each month. members to resolve conflicts peacefully through negotiations and discussion. • TYDDU Youth Workers assist teachers in the classroom and help deal with behavioural • Skin Group Leaders Meetings held to problems. empower and encourage Nguiu residents to participate in community issues. • TYDDU Youth Workers supervise schoolchildren during recess. Recycling