I live in the middle of the NT 100kms North of Tennant Creek and have aboriginal comunitys on all sides of where I live and deal with aboriginal people most days.
I think what you have to remember is that most of the money give to aboriginals is given by the government to Land Councils (NLC,CLC etc) and it has to be spent so alot of it is wasted.
Out here on one of my neighbouring communitys there are 7 houses each worth about $330 000 each (includes transport, set up, appliciances etc) the aboriginals sleep and cook outside and do not use the houses as they prefer to be outside living as aboriginals like they have done for thousands of years. One house to the north used to have woodern windows and doors which were ripped out for fire wood and then replaced with metal ones! a washing machine was used as a cement mixer!
I think that the money has to be better spent on education, training and health care as cars and houses do not really interest the majority of aboriginals that I know. I also think that there should be strict audits by the federal government on the land councils as I think some of the money could be better spent as there are alot of rich white people and a few rich aboriginals that I think only look after their own interests.
If something is not done soon it will be too late as the children are learing from lazy aboriginal adults as elders die or good aboriginal role models move on.
