Indigenous people in the Northern Territory should have been informed earlier than they were about a government program to detect asbestos in local buildings, according to Commonwealth Ombudsman Professor John McMillan.

The Ombudsman today released the findings of his investigation into information provided to Indigenous communities about the asbestos surveys program, which was undertaken by the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FaHCSIA) between November 2007 and September 2008.

‘In seeking to protect the health of people living in these communities by surveying for, and removing—where it posed a risk—asbestos containing materials, FaHCSIA did not attach sufficient importance to ensuring there was a coordinated flow of accurate and consistent information to people affected by the surveys,’ Professor McMillan said.

‘The primary focus was on inspecting buildings, including community centres, schools and homes. More emphasis should have been placed on providing an adequate explanation to residents, employees and other locals of what was happening and when they would get the survey results.’

Professor McMillan acknowledged that FaHCSIA was able to demonstrate to his office its intention to let communities know how it would proceed when all the survey results became available. However, he was critical that FaHCSIA did not act earlier, especially given the Government’s commitment in May 2008 to remove all asbestos from communities within 12 months.

‘The longer people are left without specific information about whether their houses and community buildings contain asbestos, the longer they are at risk of inadvertently disturbing it,’ he said.

‘There is no doubt that communicating effectively with Indigenous people living in remote communities is challenging. The residents’ information needs prior to the survey results should have been anticipated and a better strategy for dealing with them put in place by FaHCSIA.’

Professor McMillan recommended that FaHCSIA review its approach to communicating with Indigenous people in the Northern Territory, and undertook to monitor the implementation of FaHCSIA’s information campaign about the planned removal of asbestos from Indigenous communities.

He also reminded other Australian Government agencies to make engagement with Indigenous people central to program design and delivery, as set out in the Council of Australian Governments’ National Indigenous Reform Agreement and National Partnership Agreement on Indigenous Remote Service Delivery.

Download the report: Northern Territory Emergency Response (NTER): Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs asbestos surveys: Communication issues, 20 December 2009—18|2009

Media contact: Media 02 6276 3759

Date of release: 20 December 2009