The Age from Melbourne, Victoria, Australia • Page 26

8 THE ACE MONDAY 1 SEPTEMBER 1997 Aborignmial vote boosts CLP majority hoWtks TC53TCRY VOTED gave him a mandate on several issues, including native title and his Government's support for the Prime Minister's 10-point Wik native title plan. He will also push to break up the power of the Aboriginal land councils as part- of a renew into the NT Land Rights Act. In his victory speech, Mr Stone pledged that the NT would become a state by 2001. He said there wduld be no repeat of the ignominy the territory suffered in March when the lose the predominantly Aboriginal seat of Macdonnell, which was contested by an independent Aboriginal candidate, Mr Ken Lechleitner, who delivered his preferences to the CLP. Labor has also suffered a swing against it in the seats of Arnhem, Stuart and Arafura, where more than 70 per cent of voters are Aborigines.

Mr Stone said the outcome proved that the CLP. which was accused by the federal Opposition Leader, Mr Kim Beazlev, of Federal Parliament overturned its euthanasia legislation. "The CLP delivered self-government and the CLP will deliver statehood for territorians. and never, ever again will the Commonwealth Parliament stomp on our rights as territorians. because we'll he in there as an equal partner with the rest of this nation." The Opposition Leader.

Mrs Maggie Mickey, said the party would decide her future as leader within a few weeks. By CHRISRYAN Native title was not working for Aboriginal people, the Northern Territory Chief Minister, Mr Shane Stone, said after his parry's weekend election victory. The NT's ruling conservative Country Liberal Party was reelected with an increased majority on Saturday night, and will hold 17 or 18 seats in the 25-member Parliament. It held 16 seats in its last term. The Prime Minister, Mr John Howard, congratulated the CLP on its "rousing saying Mr Stone now had an emphatic mandate.

The vote was a disaster for the Labor Party, which has not had a win in 23 years of territory polls, and now faces the prospect of its representation falling from eight seats to seven. Most notably. Labor's traditional stranglehold on the Aboriginal vote in the territory has been weakened. For the first time, Labor appears likely to Protection units still in crisis: report Howard releases list of republic delegates The Prime Minister. Mr lohn Howard, yesterday released the list of the Federal Government's non-parliamentary appointees to the Constitutional Convention next year.

They are: Ms Stella Axarlis. (Vic), managing director of Bileon Engineering: Ms Julie Bishop (WA). managing partner of Clayton Utz. Perth: Professor Geoffrey Blainey (Vic), author and historian: Professor Greg Craven (WA). dean of the law college at University of Notre Dame: Ms Miranda Devine (NSW), assistant editor and columnist at The Daily Telegraph Mirror, Mr Gatjil lijerrkura NT ACT), ATSIC chairman since 1996: Mr Bill Havden (QUI), Governor-General' 1989-96: the Most Reverend Peter Hollingworth (Qld).

Archbishop of Brisbane since lfliiO: Ms Imlach (Tas). partner of the law firm Jennings Elliott: Major-General William lames lQld national president of the RSL since 1993: Cr Annette Knight (WA). Mayor of Albany since 1988; Dame Leonie Kramer (NSW), chancellor of the University of Svdnev since 1991; Ms Helen Lynch iNSWl. non-executive director of Coles-Myer and Southcorp Holdings: Mr Richard McGarvie Ale). Governor of Victoria 1992-97: Mr Donald McGauchie (Vic) National Farmers Federation president since 1994: Dame Roma Mitchell iSA).

Governor of SA 1991-96: Cr loan Moloney (Qld). Mayor of Longreach Council since 1994. pastoralist: Mr George Mye (QldTorres Strait Islands), chairman of the Darnley and Murray Island Councils for many years: Dr Lois O'Donoghue (SA). chairwoman of ATSIC 1990-96: Sir Arvi Parbo (Vic), chairman of WMC Ltd: Dr George Peil Ale). Roman Catholic Archbishop of Melbourne since 1996: Ms Nova Peris-Kneebone INTW'A).

1997 Young Australian of the Yean Mr Peter Sams iNSW). Labor Council of NSW secretary: Professor Judith Sloan (SA). professor of labor studies at Flinders University: Sir David Smith (ACT), secretary to governors-general 1973-1990; Professor Trang Thomas (Vic), psychology professor at RMIT: Mr Lloyd Waddy (NSW) Queen's counsel since 1988: Professor George Wlnterton (NSW), law professor at the University of NSW. The youth appointees are Ms Andrea Ang AVA. 18 yrs).

medicine student at University of WA: Ms Dannalee Bell (Vic' 18). arts law student at Bond University: Ms Mia Handshin 'SA. arts law student at University of Adelaide: Mr Adam lohnston iNSW. 24:. law student at Macquarie University: Mr Carl Moller Tas.

25'. law (masters' student at University of Melbourne: Mr Benjamin Myers Qld. 23). Uniting Church youth leader since 1992: Ms Sloira O'Brien NT. 20'.

secretary of the Top Fnd branch of the NT Cattlemen's Association: Ms Heidi war (ACT. 2V. arts law-student at AN'U. running a racist campaign, did not believe in "Some of the results coming in would indicate that Aboriginal territorians have voted for us in droves, and our vote will be up considerably out in those communities." Mr Stone said. "That's all consistent with what I've been saying native title hasn't worked for Aboriginal people and native title hasn't been embraced by all Aboriginal people." Mr Stone said the party's vote organisations contracted by the Government to care for state wards, should not have continued to accommodate the boy without "stand-up" staff, Mr West said.

"Stand-up" staff members are required to stay awake overnight. "On the facts available to them, Berry Street Homes should have anticipated that he (the boy) was at risk of putting into practice his threats or initiating circumstances, through carelessness, that would result in such a tragic outcome," Mr West said. Mr Scoleri's widow, Mrs Lyn Scoleri. said the teenager had been inappropriately placed. It's at a cost to me, ItVs at a cost to everyone, Mrs Scoleri said.

"Eddie should never have died. That child should have had 24-hour supervision, and Country Liberal Party 17 Labor 7 Independent 1 l.lMJ.niM.'.ld.'.K.-Country Liberal Party 16 Labor 8 Independent whether the agency had breached its duty of care was whether it had failed to act reasonably in all circumstances. "Quite apart from the expense, philosophically the agency would argue that the mere presence in all occasions of this level of supervision may be counter-productive to the goals we are trying to achieve." Bern- Street chief executive officer, Ms Sandra de Wolf, said the department still had prime responsibility for the teenager at the time. Neither the department nor Berry Street had regarded him as a fire risk. 'We remain of the view that this assessment was reasonable.

Secondly, there were two staff members on duty responsible for the care of three young people." admissions are kept for more than 21 days because of a lack of other accommodation despite laws that say this does not justify detaining someone. The report said there was confusion whether. the facilities were intended for corrective or protective purposes. Adding to the confusion were "police pushing for de facto remand in an SU'S when they suspect they may not be successful in seeking to remand a young person in a juvenile justice It said a number of young people were not being placed in secure welfare for their own protection but because they were said to be causing trouble at residential units. The Windsor unit was singled out as a crisis zone, with high staff turnover and insufficient numbers, a building design that created unacceptable risks for staff and clients and a cost overrun of almost SU2.000 in 1995-96.

Another department report Oivri'iew of High Risk Adolescents in Placement and Support Services, dated April 1997, said 23 per cent of 228 high-risk state wards were suicidal or mentally ill but one-third of these had not received help. This led to the use of secure welfare facilities because of a shortage of beds for child and adolescent mental health patients. The Government review, due in June 1996 but not published until March 1997, says that Secure Welfare Service facilities had been, in the absence of alternative services, doing the work of in-patient psychiatric and alcohol and drug detoxification services. The report's recommendations include developing accommodation alternatives for young people on bail, boosting staff numbers, training workers to deal with drug, alcohol and mental health issues and ensuring only young people at risk were transferred from residential units. A spokesman for the Youth and Community Services Minister.

Dr Denis Napthine. said the State Government was moving to redevelop both secure welfare facilities in line with the recommendations. Scene of tragedy: The children's home in which Edward Scoleri died in a fire started by a 13-year-old state ward two years ago. Questions raised on wards' supervision By LEON GETTLER and TIM PEGLER Victorian child protection facilities are under pressure to provide de facto remand for suicidal, mentally ill. violent and drug-addicted state wards.

More than a year after the auditorrgeneral, Mr Ches Bar-agwanath, found secure welfare services were being used to detain young people involuntarily for lengthy periods, the practice continues. Government reports reveal a child protection system in crisis, with adolescent mental health, alcohol and drug rehabilitation needs virtually ignored because of an extreme shortage of support services. Secure Welfare Services began in 1992 to provide protective accommodation for young people at risk following the closure of institutions such as Winlaton and Baltara. There are two units one for females in Windsor and one for males in Ascot Vale. Both have lock-up facilities.

Under the Children and Young Person's Act. people aged 10 to 17 years are placed in these units for up to 21 days if they are in "substantial and immediate Reasons for detention include substance abuse, suicidal tendencies, psychiatric disorders, sexual exploitation and vulnerability to child molesters and drug dealers. But a Government report. Secure Welfare Services Review, dated March 1997. has found that more than one in 10 WHAT THE REVIEW FOUND Some young people placed rth secure welfare services did not meet the legislation's criteria Inappropriate placements occurred -due to a lack of alternative services Confusion as to whether secure welfare services are "therapeutkfor for 'containment United options for non-secure accommodation of 'out-of-controT young' people who are multiple users of secure welfare services Sov-ce Serces Seven I Current Interest Monthly permanent workers were unavailable, they were relieved by agency staff.

Mr Scoleri was one of two casual agency workers. It was the first time he had worked for Berry Street Homes. As with many non-government agencies, Berry Street does not use stand-up staff. It says they are more expensive and may be counter-productive. Paving a worker to stay awake all night, like a night-watchman, would make the residents feci they have been put in jail.

Employing stand-up staff would also require government funding. Berry Streets president, Mr Peter Butler, said asking the department for stand-up staff in all circumstances would be a "knee-jerk reaction. Mr Butler, a partner with the law firm Freehill Holling-dale and Page, said the test of Mr Edward Scoleri: death unnecessary, says widow. if it was given, nobody would have died. It comes down to funding and we are always juggling whether it's people or money.

It always comes down to the money." The home was usually staffed by four residential workers on 24-hour shifts with two on at anv time. If By LEON GETTLER The Are that killed Edward Scoleri raises two questions: how much supervision of state wards is needed, and how-much should we spend on it? Mr Scoleri, 41, died in a blaze lit by a 13-year-old state ward almost two years ago at a Diamond Creek children's home. In his finding, the deputy state coroner, Mr Iain West, found that Berry Street Homes contributed to the youth worker death on the night of 18 September 1995. The teenager, who cannot be identified, had played with matches and lighters, burnt holes in furniture and had once attacked a worker by lighting spray from an aerosol can in her face. He had once allegedly threatened to burn the unit down.

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