In the Northern Territory the Independent Member for Nhulunbuy says the government is failing to follow its own child protection laws that recommend Indigenous kids be placed within families and communities.
Yinigiya Mark Guyula issued the warning yesterday on the anniversary of Kevin Rudd’s apology to the Stolen Generations.
The Northern Territory has adopted the Aboriginal Child Placement Principle, which is in place to ensure that Aboriginal foster children are placed with Aboriginal families and raised in a culturally appropriate environment as a priority.
Mr Guyula says he has received anecdotal reports of at least eight children removed from Yolngu communities to Darwin and believes no effort has been made to find appropriate families within the community.
In a statement NT Minister for Families Dale Wakefield says the immediate safety of children is always the top priority, but acknowledged kinship care was an area needing ‘ongoing development’.
Mr Guyula says the government has broken its own law.
