Remote communities blame game
Premier Colin Barnett and the Commonwealth are locked in a dispute over who is responsible for plans to close up to 100 remote Aboriginal communities.
Federal Indigenous Affairs Minister Nigel Scullion said it was "garbage" to link the withdrawal of $30 million in annual Federal funding to the foreshadowed closures.
Senator Scullion claimed the WA Government was already looking to withdraw services to some remote communities before getting a one-off $90 million payment for the funding to end.
"There's no connection at all between the changeover in MUNS (top-up funding for service delivery) and any decision by the WA Government to close these communities," he said.
"Remote communities in Queensland don't have MUNS - they just deal with their constituency."
But Mr Barnett said he was given no choice but to address the futures of WA's 274 remote Aboriginal neighbourhoods.
"Many of these are very small and the reality is it is extremely difficult to provide education, health and employment opportunities in these communities," he said.
"This has previously been a shared area of responsibility but the withdrawal of Commonwealth funding for municipal services brings this issue to a head.
"There are wider issues around alcohol and drug abuse, a lack of employment opportunities and inadequate health care and education for children."
A recent Productivity Commission report estimated government spending in 2012-13 on the Aboriginal population in WA was $4.9 billion, with 60 per cent from the State.
The report noted services in remote areas were particularly expensive and costs were rising.
Senator Scullion defended the Commonwealth decision to pull out of the longstanding funding arrangement that has helped to keep communities running.
He said WA was already given money for municipal services for every person with weighting for remoteness and Aboriginality but historically the State wanted to spend it in Perth.
