Borroloola Army Project Praised

Member for Lingiari and Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Northern Australia and Indigenous Affairs Warren Snowdon today congratulated Army Engineers from Enoggera-based 21 Construction Squadron for helping create a good news story with the Borroloola Aboriginal community.

Mr Snowdon said 21 Squadron is working under the Army Aboriginal Community Assistance Program in active partnership with the community through local organisations like Mabunji Resource Centre to build four new houses, plan for a further six houses and upgrade water, sewerage and roads servicing the town.

'The Army team and the organisations identified priorities for Borroloola's four main camps in the town, each of which gained a new house,' Mr Snowdon said.

'As well as the construction work, they are training 20 young people in basic job skills in building, building maintenance, vehicle and engine maintenance, welding and concreting.

'They're running health and first aid training, dental health checks, a veterinary program, a mosquito trapping program with the Territory's Department of Health and Community Services and they're wet-spraying houses for pests.

'The 'Red Roosters', as the Squadron is known, has the support of Defence engineering personnel from Papua New Guinea, Fiji and Tonga and their community liaison is provided by local Aboriginal members of Norforce, who also work as mentors with the trainees.

'I'd particularly like to congratulate Major Grant Halstead, Officer Commanding 21 Squadron, and all of his troops for doing the kind of professional job that is creating solid relationships between the Australian Defence Force and the remote Aboriginal communities of Northern Australia.

"I think it goes to show that how you work with Aboriginal people is as important as what you do: all the AACAP projects are developed with communities and they are carried out in a way that's sensitive to community conditions and needs.

'The bottom line, though, is that they're based on mutual respect and the understanding that everyone gets to benefit.

'While the community gains housing, improved infrastructure and skills, the Army cements its relationship with the North and prepares our soldiers for overseas nation building and community development operations.

'And to me that looks like good news all round,' Mr Snowdon said.

2006-07-02