The Joint Standing Committee on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs has published this report on its inquiry into community safety, support services and job opportunities in the Northern Territory. The report makes several recommendations to the Commonwealth and Northern Territory governments in the wake of the sunsetting of the Stronger Futures Act in 2022.

The inquiry examined community safety, support services and job opportunities in the Northern Territory, with particular reference to:

• The preparation for the sunsetting of the Stronger Futures legislation
• Community safety and alcohol management
• Job opportunities and Community Development Program reform
• Justice reinvestment communities services, and
• Any related matters.

Key recommendations:

• The Committee recommends that the National Indigenous Australians Agency and the Northern Territory Department of Chief Minister and Cabinet conduct a review into the inadequate preparations for the sunsetting of the Stronger Futures Act, by 31 December 2023, and develop policies to prevent a similar situation from occurring in the future.
• The Committee recommends that the Northern Territory Government provides adequate support and resources to communities to assist in the development of community alcohol plans under section 170AD of the Liquor Act 2019 (NT).
• The Committee recommends that the Northern Territory Government work with local communities to prioritise the sharing of real time data and information, with consent, to enable them to deliver initiatives and responses to issues in communities.
• The Committee recommends that, by 30 June 2024, the Commonwealth Government develops and implements a policy to ensure large businesses operating in remote regions employ local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians and engage Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander owned and managed businesses.