Creative Barkly is a three-year Australian Research Council Linkage project (2016-2019) that aims to investigate the arts and creative sector in the Barkly, and how it contributes to economic and social development in the region.

Australian governments have committed to work in genuine partnership with Indigenous leaders, organisations and communities, to identify the priorities that will inform how governments can better design and deliver programs and services, to close the gap.

This report recommends that the Australian government immediately replace the current CDP compliance and penalty regime with obligations that are no more onerous than those of other income support recipients.

Remote communities offer unique challenges that mean mainstream employment and participation solutions have historically fallen short of community expectations. Remote communities feature weaker labour markets, geographic dispersion, language and cultural differences and service delivery challenges. Furthermore, Government payments are the main source of income in many communities.

This paper focuses on the Cashless Debit Card trial in the East Kimberley, Western Australia. The card aims to restrict cash and purchases to curb alcohol consumption, illegal drug use and gambling.