Army pitches in

While Labour and particularly the Left argue for land rights and apologies and historians argue about how many aborigines were killed, the Government and the Army are busy with hands on projects. Not talking – doing. This from Defence.

Soldiers from 21 Construction Squadron today loaded heavy equipment and supplies on to HMAS Tobruk for the long journey to the Bamaga region of far north Queensland to start work on the ATSIS Army Community Assistance Program (AACAP). “AACAP provides assistance to remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities to improve community environmental health conditions,” Officer Commanding 21 Construction Squadron Major Stephen Gliddon said. “This year’s project is planned for the Bamaga region of far north Queensland. Army engineers will focus on environmental health infrastructure including water, sewerage, power and housing and access to primary health care facilities such as roads and airfields.” “In addition to the crucial infrastructure developed as part of the program, previous AACAP contingents have provided military medics and dentists to assist communities with primary-care medical and dental treatment,” Major Gliddon said. A significant element of AACAP is the delivery of training to community members. The communities benefit not only through improved infrastructure but also through skill transfer training in areas such as vehicle maintenance, building, computer use, health and first aid and general repairs and maintenance. “AACAP also provides significant benefits for the Army through practice of operational planning and project management. It enables the Army to undertake realistic training for deployments, construction and redeployment as well as the provision of health and training activities,” Major Gliddon said.

Army signing contracts with local tribal elders AACAP is a co-operative initiative between the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Service (ATSIS), the Department of Health and Ageing (DHA) and Defence. AACAP resulted from a meeting between the Ministers for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs, Defence and Health and Family Services and the Prime Minister Joh Howard on 5 November 1996. The parties agreed that the Army would assist with infrastructure improvements in a number of communities, identified by ATSIC for priority assistance. Between 1997 and 2003, Army has participated in 8 AACAP projects, located in the Northern Territory, South Australia, Western Australia and Queensland. The most recent Queensland-based projects were at Jumbun in 1999 and on Palm Island in 2003. Army built Medical Centre at Jumbun. Bloody conservative government – fancy them actually doing something for disadvantage Aussies.