Robbie Katter’s quest for local autonomy in the Blue Card process was front and centre when the Legal Affairs and Community Safety Committee met in Doomadgee.
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The Member for Mount Isa introduced the Working with Children Legislation (Indigenous Communities) Amendment Bill 2017 to parliament in mid-June.
About 20 people attended the public hearing in Doomadgee on September 27, where the plan to enable a community justice groups to approve Blue Card applications was discussed.
At present, Blue Card applications are assessed in Brisbane and consider known past police and disciplinary information.
Under the proposed bill the community justice group could issue a Blue Card to applicants with a criminal history, who had been shown to have turned their life around, to work in their community.
Mr Katter said up to 90 per cent of job opportunities in remote towns were with the government and not qualifying for a Blue Card prevented a large portion of people from obtaining employment.
“I think it’s starting to dawn on people the gravity of the situation and the significant impact it’s having on these communities,” he said.
“And inadvertently the impact it’s having on social problems in nearby metropolitan centres like Mount Isa, Cains and Townsville.”
He said for the people unable to obtain employment and for those trying to improve social outcomes, it was very frustrating.
“We took it upon ourselves with our meagre resources in the KAP to put the legislation together ourselves after extensive consultation.”
Chair of the Legal Affairs and Community Safety Committee Duncan Pegg said the committee is required to report to parliament by December 14.
“The hearings were well attended by community representatives who presented a range of views,” he said.
“One of the main issues discussed was the effect being unable to obtain a Blue Card has on employment prospects.”
The committee is planning to visit other Indigenous communities and conduct further meetings prior to finalising their report. A public briefing and public hearing is scheduled to be held in Brisbane on October 25.
Mr Katter believes it will be a safer system and, if approved, will begin to address acute social issues.
“If you’ve got the local justice group ticking off on a blue card, they have the ability to identify if someone is dodgy, without a criminal conviction and recommend that they not get a Blue Card, which won’t happen at the moment,” he said.
“We’re trying to fix problems at the heart; those deeply rooted social problems – and often related to unemployment – where families break down, the dad starts drinking, the kids start walking the streets,” he said.
“Some of the answers lie at home where mum and dad have access to meaningful work and that brings the family back together and that’s a real solution to some of these crime problems.”
