The latest governmental move of a long series of interventions in Aboriginal communities is directed at town camps in Alice Springs. Federal authorities are planning to take “radical” action there.

Below is an article published by the Herald Sun:

The federal government is seeking constitutional advice on whether it can seize control of troubled Aboriginal town camps in Alice Springs.

Federal Indigenous Affairs Minister Mal Brough today met with the Alice Springs city mayor and councillors, who gave unanimous support for the government's radical intervention into remote Northern Territory Aboriginal communities.

Mr Brough said conditions in Alice Springs town camps had not improved at all in the past 18 months and it was time for the Territory government to act to improve life in them.

They are notorious for high levels of serious crime and are home to rampant substance abuse.

"This matter must come to an end because every day that we waste another child is literally at risk,'' Mr Brough told reporters in Alice Springs today.

"At the moment they simply will not have a future.

"I am calling on the Territory government to act immediately.''

Mr Brough said the NT government was entitled to take back control of the land if it could prove the lease agreements under which camps operate had been breached.

He also lashed out at the Territory government for failing to take steps to establish this was the case.

Asked what the commonwealth would do if the Territory government did not act, Mr Brough said: "Then we will act''.

"I am seeking advice right now, legal advice, as to what powers we have under the constitution ... so that if the Territory does no act I will do everything I can legally do to change those circumstances.''

Mr Brough said he had no interest in closing the camps, just changing the way they operate.

In May this year, the town camps rejected for a second time an offer to hand control of their housing to the Northern Territory government in return for $60 million in commonwealth funds.

Under the proposal, the 18 housing associations which oversee the camps could retain control of the land if it was unconditionally sub-leased to the NT government for 99 years.

But Tangentyere Council, which represents the camps, turned down the funds following 14 months of negotiations citing concerns with the NT government's handling of housing and a lack of control over future developments.

Mr Brough had warned that if they refused, the federal funds - earmarked for camp upgrades and short-term demountable accommodation - would immediately be withdrawn and redirected to other impoverished communities.

He has since said the government still hoped an arrangement of some kind could be reached.
Mr Brough left Alice Springs this morning for Santa Teresa, about 85km from Alice Springs.

It is one of six communities visited by advance parties of federal officials last week, who assessed infrastructure, resourcing and policing needs.