The Wire

One of the most controversial aspects of the Howard government’s practical reconcilation approach is shared responsibility agreements, which involve health, education and infrastructure funding for indigenous communities if they fulfill certain requirements. Since shared responsibility agreements, or SRA’s, began last year, criticism emerged about the conditions being placed on communities, particularly in regards to Mulan in Western Australia, where a petrol bowser was provided in return for hygiene standards being enforced. A particular feature of SRA’s is that each agreement is specific to that community’s situation, and often, the communities end of the bargain involves initiatives they devised themselves. An example is the recent signing of an SRA to assist the funding of a remote dialysis service for communities in the Northern Territory and WA. Sarah Brown is the manager of the Western Desert Nganampa Walytja Palyantjaku Tjutaka Corporation, which helps dialysis patients remain in their local communities. She spoke to Bill Birtles.