1994 NT Cabinet papers show Indigenous partnership plan

By PETER ROWE

Northern Territory records from 1994 have been released to the public for the first time under Freedom of Information laws highlighting Indigenous tourism, domestic violence and Aboriginal employment.

A discussion paper of that year called for the Territory government to increase partnerships between the tourism sector and traditional owners.

National parks were noted as important assets that could help increase tourist numbers.

That is still true today after tourism numbers dropped in 2023, with many indigenous business suffering.

Escalating domestic violence in Alice Springs has seen the Territory struggling to regain visitor numbers, with a reputation in need of a rebuild.

In 1993 just over 900,000 people visited the NT as the government endorsed the Tourism Master Plan, achieving a 17 per cent growth rate.

And in that year it is also worth noting that the NT cabinet was all male and all white.

Cabinet approved the tabling of ‘Looking Ahead, A Plan of Action for Women in the Northern Territory 2000’ in the Legislative Assembly.

The Cabinet today includes four female leaders, one of whom is the Chief Minister.

“While looking back at 1994 brings a comforting sense of nostalgia, it’s also an important reminder of the progress that’s been made in the past 30 years,” Minister for People, Sport and Culture, Jinson Charls said.

There was also a plan in 1994 to focus on increasing the employment rate of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people within the NT Public Sector through the Aboriginal Employment and Career Development Strategy.