The Aboriginal Medical Services Alliance Northern Territory has expressed disappointment at the NT government's response to the coronial inquest into the deaths of four Aboriginal women, which was tabled this week "without notice or meaningful consultation — particularly with Aboriginal organisations".
AMSANT noted that the Territory continues to have the highest rates of domestic, family and sexual violence (DFSV) in the country.
"Coroner Elisabeth Armitage's inquiry laid bare the catastrophic extent of the crisis, and her 35 recommendations offered a clear and achievable path forward to address a failing system — one that is particularly failing Aboriginal women," the Alliance said.
"Rather than engaging with the seriousness of the findings, the Government sought to diminish the work of the Coroner, while disregarding the lived experience of families and victims, the professional workforce, and particularly the expertise of Aboriginal specialists and community-led services who have been responding to DFSV for decades."
AMSANT chief executive Dr John Paterson said the NT is "at a critical juncture".
"Domestic and family violence is a complex issue and what we are doing is not enough; not for our families, our communities, and most critically, not for the women who have lost their lives," he said.
"Every woman and child deserves to be safe. We wouldn't accept this level of violence anywhere else, and we must create the conditions that stop it from happening at all."
AMSANT acknowledged the government's recognition of DFSV rates and its investment in some areas but said "in the face of this crisis, the overall response is disappointing", noting that key recommendations such as indexation of grant funding for frontline services struggling to keep up remain unaddressed.
"Real consultation means working with, not around, the Aboriginal Community-Controlled sector," Dr Paterson said.
"Domestic and family violence is everyone's issue — but the strongest solutions often come from within communities. When we support community-led work, everyone benefits."
"This was an opportunity to show leadership, partnership, and action. Instead, it was a missed chance to listen and act on what communities and the Coroner have made so clear."
Earlier this week, the Australian Medical Association's NT branch strongly defended the Coroner's work on family and domestic violence in the face of criticism from the Territory government.
On Friday, AMSANT urged the NT government to "revisit its response and work in genuine partnership with Aboriginal organisations and communities to deliver long-term, sustainable solutions and stop violence before it starts".
An NT government spokesperson noted that "tragically in the NT, 89 per cent of domestic, family and sexual violence victims are Aboriginal women" and told National Indigenous Times authorities "cannot keep doing the same things and expect different results".
"We are developing a DFSV Prevention and Response Roadmap to set strategic priorities for the Territory's record $36 million annual investment to tackle DFSV," they said.
