As part of the Territory wide Community Harmony Strategy, Sharon Hillen coordinates various programs in Katherine. Designed to address antisocial behaviour, a number of initiatives have been highly successful in and around Katherine.
Since February this year, 85 people have been provided with assistance to return to their communities under the Returning Home Scheme. People travelling from their communities into the larger town centres can find themselves destitute and unable to return home. This program provides people with a one way fare which they agree to repay through their Centrelink payments over a set period of time. Across the Territory, the program is very successful with only four per cent of people returning to the town centres.
“This program has also highlighted the need for a regional transport system to reduce the likelihood of people becoming itinerants in the town centres,” Sharon Hillen said.
Katherine’s Community Harmony Strategy is largely geared towards crime prevention initiatives. An Activities Centre set up in Katherine provides people with a day centre and crisis services. Arts and crafts, pool tables and other activities as well as a referral service and short term accommodation, are available through the centre.
The Activities Centre also assists new people to the area with proof of identification for Centrelink programs.
Working with the Kalano Community, Indigenous patrollers carry out night foot patrols to reduce antisocial behaviour.
“Under our Elders Strategy, local elders are also establishing protocols dealing with respect for people and country when people visit the area,” Sharon Hillen said. “This is being delivered throughout the region covering our four language groups.”
With $600,000 provided to the Katherine Region for Harmony programs this year and a further $500,000 next year, centralised data gathering is leading to improved assessment and reviewing of programs.
“Katherine is viewed as one of the most advanced in Community Harmony programs outside of Darwin,” Sharon Hillen said.
