Recent Reports
The school readiness of Australian Indigenous children: a review of the literature
May 2008
Nick McTurk, Georgie Nutton, Tess Lea, Gary Robinson, Jonathan Carapetis
This review of the literature is primarily a search for and synopsis of the research evidence that underpins the school readiness of Indigenous Australian children. This review is in four sections. First, definitions of school readiness are outlined and their applicability to the Indigenous population brought into question. Second, the methods of assessing children’s school readiness are reviewed, highlighting the shortfall in techniques specifically designed and validated for Indigenous Australians and the variable applicability of the techniques currently in use. Third, the risk and protective factors that influence Indigenous school readiness are presented, demonstrating that in comparison to the other subject areas covered in the review, risk and protective factor research has the strongest evidence base. Fourth, interventions designed to improve Indigenous school readiness are scrutinised, revealing that high quality evidence is sparse and effective interventions are few in number.
The School Readiness of Australian Indigenous Children: A Review of the Literature
This report is an outcome of the Child Education Workshop hosted by the School for Social and Policy Research and Menzies School of Health Research in October 2007.
Economic evaluation of the Darwin Festival
May 2008
Darwin Festival, Charles Darwin University, Northern Territory Treasury
The aim of this study is to pilot a methodology for measuring the economic impact of festivals and similar events in the Northern Territory. The study builds on a previous study Assessing the Value and Contribution of the Darwin Festival 2004.
Economic Evaluation of the Darwin Festival
The funding of Indigenous education through Special Purpose Supplementation: an historical overview
May 2008
This report concludes that targeted Federal Government funding designed to ‘close the gap’ in Indigenous education has effectively been ‘frozen’ for years. It reveals that when many new programs come on board, they do not represent additional money, rather re-labelling of old. The distribution of money to state and territory governments, and eligible organisations is often stalled by confusing red tape. With a particular focus on how this money has been spent in the Northern Territory, the report calls for more transparent government reporting and further research to assess what funds are needed to enhance Indigenous education.
The funding of Indigenous education through Special Purpose Supplementation: an historical overview
Destination-style gambling
May 2008
This is a review of the literature concerning the reduction of problem
gambling and related social harm through the consolidation of
gambling supply structures. This review, submitted to the Victorian Government, contributed to their Destination Gaming report which was produced as part of their Taking Action on Problem Gambling initiative.
Student progress 2006: Accelerated Literacy NT schools
December 2007 (Posted 2008)
In 2004 the Commonwealth Government in conjunction with the Northern Territory Department of Employment Education and Training and with support from the School for Social and Policy Research, launched the National Accelerated Literacy Program (NALP). Accelerated Literacy is a teaching methodology designed to accelerate students' reading, writing, and comprehension skills by using narratives that are age-appropriate. At the end of the 2006 school year, there were 50 participating schools. Of these, there were 36 schools with recorded assessments. Student progress for the year showed some encouraging results.
Strategic approach to Northern Territory Government applications and participation in Commonwealth research and innovation grant programs
Garnett, S & Walsh, H
March 2008
The Australian Government has at least 111 different sources of funding to support research. Northern Territory Government Departments have a range of strategies for maximising their uptake of these funds. However uptake varies across Departments. Some have well-developed research priorities with the Departmental research integrated into national and regional research agendas. These Departments brings several million dollars of new money into the Territory each year. Other departments are less well organised. There are potentially substantial gains from developing appropriate research policies in the Departments. The Northern Territory would benefit not only from the new funds and skills that would be imported into the Territory but also from the results of the research itself, which would strengthen the evidence base of policy.
Enhancing private sector engagement in research and development in the Northern Territory
Garnett, S & Hall, D
March 2007
Based on a number of interviews conducted with small and medium sized businesses located in the Darwin area, the report identified limited evidence of innovation with respect to the creation of new products and services, and only minimal engagement with government from those few businesses already involved in innovation. The report recommends increasing the engagement between the business and research sectors, with assistance to be provided for grant applications, and a secondary education program designed to encourage young entrepreneurs to link with innovative businesses in the Northern Territory.
The engagement of the African community in the Northern Territory
Abu-Duhou, I
January 2007
Based on an interview conducted with Darwin’s African community in May of 2005, this report identifies a number of social and cultural issues preventing newly arrived refugees on humanitarian visas from fully engaging with Territory society. The survey was conducted with 54 men and women originally from Sudan, Somalia, Liberia and Ethiopia, of which most have immigrated to Australia from other countries over the last 6-12 months. Although many of the respondents were positive about the economic opportunities to be found in the Territory, along with its environment and climate, some concerns were expressed about the quality of health services and access to affordable housing.
2006 Garma key forum report
Lea, T Martin W & Wurm J
With the Aboriginal population steadily increasing in the NT, and literacy outcomes for Indigenous students in remote areas remaining poor, there was a talk of a ‘crisis’ in the field of Indigenous Education and Training at the 2006 Garma Festival of Traditional Culture. By the end of the forum, however, Yolngu leaders from north east Arnhemland had laid down 19 key issues that policy makers must consider to improve the governance of local schools, the cultural content of curricula, and career pathways for recent school leavers. This report summarises the issues broached by speakers the forum, describes the main of fields of action, and suggests concrete actions for policy makers to consider. It also contains detailed summaries of each session, giving voice to Yolgnu and Balandah alike.
Posted 13 December, 2006
Northern Territory gambling prevalence survey 2005
Young, M Abu-Duhou, I Barnes, T Creed, E, Morris, M, Stevens, M & Tyler, B
November 2006
This report presents the results of the Northern Territory’s first gambling prevalence survey. It describes the socio-demographic characteristics of gamblers, estimates the level of problem gambling using two measures, and identifies the key characteristics of problem gamblers, It also reports on a socio-spatial analysis of the number of poker machines and poker machine expenditure over the past decade. A “concentration effect” is identified in gaming venues that links increased rates of return per machine to an increased number of poker machines in gambling venues. The report also reveals that problem gamblers, whom as a group only constitute approximately 1% of the population, account for nearly one-third of total expenditure on gambling in the NT.
To examine education policies, funding decisions and teaching practices based on evidence rather than ideology
Lea, T
3 July 2006
As the recipient of a Churchill Fellowship, Tess Lea embarked on a three month tour of America and Canada in 2006 to meet a number of world experts in educational research, policy and practice. In a report prepared for the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust, Lea calls for focused investment in an evidence-based education system in the Northern Territory to address poor literacy and numeracy outcomes for remote area Indigenous students. She believes the teacher-student unit is a critical area for improvement, and would like the responsibility for improved infrastructure and pre-service training to fall on the shoulders of administrators and policy makers.
Ngaripirliga'ajirri: an early intervention program on the Tiwi Islands
Robinson, G & Tyler, B
May 2006
High rates of suicide, domestic violence and substance abuse on the Tiwi islands are a significant cause of problem behaviours amongst children. Parenting styles also differ from mainstream society, because traditional Aboriginal families are very much extended families and parents just one point in a wider network which takes responsibility for child rearing. Early intervention programs designed to improve parent-child interaction must therefore be adapted to suit the cultural context in which they are delivered. This report evaluates an early intervention for primary school students and their parents delivered in three Tiwi primary schools from 2000-2004. It was found that 80% of children participating in the program showed some decline in problem behaviours, with 50% showing a marked decline.
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