Remote Hope (Tony Hill)
By Deb Whitmont and Janine Cohen
Updated May 11, 2015
Remote
Hope: An unflinching portrait of Australia's remote Indigenous communities and
their struggle to survive.
Prime
Minister Tony Abbott recently provoked furious debate by describing life in
these communities as a "lifestyle choice" and the Commonwealth has
withdrawn its funding.
Communities
in Western Australia are now facing possible closure, provoking protests around
the country.
But
this Four Corners report confronts the uncomfortable truth about life in these
communities.
The
Four Corners team travelled across the rugged Kimberley region of Western
Australia to visit some of the settlements under threat.
In
some, they found grinding poverty, no jobs and little hope.
"They
have the most depressing living conditions imaginable. They are a disgrace to
Australia and all those who have a prosperous way of life." Lawyer
In
others they were told of appalling stories of sexual abuse and neglect.
"Knowing
what I know, it's very difficult to sleep at night, knowing that we cannot
protect those children in any effective way." Senior WA Policeman
But
they also found community leaders determined to tackle the dysfunction.
"We've
got to be responsible for our own actions and our own decisions and if we want
the same as we get in town, we need to start fighting for it but we've also got
to start showing governments... that we can do it."
REMOTE
HOPE, reported by Deb Whitmont and presented by Kerry O'Brien, goes to air on
Monday 11th May at 8.30pm. It is replayed on Tuesday 12th May at 10.00am and
Wednesday 13th at midnight. It can also be seen on ABC News 24 on Saturday at
8.00pm, ABC iview and at abc.net.au/4corners.
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