"Community organisations looking to help out in Aboriginal communities in the Northern Territory are likely to think twice once they learn that Mal Brough is giving himself the power to seize their assets and appoint spies to their governing boards," said Senator Rachel Siewert today.

In an extraordinary admission yesterday during the debate on the NT Intervention Bills, the Government confirmed it is giving itself the powers to direct any community service providers in prescribed areas and seize or give away their assets.

"These are astonishing powers for the government to wield. Caring organisations providing services in prescribed Aboriginal communities in the Northern Territory will not want to risk their limited assets," said Senator Siewert.

"The Government also confirmed that the services they can direct or the assets they can seize do not have to be funded by the Government. The organisation merely has to be incorporated, providing a service in a designated area and receive some form of Government funding."

"Community service providers are vital in the provision of services including primary health care in communities in the Northern Territory. Yet the Government is intent on passing laws which directly threaten not just the independence of these organisations, but their assets. Assets that could include medical equipment, cars and buses, computers, the list goes on," Senator Siewert said.

"The Government is also proposing laws allowing it to spy on such organisations by appointing observers who must be allowed to attend and participate in meetings of the organisation."
"These provisions are outrageous and unacceptable," Senator Siewert said.