This document outlines the vision, key planning principles and activities which DHF describes more fully in its Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander strategic workforce plan: actions and initiatives 2008-2011.

This document summarises DHF's Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander strategic workforce plan: actions and initiatives 2008-2011.

Planning to meet our current and future workforce needs is one of the most crucial challenges we face in our organisation. With arguably the most diverse workforce in Australia, our challenges are many. Not only will we be required to grow faster than any other industry in Australia over the next 5 years, we must deliver core services to the citizens of the Northern Territory in culturally diverse and geographically remote settings. This plan describes DHF's Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander workforce and outlines workforce recruitment, development and retention strategies. It also describes the ATSI workforce which will be required to maintain and improve health and wellbeing in the NT in the future.

The Northern Territory Government proposes to convert Berrimah Farm on the southern outskirts of Darwin, NT into an urban residential subdivision. Areas of Berrimah Farm are located within 1.5km of tidal mangrove areas, and were expected to experience seasonal populations of pest biting midges. Seasonally flooded areas located within and adjacent to Berrimah Farm were also expected to be sources of pest and disease carrying mosquitoes. Due to the potential for significant populations of biting insects, the Department of Planning and Infrastructure (DPI) commissioned Medical Entomology (ME), of the Department of Health and Families (DHF) to conduct a biting insect assessment of the Berrimah Farm site.

Burnside Operations Pty Ltd plan to commence mining at the North Point and Princess Louise mine sites, located in the East Burnside Project Area approximately 130km south-east of Darwin. The mining method will be open cut, with ore to be transported to Union Reefs Gold Mine for processing. Workers are to be housed at the mine camp at Cosmo Village. Mine sites have the potential to create or exacerbate mosquito breeding, potentially from the creation of water dams, wetland filters, borrow pits, sediment traps, dry season water discharge, waste water disposal, as well as the construction of roads and mine waste dumps. Mine sites also have the potential to introduce new mosquito species into the Northern Territory, such as the dengue mosquito Aedes aegypti from North Queensland, if equipment was to be sourced from this area. As part of the environmental process, all major development in the NT is required to consider mosquitoes during the preparation of Environmental Impact Statements or Public Environmental reports, to ensure new development does not create new mosquito breeding sites, and also to protect the health of workers.

It is assumed that mosquito breeding areas within proposed residential development will be rectified as a matter of course, as the suburbs are developed. However, there are a number of mosquito breeding sites that are outside the suburban area that will require rectification as soon as possible, before considerable numbers of residents move into the area.

The Blacktip Project consists of both offshore and onshore components. The onshore components include the construction and operation of an onshore processing plant, construction and operation of 3km of buried onshore pipeline, and the construction of access roads and construction camp. There were potential biting insect concerns associated with these onshore components of the Blacktip Project. EcOZ Environmental Services was commissioned by Woodside Energy Limited (Woodside) to assist in the preparation of a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Blacktip Project. EcOZ Environmental Services then commissioned the Medical Entomology Branch of the Department of Health and Community Services to provide information on biting insects likely to affect the Blacktip Project.

There are many examples of development in the Darwin region that have led to enormous populations of a range of mosquito species, severely effecting residents in nearby areas and requiring costly rectification. To aid planners in their design of the proposed Newton development, the Medical Entomology section of the department of Health and Families has made collections of biting midges and mosquitoes form march 1984 to April 1985 in and around the proposed development area between the Elizabeth and Blackmore Rivers, south-west of Palmerston. Additional surveys of biting midge breeding areas were made in late 1987. This report analyses the result and suggest methods of minimising the adverse effects of the biting insect present in the proposed development area, and outlines some construction guidelines to avoid exacerbating the problem.

Compass Resources NL is proposing the development of the Browns Oxide mine, located in the Northern Territory approximately 65km south of Darwin and 7km north-west of Batchelor (Figure 1).The project is currently under construction. Compass Resources NL proposes to utilise open cut mining methods and a conventional hydrometallurgical process to extract approximately 3.9 million tonnes of oxide ore and produce copper, cobalt and nickel over a four year period (Public Environmental Report (PER) - Enesar Consulting Pty Ltd 2005). Mine sites have the potential to create or exacerbate mosquito breeding, from the creation of water dams, wetland filters, borrow pits, sediment traps, pit water discharge, waste water disposal, as well as the construction of roads and mine waste dumps. Mine sites also have the potential to introduce new mosquito species into the Northern Territory, such as the dengue mosquito Aedes aegypti from North Queensland, if equipment is sourced from this area. Therefore, all major development in the NT is required to consider mosquito breeding during the Environmental Assessment process, to ensure development does not create new mosquito breeding sites.

The Central Australia Regional Plan has been developed to ensure that local geographic issues within this region are enmeshed in our overall strategic direction and deliverable outcomes. The process that has led to the development of the Plan has involved the active participation of the local staff and key stakeholders. This plan outlines the Department’s performance agreement with the Central Australia Community.

The East Arnhem Regional Plan has been developed to ensure that local geographic issues within this Region are enmeshed in our overall strategic direction and deliverable outcomes. The process that has led to the development of the Plan has involved the active participation of the local staff and key stakeholders.

This Plan outlines the Department’s performance agreement with the Katherine regional community.

The Chronicle is a newsletter that delivers timely updates and summaries on NT and interstate projects, innovations and related activities in the area of chronic disease.

The Chronicle is a newsletter that delivers timely updates and summaries on NT and interstate projects, innovations and related activities in the area of chronic disease.

In December 2003 the NT Government announced a five year plan to reform the child protection system in the NT including substantial new investment. The plan included additional growth funding for the Family and Children’s Services Program. From 1 January 2004, a commitment to review and replace the legislation governing child protection, the Community Welfare Act 1983. In August 2007, ‘Closing the Gap of Indigenous Disadvantage’ as part of the Northern Territory Government response to the Little Children are Sacred report by the Anderson-Wild Board of Inquiry into the Sexual Abuse of Indigenous Children, committed further funding to continue the growth and reform of child protection and related services.

Information about the minimal requirements need for planning applications.

These guidelines are intended as a checklist for planners, engineers or any supervisory officers, responsible for the planning or implementation of any construction activity near tidal areas, in order to prevent the creation of mosquito breeding sites

The Medical Entomology Branch (MEB) of the (previous) Territory Health Services was set up in 1973 to counter a perceived threat of mosquito borne disease. One of the initial reasons for the establishment of the unit was to combat the potential of the re-establishment of malaria in the new mining development on the Gove peninsular 650 km east of Darwin. Initial surveys had revealed that the proposed town and mine facilities were to be established near a prolific source of malaria mosquitoes. This threat was basically the result of poor urban planning by locating urban residential areas next to significant sources of vector mosquitoes.

This guideline is provided for developers and regulators to ensure development processes are carried out in a manner that minimises the creation or exacerbation of mosquito breeding.

INPEX Browse, Ltd. (INPEX) proposes to develop the natural gas and associated condensate contained in the Ichthys Field situated about 220 km off Western Australia’s Kimberley coast and about 820 km west-south-west of Darwin. For the Ichthys Project, the company plans to install offshore extraction facilities at the field and a subsea gas pipeline from the field to onshore facilities at Blaydin Point in Darwin Harbour. The mangrove areas surrounding Blaydin Point are expected to be significant sources of the mangrove biting midge Culicoides ornatus. This species is the most significant pest biting midge in the coastal areas of northern Australia, and the mangrove habitat surrounding Blaydin Point indicates the likelihood of very high seasonal numbers. Mosquitoes are not expected to be a significant problem at Blaydin Point in comparison with other areas around Darwin because of the absence of extensive tracts of potential mosquito breeding habitat such as swamps, floodplains and rivers. However, because of the presence of tidal areas, it was expected that the northern salt marsh mosquito Aedes vigilax would be seasonally present in significant numbers. Aedes vigilax is a potential vector of Ross River virus and Barmah Forest virus. As a result of the potentially significant biting-insect issues affecting Blaydin Point, the Medical Entomology Section of the Northern Territory’s Department of Health and Community Services (DHCS) was commissioned by GHD Pty Ltd to conduct a biting-insect assessment of Blaydin Point for INPEX.