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Qld Health rejects intervention influx claims

Posted December 2, 2008 09:08:00
Updated December 2, 2008 11:05:00

Queensland Health says there is no evidence to support reports that large numbers of Indigenous people are moving to Mount Isa to escape the federal intervention in the Northern Territory.

Community leaders in the north-west Queensland city say an increase in homeless Aboriginal people suffering from substance abuse is a direct result of the Federal Government's intervention.

Queensland Health spokeswoman Suzanne Sandral says that is not the case and it is a frustrating misconception.

But she says there has been a slight increase in people evading liquor restrictions in the Gulf of Carpentaria area.

"What we are seeing is some people drifting down from Mornington Island since the tavern closed there," she said.

Ms Sandral says at this time of year people often move across the region for family, business and health reasons.

Tags: indigenous, federal-government, health, indigenous-policy, nt, alice-springs-0870, longreach-4730, mount-isa-4825