Army Aboriginal Community Assistance Program

The Army Aboriginal Community Assistance Program (originally called a 'Project') is a program run by Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FaHCSIA) and Australian Army to assist remote Indigenous Australian communities. It is also known as the ATSIC/Army Community Assistance Program and also Exercise SAUNDERS, after Reg Saunders, the first Indigenous Australian to be commissioned as an officer in the Australian Army.[1]

It was announced by Senator John Herron on 14 November 1996.[2] The first round of AACAP projects occurred between 1997 and 2000. The second round of projects were delivered between 2001 and 2004. The program continued in 2005 with projects funded in the 2004 Australian federal budget. The third round of projects were delivered between 2006 and 2009.[2]

By the program's 10 year anniversary, over 100 houses had been constructed and more than $60 million spent on provision of infrastructure including "medical centres, airfields, roads, rubbish tips...[and] sewerage works". Various health services had also been delivered including "men's health programs, dental health screening and pet treatment programs".[3]

Projects are managed through 19th Chief Engineer Works,[4] and are delivered by a range of corps including the Royal Australian Engineers, the Royal Australian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, Royal Australian Corps of Signals, Royal Australian Army Medical Corps, Royal Australian Army Dental Corps and the Royal Australian Army Educational Corps. The majority of these personnel are drawn from the 17th and 21st Construction Squadrons, and the 21st and 22nd Construction Regiments.[4] Personnel from NORFORCE and the various Land Warfare Centre detachments are also sometimes involved.[1] Each project consists of construction, health and training elements and are tailored to meet the needs of the community in which the project is undertaken.[2]

Recent locations for AACAP have been Pukatja, South Australia (2010) and Fitzroy Crossing, Western Australia (2011). AACAP 2012 will be undertaken on the Dampier Peninsula.[5]

Locations

AACAP projects have been undertaken at the following locations:[6][7][8][9]

Year Location Construction agency
AACAP 1997 Bulla, Northern Territory 17th Construction Squadron
AACAP 1998 Oak Valley, South Australia 17th Construction Squadron
Elcho Island, Northern Territory
Bickerton Island, Northern Territory
Docker River, Northern Territory 17th Construction Squadron
AACAP 1999 Jumbun, Queensland 17th Construction Squadron
AACAP 2000 Melville and Bathurst Island, as part of the Tiwi Islands, Northern Territory
AACAP 2001 Yarralin/Lingara, Mialuni 17th Construction Squadron
Amanbidji, Northern Territory
AACAP 2002 Dampier Peninsula, Western Australia
AACAP 2003 Palm Island, Queensland

17th Construction Squadron

21st Construction Regiment

22nd Construction Regiment

AACAP 2004 North Peninsular Area (Cape York)
AACAP 2005 Fitzroy Crossing, Western Australia 17th Construction Squadron
AACAP 2006 Borroloola, Northern Territory
AACAP 2007 Doomadgee, Queensland 17th Construction Squadron
AACAP 2008 Kalumburu, Western Australia
AACAP 2009 Mapoon, Queensland 17th Construction Squadron
AACAP 2010 Pukatja, South Australia, a community located in the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands 21st Construction Squadron
AACAP 2011 Fitzroy Crossing, Western Australia, and included the communities of Joy Springs and Bayulu, with works continuing in Joy Springs in 2012
AACAP 2012 Dampier Peninsula, Western Australia, including the communities of Beagle Bay, Lombadina, Djarindjin and Ardyaloon[10]
AACAP 2013 Fregon, South Australia, a community located in the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands 21st Construction Squadron
AACAP 2014 Wutunugurra/Canteen Creek, Northern Territory
AACAP 2015 Titjikala, Northern Territory
AACAP 2016 Laura, Queensland
AACAP 2017 Toomelah, New South Wales 21st Construction Squadron
AACAP 2018 Yalata, South Australia 17th Construction Squadron
AACAP 2019 Jigalong, Western Australia 21st Construction Squadron
AACAP 2020 Pompuraaw, Queensland 17th Construction Squadron

References
  1. "Exercise SAUNDERS 2011". Australian Army. Archived from the original on 28 October 2012. Retrieved 11 August 2012.
  2. "Army Aboriginal Community Assistance Program". Department of Defence (Australia). Archived from the original on 9 May 2012. Retrieved 11 August 2012.
  3. "Army marks 10 years helping Aboriginal communities". AAP General Wire Service (Sydney). 17 November 2006. p. 1.
  4. Park, Tony. "19 CE Works out and about". Army: The Soldiers' Newspaper (1083). Retrieved 11 August 2012.
  5. "Army indigenous initiatives". Australian Army. Archived from the original on 28 October 2012. Retrieved 11 August 2012.
  6. "Army Aboriginal Community Assistance Programme". Canberra: Department of Defence. 2012. Archived from the original on 13 November 2012. Retrieved 17 August 2012.
  7. "Army Aboriginal Community Assistance Program". Department of Defence (Australia). Archived from the original on 13 November 2012. Retrieved 19 August 2012.
  8. "Army indigenous initiatives". Australian Army. Archived from the original on 28 October 2012. Retrieved 11 August 2012.
  9. "Army Aboriginal Community Assistance Programme". Department of Familites, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs. 2012. Archived from the original on 29 March 2013. Retrieved 17 August 2012. AACAP Map showing locations and years
  10. "Army helps out Dampier Peninsula communities". ABC News. 17 September 2012. Retrieved 18 September 2012.


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