Roebourne poverty amid wealth 'a crime'

It is criminal that Aboriginals are living in abject poverty in Roebourne while the wealth of the State is being ripped out of the ground in the neighbouring mining town of Karratha, prominent Aboriginal leader Mark Bin Bakar says.

Mr Bin Bakar, a member of the State Government's Indigenous Implementation Board, said his visits to Roebourne over the years had shown him the inequality between the two Pilbara towns. The 2008 West Australian of the Year said Roebourne residents were not benefiting from the wealth being generated from mining in Karratha.

"It seems to me that Roebourne is the blackfellas' town and Karratha is where the mainstream live," he said. "There's no consideration for investment into Roebourne, as opposed to the investment in Karratha. I think that it's criminal and it's a shame."

Bernadette Lockyer, who lives in Roebourne, said living conditions in the town were worse than Third World. She said juvenile crime was rife and many of Roebourne's youth were ending up in Rangeview detention centre.

Premier Colin Barnett said Roebourne had too many government services.

Mr Barnett said he had visited Roebourne late last year and was told there were 60 to 80 different Commonwealth and State programs being delivered to the town.

"Maybe one thing we need to do is better co-ordinate programs in health, education, antisocial behaviour and the like," he said.

ED"S NOTE,

 all the money in all the money out in administration, 60 to 80 programs would create a lot of jobs, but  no statement about  the money being in the hands of others and not the community.