Our Communities

Cape York Welfare Reform

The Cape York Welfare Reforms are a partnership between four Cape York communities, the Australian Government, the Queensland Government and the Cape York Institute for Policy and Leadership. The Cape York Welfare Reforms aim to address passive dependence on welfare and rebuild social norms in the communities.

The partnership communities

The Cape York Welfare Reform communities are:

Aurukun
Coen
Hope Vale
Mossman Gorge

Aurukun

Aurukun is on the western coast of Cape York and is approximately 900 kilometres northwest of Cairns, and about 200 kilometres south of Weipa. The community had an estimated resident adult population of 784 people as at 30 June 2010[1].

Coen

The township of Coen is about halfway between Cairns and the tip of Cape York. It is not a discrete Aboriginal community and is part of Cook Shire. The township had an estimated resident adult population of 193 people as at 30 June 2010[2].

Hope Vale

Hope Vale is situated on the Cape York Peninsula and is 46 kilometres northwest of Cooktown. The estimated resident adult population of Hope Vale was 588 people as at 30 June 2010[3].

Mossman Gorge

Mossman Gorge is a small Aboriginal community 75 kilometres north of Cairns, 4 kilometres from Mossman (the nearest town), and approximately 25 kilometres by road from Port Douglas. It is not a discrete Aboriginal community and is part of the Cairns Regional Council area. The community had an estimated resident adult population of 104 people as at 30 June 2010[4].

Footnote 1 and 3: Note: Adults 17 years and over provided by OESR from ABS Estimated Resident Population (ERP) figures.
Footnote 2 and 4: Adults 17 years and over provided by OESR. Estimated by applying the proportion of the ABS 2006 Census Collection District population aged 17 years and over to the total ERP. Due to the inherent uncertainty associated with population estimates of very small communities, the Coen population has been held constant at level estimates for 30 June 2006.

Annual Report

The Family Responsibilities Commission Annual Report 2012 is available for download, the official document is here. You can also download the report below in .rtf file format.

Latest FRC Quarterly Report

In introducing the Bill to Parliament, the former Premier Anna Bligh said:

This is a groundbreaking trial, unique in the world. It will be a significant departure from the policies that have been tried in the past. The bill establishes the Family Responsibilities Commission as the driving force in changing local social norms and behaviour. It will directly link improved care for children to welfare and other government payments.

FRC Service Charter Statement

The Family Responsibilities Commission knows that you value good customer service. Our aim is to give you the best service we can. We will work with clients and stakeholders to deliver outputs for the State and Commonwealth Government that achieve the outcomes sought for the welfare reform communities. In doing so, the Commission nurtures a spirit of inquiry and innovation. We will take up the challenge of unconventional or creative thinking that may be needed to address the complex problems that confront our communities.

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