This study was commissioned by the partners to the Council of Australian Governments’ Indigenous Communities Coordination Pilot trial focused on the Thamarrurr region. Under this arrangement, financial and logistical support was variously provided by the Northern Territory Government, the Commonwealth Department of Family and Community Services, the Australian Bureau of Statistics, and the Thamarrurr Regional Council. As indicated by the latter, numerous people contributed to this project, not least because its support base was the ICCP partnership involving the people of Wadeye and associated communities, as well as Northern Territory and Commonwealth government departments. That the report was compiled at all is one measure of this partnership in progress. As with all such enterprises, though, success is mainly due to the efforts and support of particular individuals and organisations.

First and foremost, I am grateful for the hospitality and interest of the people of Thamarrurr and for the backing and material support of the Thamarrurr Regional Council. In the day-to-day conduct of work in Wadeye and surrounds, I am greatly indebted to Tobias Nganbe, Leon Melpi, Matthias Nemarluk, Timothy Dumoo, Irene Dumoo, Theodora Narndu and the women of the Wadeye Palngun Wurangat, Bernard Jabinee, Gerald Longmair, Francis Madigan, Terry Bullemore, Dale Seaniger, Rain Wenitong, Rick Bliss, Desley Seaniger, Scott McIntyre, Jan Pilcher, Brother Vince, Russell De Jonge, and Bob Tedcastle for their efforts and assistance in the process of data gathering. Bill Ivory of the Northern Territory Department of Community Development also greatly assisted in all stages of the project.

At the Darwin end, special thanks are due to Neil Westbury for his logistical support, while Prue Phillips Brown, Richard Preece, David Coles, Philip May and Diane Smith all provided key inputs

The process of data gathering from Commonwealth and Northern Territory agencies involved numerous individuals, many anonymous, but particular mention should be made of Robyn Elliot, Gayle De La Cruz, Agnese Rinaldi, Nick Scarvelis, Janis Shaw, Ian Pritchard, Stephen Jackson, Jennie Renfree, Bev Fauntleroy, Kate Gumley, Greg Hibble and Xavier Desmarchelier. At the ANU, Kay Dancey assisted by preparing the maps.

Finally, in converting a consultancy report into an ANU E Press publication, I was guided by the comments of two referees and advice from colleagues at the ANU including Jon Altman, Diane Smith, David Martin, Will Sanders, Yohannes Kinfu, Maggie Brady and Frances Morphy. All that aside, the facts and their interpretation as presented remain the sole responsibility of the author