Attorney General department records from last year show that 1 in 20 people from the Queensland Aboriginal community of Palm Island received an average of $30,000 AUS in compensation as victims of violent assault or sexual attack. From the beginning of this year alone, figures show that $1.5 million was paid out to 48 victims from a population of slightly more than 2,000. In 1999 the Guinness Book of Records named Palm Island as the most violent area of the world, not including combat zones. The report has led many politicians to call for a greater law-enforcement presence in the area. However, Palm Island Council deputy chairman Alf Lacey blamed the problem on the poor socioeconomic means of the Palm Islanders and called for further government programs that will offer more employment opportunities and housing for the people of the community.
