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A Cost Benefit Analysis of the Yuendumu Mediation and Justice Committee - the economic case for local dispute management services

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Publication date
Type
Presentation
Event
Occasional seminar
Rhiân Williams
Greg Barrett
Anne Daly

In 2010 Yuendumu was wracked by conflict.  The Yuendumu Mediation and Justice Committee (YM&JC) is an innovative, responsive and highly effective Indigenous designed and driven initiative that has succeeded in restoring stability and harmony to the community.  It has played a powerful role in breaking cycles of disadvantage, distress and suffering caused by unmanaged community conflict and is a positive and compelling example of the drive, vision and commitment of Aboriginal people in Central Australia to take control and responsibility for matters in their community and their effectiveness and skill in doing so.   

In 2014 a cost benefit analysis (CBA) showed that YM&JC returned economic benefits that far exceeded its economic costs.  CBA is a powerful tool that is widely used by governments to evaluate the impact of projects on the economic welfare.  This seminar explores the importance of conflict management as the foundation for community resilience and efficacy and the effectiveness of CBA as an evaluation tool.