The South Australian Coroner, Wayne Chivell, has described conditions at
some remote Aboriginal communities in the state's outback as a disgrace
that should shame us all.

The comments come in the coroner's findings on the deaths of three
Aboriginal people from petrol sniffing in the Pitjantjatjaralands between
1999 and 2001.

He says clearly socio-economic factors play a major role in the problem by
creating poverty, poor health, a lack of education and almost total
unemployment.

He says boredom and a general feeling of hopelessness only add to the
environment for such self-destructive behaviour.

He has made a number of recommendations to help arrest the problem,
including the appointment of youth workers to help deal with "at risk"
children.

He says the issues of poverty, health, the lack of education and
unemployment also need to be dealt with head on.

Coroner Chivell has also suggested policing in the area be brought up to
full strength, and also the introduction of night patrols as a crime
prevention strategy.

State Aboriginal Affairs Minister Terry Roberts says the coroner's
findings give the South Australian Government the authority to implement
programs without the support of the local governing executive.

He says the government will override the problems caused by political
infighting between two governing boards to try to implement programs.

"It gives us the right to overcome some of the sensitivities that exist
with individuals and their agendas and we'll be riding right over the top
of them," Mr Roberts said.