In June 2007, the Australian Government responded to the report of the Northern Territory Board of Inquiry into Protection of Aboriginal Children with the announcement of a package of 12 ’emergency’ measures. This short paper comments on the likely effectiveness of the proposals and puts forward a set of practical immediate measures and long term reform proposals to address the problem. These draw upon the experience of Aboriginal communities and service providers on the ground, and some of the many reports detailing problems in Aboriginal communities in the Northern Territory and elsewhere. It proposes a two-tiered response to the problems of child abuse in remote Aboriginal communities. (Introduction, edited)