APY TASK FORCE

In reply to Dr McFETRIDGE (Morphett) (26 June 2009).

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL (Cheltenham—Minister for Environment and Conservation, Minister for Early Childhood Development, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation, Minister Assisting the Premier in Cabinet Business and Public Sector Management): I am advised:

The Taskforce was initially chaired by the Director Projects, Cabinet Office. It was later chaired by the Executive Director, Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation Division. The group initially met every two weeks and, once systems had been established, began to meet less frequently, usually on a monthly basis.

Approximately thirty meetings of the Taskforce were held. The last meeting of the formally constituted Taskforce was held on 14 May 2007. The work of the Taskforce was subsumed in the various ongoing activities of the five sub-groups that the Taskforce had established—Infrastructure, Health and Welfare, Justice, Education/Training and Employment, Legislative Review—and the development of the draft Aboriginal Strategic Plan which outlined key indicators for the improvement of Aboriginal development and wellbeing.

The activities of the Taskforce were also executed and supplemented by the establishment of the Tjungunku Kuranyu-Kuta Palyantjaku (TKP)—meaning 'Working Together Towards a Better Future'—which is a committee on the APY Lands that aims to improve services for Anangu through shared responsibility for policy development, service planning and co-ordination, and reporting on progress. The most recent meeting of the TKP committee was on 29 and 30 April 2009.

Aligned to the TKP, an Across-Government TKP Forum was established which holds regular meetings prior to and post the APY Lands TKP meetings. This across-government forum considers the TKP Action Plan and monitors the progress of the implementation of this Plan. The last meeting of this across-government forum was held on 11 March 2009.