ABORIGINAL AFFAIRS

Mrs GERAGHTY (Torrens) (15:09): My question is to the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation. What steps has the government taken to further improve engagement between government and the Aboriginal community?

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL (Cheltenham—Minister for Families and Communities, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation, Minister for Housing, Minister for Ageing, Minister for Disability, Minister Assisting the Premier in Cabinet Business and Public Sector Management) (15:10): When the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission (ATSIC) was abolished by the previous federal government, essentially it left a void in terms of hearing the voice of Aboriginal people across Australia. The South Australian government responded, first, by establishing an interim advisory council to assist it in working out how it should respond to that situation. That interim advisory council conducted a lengthy series of consultations across the state in an attempt to gather that information and advice for government.

It came up with three propositions, namely, that there was a role for a high-level sounding board so that Aboriginal issues could be heard in the context of decision making by ministers, chief executives and any other form of decision-making in government. So, it recommended the Aboriginal Advisory Council, a permanent body.

Secondly, it saw a role for an advocacy body, something that presented the voice of Aboriginal people in a much more public way, advocating on systemic issues about the way in which government services were provided. That particular role was seen as one which was separate and apart from the role that an Aboriginal person could play as a public servant. There was a natural tension between being a senior Aboriginal public servant and an advocate for Aboriginal people generally. The second role was the Commissioner for Aboriginal Engagement. Of course, we acted upon both those recommendations, appointing Kerry Colbung (and a permanent board for Aboriginal advice) and Klynton Wanganeen as the Commissioner for Aboriginal Engagement.

Thirdly, it recommended that there ought to be some democratic representative body that represents Aboriginal people broadly, but it did not think it was sensible to replicate one in South Australia when there had already been commitments by the incoming federal government to create a new national body in relation to those matters. We accepted that recommendation also.

I want to pay particular tribute to Ms Colbung, a woman of Kokatha and Mirning descent. She is the Aboriginal Sports Training Academy Director and was the chair of the interim advisory council which undertook these consultations and led to these very sensible recommendations, upon which the government was very pleased to act.