Ministerial Statement

QUEAMA, MR KUNMANARA

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) (12:19): I seek leave to make a ministerial statement.

Leave granted.

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: My ministerial statement relates to the passing of Kunmanara Queama, a traditional owner and Aboriginal elder of the Pitjantjatjara people and a community leader. The government was saddened to learn of the passing of Kunmanara Queama, and we extend our sincere condolences to his family, including his partner, Ms Hilda Moodoo; his six children, Katherine, Vanessa, Janette, Clayton, Mandy and Stanley; his extended family; and the Aboriginal people of the Maralinga lands on the West Coast of South Australia.

Kunmanara Queama was highly respected across South Australia, but particularly on the West Coast, where he spent much of his life. I and many of my colleagues here have a deep appreciation for the longstanding and significant contributions made by Mr Queama to South Australia over many years.

Kunmanara Queama deeply touched the lives of many South Australians. He was born in the late 1940s at Ooldea, on the Maralinga Tjarutja land, near the Daisy Bates site. As a young boy, he attended the Lutheran Church mission school at Koonibba. In his time he was many things. He was a farmer and labourer, working on wheat farms across the Eyre Peninsula. He was an accomplished artist, and a number of his works are still displayed in the Art Gallery of South Australia. He was an excellent community leader and a person who commanded a strong respect from those around him, and who played such an important role in the leadership of Maralinga Tjarutja over many years as a member of the Maralinga Tjarutja Council from 1995 and then as chairperson between 2005 and 2009. He was also a trustee of the Pilling Trust from 1995.

However, when people speak of Kunmanara Queama, it is most frequently in relation to his great love of country and his strong connection to it. He had an enduring passion for managing the natural resources of his lands and was a member of both the Aboriginal Lands NRM group and its successor, the Alinytjara Wilurara Natural Resources Management Board. Earlier this year, he received a plaque to recognise his many years of service to NRM. His recognised leadership role in land management is perhaps best epitomised in his nomination as chair of the Mamungari Conservation Park Co-management Board.

Finally, as many people here in the house today know, Kunmanara Queama played an instrumental role in bringing the state government, the commonwealth government and his community to the position we are in today—on the threshold of handing back to his people the land taken away over 50 years ago, which is now called Section 400. He was still driving towards this outcome last week on the eve of his death. Given Kunmanara Queama's prominent role in the hand back, I think it is fitting that we are considering the bill to enable the hand back in this place today. I am advised that, in keeping with Kunmanara Queama's wishes, his funeral will not be held until after the Section 400 hand-back bill is considered by parliament.

I would like to acknowledge the presence of a delegation of Maralinga Tjarutja who have travelled to Adelaide for that purpose. In the gallery today is the Chairperson of Maralinga Tjarutja, Mr Keith Peters, Mr Dickie LeBois, Mr Bradon Queama, Ms Mima Smart, Mr Chris Dodd and Ms Annette Dodd, who are all here to continue the important work to which Kunmanara Queama devoted so much of his life.

I want to acknowledge how difficult his passing is for the Maralinga Tjarutja and other Anangu people, who looked up to him as a role model and leader within the community. I know that he will be missed by others, including staff of the Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation Division and, last but not least, my parliamentary colleague, Ms Lyn Breuer, who has always spoken of the presence, leadership, commitment and integrity that he brought to all his work.