APY LANDS, CHILD SEX ABUSE

Mrs REDMOND (Heysen—Leader of the Opposition) (15:23): I will try another question to the Minister for Families and Communities, if I may. When did the minister first become aware of alleged sexual abuse of children on the APY lands?

The Hon. P.F. Conlon: Probably when we appointed Mullighan.

The Hon. J.M. RANKINE (Wright—Minister for Families and Communities, Minister for Housing, Minister for Ageing, Minister for Disability) (15:23): Yes, thank you for your assistance. Yes, you are exactly right. When the former minister for aboriginal affairs appointed Justice Mullighan to undertake his inquiry into sexual abuse on the lands that really highlighted the extent of the problems up there. That is really when I first became aware of the extent of the abuse, and it has been a very strong focus of our cabinet to address those issues.

There has been some discussion in the media of recent times about our response to Justice Mullighan's report, and I am really pleased to be able to, perhaps, give the house a little bit more insight into our attention to—

Mr WILLIAMS: Point of order, Madam Speaker. I think the question was very specific. She complained a moment ago that the question wasn't specific. The question was very specific, and I believe that the minister has indeed answered it.

The SPEAKER: The minister's information that she is giving is relevant to the question.

The Hon. J.M. RANKINE: I became aware as a result of Justice Mullighan's report into abuse on the lands.

Mr WILLIAMS: Point of order, Madam Speaker. Standing order 98 states that the minister must answer the substance of the question. The substance of the question was: when did the minister first become aware? When did she become aware?

The Hon. P.F. Conlon interjecting:

Mr WILLIAMS: There wasn't anything else, Pat.

The SPEAKER: Order! I think the question relates to relevance, and I think the minister is responding in her own way. She can choose to answer that way if she wishes to.

The Hon. J.M. RANKINE: Thank you, Madam Speaker. There was only one of the 46 recommendations that the government didn't accept. Each year I bring an annual report into this place, and in November last year we were able to confirm that 10 of the recommendations had been fully implemented and another 35 recommendations were in progress or were longer-term programs.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.M. RANKINE: Since last year, I have been informed that a further 17 recommendations have been completed, bringing the total to 27 recommendations completed, and the remaining recommendations are being implemented or are long-term programs—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.M. RANKINE: —long-term programs like housing. Let me just tell you what we are doing about housing on the lands. We have a 10-year partnership agreement with the federal government to deliver housing on the APY lands and—

Mrs REDMOND: Point of order: relevance. I accept that you have said, Madam Speaker, that the minister can answer in any way she wants, but the question was about sexual abuse of children, not housing on the lands.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! Again, I get back to standing order 98: it doesn't apply in this case. The minister can answer the question as she chooses but, minister, I would ask you to get back to the question and shorten your answer.

The Hon. J.M. RANKINE: One of the fundamental issues raised by Justice Mullighan was the fact that overcrowding in housing was one of the critical issues around child protection. We have a $292 million 10-year partnership with the federal government to provide housing on the APY lands—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! You will hear the minister in silence.

The Hon. J.M. RANKINE: —and other discrete Aboriginal communities.

Mr Marshall interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Member for Norwood!

The Hon. J.M. RANKINE: From 2009-10 through to 2010-11 financial year, we had constructed 82 new houses on the lands and upgraded a further 108 houses. This year, our capital works target is 34 new homes and 19 existing houses to be upgraded. In addition to that, we have located a regional manager for housing on the APY lands and an operations manager, and we are operating a home living skill program.

Mr WILLIAMS: Point of order, Madam Speaker. I recall a few moments ago, in a previous point of order raised by the opposition, you directed the minister to get back to the substance of the question, and I think she is flouting your ruling.

The SPEAKER: Thank you, deputy leader. The minister did refer to a finding in the Mullighan report and she is relating her answer to this, which relates back to your question. Minister, perhaps you could draw your answer to a close soon.

The Hon. J.M. RANKINE: It does absolutely make an enormous difference—

Mr Marshall: What about the child protection officers?

The SPEAKER: Order, member for Norwood!

The Hon. J.M. RANKINE: —to these communities. Only a couple of months ago, I was visiting two communities, Amata and Mimili, and I presented nationally accredited certificates to 22 of the Aboriginal men who had completed their civil construction certificates I and II, helping in the construction of these homes. These men had—

Members interjecting:

The Hon. P.F. CONLON: Point of order: we have had four or five spurious points of order but interjections are always out of order, and the deputy leader has done it about 15 times during this question. I ask you to call him to order. If he has no respect for this answer, we do on this side.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! Thank you, minister.

Mr Williams interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The deputy leader, you will not argue across the floor.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The minister will sit down. Order!

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: We can sit here all afternoon and wait for question time to finish in argument if you choose and then we will have to extend it, etc., but I want to go home tonight. Can we have some order? Minister.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.M. RANKINE: These men have real jobs in their local communities, and we set a target with our contractors of 20 per cent local employment.

Mr Marshall interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Norwood, I warn you.

The Hon. J.M. RANKINE: We in fact exceeded 37 per cent employment, and what this is doing is showing to those young boys who are going to school—they were initiated and they were not attending any longer—that in fact it is really important that you continue to learn and continue to develop your skills so that you can have jobs into the future.