North West Indigenous Pastoral Project

Mr HUGHES (Giles) (15:05): My question is to the Minister for Regional Development. Can the minister advise the house of the outcomes of his recent visit to Emeroo Station?

Members interjecting:

The Hon. G.G. BROCK (Frome—Minister for Regional Development, Minister for Local Government) (15:05): As the member for Stuart understands, you can only ask a supplementary to the first minister you asked the question. I had the great pleasure of visiting Emeroo Station, just out of Port Augusta, as I made my way home from the country cabinet in Whyalla and Coober Pedy, also dropping in to Cairn Hill Mine, Roxby Downs and Andamooka. My reason for visiting Emeroo Station was to meet some of the—

Mr Pengilly interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Finniss is warned. The next person to interject will be removed under the sessional order.

Mr Goldsworthy interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Kavel will depart under the sessional order for the remainder of question time.

The honourable member for Kavel having withdrawn from the chamber:

The Hon. G.G. BROCK: My reason for visiting Emeroo Station was to meet some of the participants in the North West Indigenous Pastoral Project and to see the project in action. If members on the other side are not interested in what is happening in the regions, I would say—

Mr Gardner interjecting:

The Hon. G.G. BROCK: I know that some of them are. Emeroo Station is an arid landscape, but only 15 kilometres from one of South Australia's major regional centres, Port Augusta. There has been no stock for more than three years on this Indigenous project, but the North West Indigenous Pastoral Project and the Bungala Aboriginal Corporation are changing this.

The station needed all new fencing, which had deteriorated, as well as new water infrastructure: a new bore, troughs and tanks. These will allow a vegetable garden to also be established on the premises. Locals have been trained to build fences and sheds and, once sheep are returned to the station, skills such as shearing and animal husbandry will be taught. I met with five wonderful young Aboriginal workers who had all been struggling to find work before they were engaged in the North West Indigenous Pastoral Project.

But there are wider benefits beyond training locals who have been out of work. The project has been very successful in its engagement with Aboriginal landholders, the business sector (particularly BHP Billiton) and the Indigenous Land Corporation. Of the three million hectares of Indigenous land in the north-west of South Australia, only 5 per cent is currently grazed under Indigenous-owned stock. This project was designed to help Aboriginal pastoral landholders to build profitable pastoral businesses and sustainable employment.

Fourteen pastoral workers are currently involved with the project, and I am very pleased that the project has been extended for an additional two years, which will help to employ up to a further 20 Indigenous pastoral workers to gain employment and training. The five pastoral workers who were at Mabel Creek Station near Coober Pedy have recently completed their program after successfully bringing 600 square kilometres back into production as well as restoring the homestead ready for use.

To encourage further employment, the Indigenous Land Corporation works with the National Indigenous Pastoral Enterprise (NIPE), which operates 14 agriculture businesses on land it either owns or leases from Indigenous landowners. These agricultural businesses are operated as commercial enterprises and provide fully integrated training and employment opportunities for Indigenous people. Each year, NIPE invites Indigenous people to apply for permanent positions available within these businesses. These positions will now be offered to pastoral workers engaged in the North West Indigenous Pastoral Project. This will encourage transition from subsidised employment provided by the project to sustainable and independent employment.

The project will continue to build sustainable employment outcomes for Indigenous landholders, who now have up-to-date pastoral development plans which provide a strong business enterprise focus to complement the Jobs Accelerator Fund for job creation. The project continues to support Indigenous landholders on the APY, Emeroo at Port Augusta, Purple Downs, Andamooka and Roxby Downs stations, with Mabel Creek Station at Coober Pedy recently successfully completed.

This project is an example of what can be achieved in a short time with effective government leadership, investment and communication. There is much work still to be done, but a foundation is now laid to improve—

Mr GARDNER: Point of order: sessional orders do not allow the minister to finish this.

The SPEAKER: Alas, the minister's time has expired. Thank you for your guidance.