APY Lands

Ms BEDFORD (Florey) (14:42): My question is to the Premier in his capacity as Minister for Aboriginal Affairs. Can the Premier tell us what actual progress is being made to make a real difference, in health and education especially, on the APY lands and make sure basic things like salt-free water for appliances and providing housing are being delivered?

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL (Dunstan—Premier) (14:42): I thank the member for Florey for her question. Since coming to government, we have made a number of substantial changes in the management of this portfolio. Firstly, we have moved the Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation Division back to the central agency, the Department of the Premier and Cabinet. I have personally taken responsibility for this portfolio, but I have been working with my cabinet colleagues to develop a whole-of-government approach to improving outcomes for Aboriginal South Australians.

As the member sort of indicated in her question, much of the need is not need which can be addressed specifically through AARD itself. It is actually all of the other departments of government, and that's why we were very proud late last year to launch our first Aboriginal action plan in South Australia. We were very keen not to have it as another lofty, ambitious long-term strategic plan but more of an action plan dedicated to specific outcomes for Aboriginal South Australians. It covers all portfolios in South Australia. It has been published. It has been made clear to the people of South Australia what we plan to achieve.

My understanding is that of the 30-plus action items on that document the vast majority are on track; some of them have already been achieved. We plan to provide to the people of South Australia reports on the progress on the identified goals on a six-monthly basis. It is my understanding that the next iteration of that is due out very soon. We have recently provided a progress report not only to the Commissioner for Aboriginal Engagement, Dr Roger Thomas, but also to the SAAAC (South Australian Aboriginal Advisory Council). I can inform the parliament today that the members of the SAAAC have had their tenure on that extended through to the middle of next year.

We are very grateful for the input and advice that they provide to us in government. They have been extraordinarily diligent in looking at each of those areas. They meet on a regular basis with members of departments and also have regular meetings with ministers, holding them to account but, more than holding to them to account, actually providing them with practical advice on ways that we can improve our performance. Only today, we had members of the South Australian Aboriginal Advisory Council providing advice to government on a range of issues which dealt with diverse portfolios, including Corrections, policing and other areas of government.

Whilst I haven't got specific advice regarding water on the APY lands, I can tell you that this government is taking its responsibilities with regard to Aboriginal affairs extraordinarily seriously. I think it was the right move to bring it back into DPC but, most importantly, for the Premier, myself, to take responsibility so that we can have a whole-of-cabinet approach to dealing with some of the disadvantage and the opportunity that exists within the sector.