Reconciliation Action Plan

Ms BEDFORD (Florey) (15:20): My question is to the Premier in his capacity as Minister for Aboriginal Affairs. Does Parliament House have a reconciliation action plan and, if it doesn't, will you undertake to make one happen and put cultural training as part of it for all members and staff in the precinct?

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL (Dunstan—Premier) (15:20): I thank the member for Florey for her question. She often asks me questions about parliament. In answering the question, I just remind this house that I am one member of a 47-seat chamber, one of 69—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —members of parliament and members of the Legislative Council.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order, member for Kaurna!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: I am responsible for the RAPs that exist and the Stretch RAPs which exist within the government, and that's something we have put a lot of focus on. With regard to parliament, there is a Joint Parliamentary Service Committee. I have spoken to them and I outlined yesterday some of the aspects that I had raised with the Joint Parliamentary Service Committee and the Speaker in this chamber, of course, with regard to issues like the flags here—

The Hon. S.C. Mullighan interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Member for Lee!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —like we heard from Dr Roger Thomas last year, like the refurbishment—

The Hon. S.C. Mullighan: Did you appear or write to the committee?

The SPEAKER: The member for Lee will cease interjecting.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —of the Balcony Room. I have written to the Joint Parliamentary Service Committee regarding more permanent recognition in this building, if you like, as a permanent reminder of the origins of this state prior to settlement, which I think should be represented on this site. I think this is something which the Joint Parliamentary Service Committee could consider but, as the member would be more than aware, I can't be directing the Joint Parliamentary Service Committee. What I can do, though, is make sure there is an adequate budget for the Joint Parliamentary Service Committee as well as for the individual houses within this parliament, and that's precisely what we do provide.

I would certainly support any moves for the member for Florey to join with me in advocating to the Joint Parliamentary Service Committee with regard to a reconciliation action plan for cultural awareness training, but that is not something that I am responsible to the house for. One thing the member may be interested in, because it's an area that I am responsible for, is for the members—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The Premier has the call.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: Most people actually appreciate that Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation has historically been a bipartisan portfolio.

The Hon. S.C. Mullighan: We just haven't had a minister that's neglected it so much.

The SPEAKER: The member for Lee will leave for 20 minutes in accordance with standing order 137A.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: We are very proud of the advances we have made—

The SPEAKER: The member for Lee will leave for 20 minutes in accordance with standing order 137A.

The honourable member for Lee having withdrawn from the chamber:

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —and we recognise that there's much more work to be done. One of the areas that I am responsible for, of course, is the Senior Management Council in South Australia. I am the one who essentially employs the chief executives within the Public Service, so I was absolutely keen to have cultural awareness training for members of the Senior Management, Council, which occurred last year. You can't just have a one-off, but I think it was a very good opportunity for the Senior Management Council, with the entire cabinet, to come together for that cultural awareness training, which took place last year.

The member may also be interested to know that the cabinet actually meets with the South Australian Aboriginal Advisory Council on a regular basis—in fact, it's the only body that comes to meet with the cabinet—because we take it very seriously. These are the areas of responsibility that I have in government, but I join with her in encouraging the Joint Parliamentary Service Committee to look for all opportunities to continue along that pathway to reconciliation.