Legislative Council Fifty-First Parliament, Third Session (51-3) 51 3 Parliament of South Australia Legislative Council published Question Time AP Services AP SERVICES The Hon. R.D. LAWSON Legislative Council AP SERVICES The Hon. R.D. LAWSON (14:42): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the minister representing the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation a question about AP Services. Leave granted. The Hon. R.D. LAWSON Legislative Council The Hon. R.D. LAWSON: Concerns have been raised in the past about the Aboriginal corporation called AP Services, which operates on the APY lands in South Australia, although its head office is in Alice Springs. I myself have raised on behalf of constituents dissatisfaction with the way in which AP Services was conducting its activities. On 16 February last, an administrator was appointed to AP Services. The accounts for AP Services reveal that in the past financial year it received substantial government grants, over $1.5 million of which are identifiably funds from the South Australian government. A matter of some deep concern to many would be the fact that this Aboriginal corporation spent $396,000 in the latest year on legal costs. My questions to the minister are: 1.	What is the extent of state government funds paid to AP Services during the current financial year, and what forward commitments have been made by the government to make payments to AP Services? 2.	Will the minister assure the parliament that all of those funds have been appropriately applied and accounted for and that there has been no misapplication or misappropriation of those funds? 3.	What steps is the South Australian government taking to ensure that services to people on the APY lands are not compromised by the administration of AP Services? The Hon. G.E. GAGO Legislative Council Minister for State/Local Government Relations Minister for the Status of Women Minister for Consumer Affairs Minister for Government Enterprises Minister Assisting the Minister for Transport The Hon. G.E. GAGO (Minister for State/Local Government Relations, Minister for the Status of Women, Minister for Consumer Affairs, Minister for Government Enterprises, Minister Assisting the Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Energy) (14:44): I thank the honourable member for his questions and will refer them to the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation in another place and bring back a response.