Legislative Council Fifty-Second Parliament, First Session (52-1) 52 1 Parliament of South Australia Legislative Council published Question Time Port Augusta and Davenport Aboriginal Communities PORT AUGUSTA AND DAVENPORT ABORIGINAL COMMUNITIES The Hon. T.J. STEPHENS Legislative Council PORT AUGUSTA AND DAVENPORT ABORIGINAL COMMUNITIES The Hon. T.J. STEPHENS (15:06): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for State/Local Government Relations, representing the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, a question about the Port Augusta and Davenport Aboriginal Communities. Leave granted. The Hon. T.J. STEPHENS Legislative Council The Hon. T.J. STEPHENS: Lew Owens' report into problems faced in the Port Augusta community, handed down on 17 August, highlights a number of issues, including community violence, racism, drugs, youth gangs and a lack of amenities. This report has identified problems raised by the Port Augusta council some six years ago. According to the report, there is no shortage of programs or funding to deal with these problems, but there is a serious lack of coordination between commonwealth, state and local governments. Mr Owens outlines several reforms in his report, including a committee to oversee all the programs, to eliminate redundant services and improve cooperation between responsible bodies. Recently, the Aboriginal Lands Standing Committee, including the Hon. Tammy Franks, visited the Davenport community. To put it mildly, we were quite shocked by the horrid conditions in which people on the outskirts of Port Augusta are forced to live. To see issues such as houses with sewage backing up, which is quite commonplace, on the outskirts of a community such as Port Augusta was absolutely staggering. My questions are: 1.	Does the minister concede that the Rann government has failed the communities of Port Augusta and Davenport? 2.	What action is the government taking to immediately coordinate response to these conditions, where people are living in absolute squalor? 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 for the City of Adelaide 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 for the City of Adelaide) (15:07): I thank the honourable member for his important questions. I will refer those questions to the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs in another place and bring back a response.