APY LANDS, SUBSTANCE MISUSE FACILITY

The Hon. T.A. FRANKS (15:09): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Regional Development, representing the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation, a question about the APY substance misuse facility at Amata.

Leave granted.

The Hon. T.A. FRANKS: Members would be aware that the Amata-based substance misuse facility opened on 12 August 2008. Since that time there has been ongoing concern about the 'very low rates of occupancy and use' of the centre, to quote the Coordinator-General for Remote Indigenous Services, Mr Brian Gleeson, in 2009. In the estimates process last year, after the September budget, the Department of Health also reported that the facility remained under-utilised, and on 16 March 2011 DASSA provided the UnitingCare Wesley project, the Paper Tracker, figures regarding this under-utilisation.

I think under-utilisation would be somewhat of a euphemism, given that no clients were accommodated at the facility between 1 July 2010 and 31 January 2011 (some six months) and only 29 people were referred to the mobile outreach services. Given that this facility has an operating cost from the state budget of $1 million per annum, I ask:

1. When will the minister respond to the report, which, I understand, has been on her desk for over four months now, giving consideration to alternative uses for this facility?

2. Will the minister justify the waste of taxpayers' money at a rate, for the last 20 weeks, of $3,864 for a centre that is not being used?

The Hon. G.E. GAGO (Minister for Regional Development, Minister for Public Sector Management, Minister for the Status of Women, Minister for Consumer Affairs, Minister for Government Enterprises) (15:11): I thank the honourable member for her questions and will refer them to the relevant ministers in another place. I am not sure whether the primary responsibility for that does rest with the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation; it may do, but it may also cut across the responsibility of the Minister for Mental Health and Substance Abuse. Nevertheless, I will refer the questions to the relevant minister or ministers for a response.