Answers to Questions

APY LANDS, ELECTRICITY SUPPLY

In reply to the Hon. T.J. STEPHENS (22 February 2011).

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, Minister for Gambling): The Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation has provided the following information:

1. The distribution of power to homelands serviced by the Umuwa to Ernabella homelands power line is provided by ETSA under contract to the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs.

The power line is susceptible to outages primarily caused by electrical storms damaging ceramic insulators on the line.

The Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation has asked for her Department to work with the Department for Transport, Energy and Infrastructure to address these issues.