ABORIGINAL REGIONAL AUTHORITIES

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER (Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation, Minister for Water and the River Murray, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation) (14:22): I seek leave to make a ministerial statement on Aboriginal regional authorities.

Leave granted.

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER: Around our state, Aboriginal people are demanding a more open relationship with government and a stronger voice in decisions that affect their lives. Strong governance is essential for effective representation, advocacy, coordination and service delivery. This government believes it is important that we support communities that seek to set their own priorities and policy directions.

We have taken notice of the evidence, both in Australia and internationally, which suggests that community-driven regional governance can deliver tangible benefits to Aboriginal people. This is further supported by experience in our own state, with the Narungga and Ngarrindjeri regional authorities making good progress in establishing a strong community voice in their respective regions.

Regional authorities have the potential to increase community decision-making capacity and ensure improved coordination and cooperation of local Aboriginal organisations and groups. Importantly, they will also generate employment and business opportunities. In the first instance, the government is seeking feedback on a consultation paper that outlines the current thinking on the structure, functions and key deliverables of Aboriginal regional authorities. A five-month consultation process commenced on 4 July 2013, with the first round of written feedback due by 29 August 2013.

I have written to key stakeholders across the state to seek their engagement in the policy development process. The schedule of regional forums is available online at www.aboriginalaffairs.sa.gov.au. A second phase of more detailed engagement will involve the selection of several trial sites and testing of various aspects of the regional authority model with community groups that express a strong interest in the model. Details of how these trial sites will be chosen will be released shortly.

The introduction of the regional authorities model is about establishing more effective representation of Aboriginal peoples at a regional level while growing the capacity of Aboriginal communities to make decisions about their future. At the end of the process, we will use the ideas we have received to develop a new Aboriginal regional authority policy. Sir, I invite you, and any others in the chamber, to review the consultation paper and information booklet, both of which are available online at www.aboriginalaffairs.sa.gov.au.