APY Lands, Governance

The Hon. T.J. STEPHENS (15:01): It is with great trepidation that I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation a question about—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. T.J. STEPHENS: —the ongoing governance issues on the APY lands.

The Hon. G.E. Gago interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Look, the Hon. Mr Stephens has the floor. It will get to the stage where I will have to give warnings to people if they continually disrupt the chamber. The Hon. Mr Stephens.

The Hon. T.J. STEPHENS: Thank you, Mr President. Can I suggest that those who keep carrying on like this don't come to the dinner?

The PRESIDENT: I would just get on with the question, Mr Stephens.

The Hon. T.J. STEPHENS: They shouldn't get to drink your wine, Mr President. I refer to the minister's answer from Tuesday, where he suggested I was misquoting him. Here is a direct quote from the Hansard of 16 October:

I agree to undertake a limited review of the APY Land Rights Act 1988. Given that more than six months have passed since I sought the views of the APY on that review, I have today written to the APY requesting they provide me with written reasons regarding the termination of Mr Deans and their views on the review of the act by 23 October 2014.

The minister also asked me to the look at the act again, which I have done. It seems the minister is empowered to intervene when the act looks as if it has been breached by the executive. My questions are:

1. What were the reasons provided by the APY Executive for the termination of Mr Deans?

2. When will the minister conclude his investigation and make a decision?

3. Can the minister give this chamber an approximate time frame?

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER (Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation, Minister for Water and the River Murray, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation) (15:02): In relation to the first part of the question or preamble, he talked about language I had corrected him on yesterday in his question, and that referred to his allegation that I had said something about inappropriate dismissal, or words to that effect. I do not believe I ever used those words in this place, so I needed to correct him. With regard to his other questions, I have nothing further to add to the record than what I have already said in this place.