APY Lands, Food Security

The Hon. T.J. STEPHENS (15:22): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation questions about the APY food security strategy.

Leave granted.

The Hon. T.J. STEPHENS: I refer the minister to his answer yesterday, and I thank him for his comprehensive history of the strategy and good work of the Mai Wiru group. However, he failed to directly answer any of the questions put to him, and so I ask:

1. Who was the author of the report?

2. Why has the government abandoned the remaining objectives of the strategy in the annual reporting?

3. What role will Matrix on Board play in APY food security?

4. Who will have oversight of food security issues in the 50 per cent of community stores not administered by Mai Wiru?

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER (Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation, Minister for Water and the River Murray, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation) (15:23): I thank the honourable member for the most important questions, of course. What are the key messages in the final food security report that we need to take notice of? As part of the food security strategy, evaluation reports were published in year 1 (2011) in March 2012 and year 2 (2012) in April 2013. The final evaluation report covers the period of January 2013 to June 2014. This detailed report can be found on the DSD-AAR website.

This report highlights that, in supporting a broader approach to food security across the APY lands, this government invested in backup power generators and TV and DVD installations for community stores so that we can provide informative tapes on subjects that are important to the community. As you can appreciate, Mr President, adverse weather conditions and unpredictable overloads on power usage on APY lands have historically resulted in power outages for considerable periods of time. These outages on occasion have resulted in the spoiling of frozen and refrigerated food in some community stores.

So, in 2012-13, to assist in reducing the spoilage as well as assisting community stores to reduce their operating costs, state government capital funding of $288,000, I am advised, was allocated to install backup power generators to those who requested such assistance. Backup generators have now been installed and are fully operational and have been well received, I understand, in Indulkana, Kampi and Amata stores, as well as the temporary Fregon store, noting that that store, of course, was destroyed by fire last year.

These generators automatically come online when there is a power outage and have the capacity to support safe food storage within store fridges and freezers in the event of a short-term or even a long-term power outage. The ownership of the generators, as I said before, has been transferred to the owners of those stores.

We also saw the value in the installation of those TVs and DVDs that I mentioned earlier to provide nutrition-related education to Anangu. I think we might also provide some education about customers' rights as well. Once the new Fregon store is rebuilt, a TV and DVD will be installed and the generator relocated.

Investing in food security for the future has also been a key focus of this government, with the funding for the kitchen garden programs, with AAR providing the Department for Education and Child Development funding of $40,000 to deliver kitchen garden programs in Anangu schools, including at Indulkana, Kenmore Park and Yalata as well on the Far West coast. Schoolchildren in these communities have continued to grow their own fruit and vegetables, I am advised, which are then prepared as nutritious meals and snacks using their own produce for community consumption.

The final report says that the focus of the strategy during the 18-month period was on two areas. Financial wellbeing, the MoneyMob Talkabout program, funded by the commonwealth and state governments, has been very effective, I am told, in helping Anangu manage their money, and financial counsellors provide advice, support and educational services to Anangu.

The other focus, of course, is on freight management—I covered that yesterday—with a new Mai Wiru freight service being up and running and delivering fresher food to the APY lands at a better price. Given the positive progress in these two areas, and following consultation with key stakeholders, the government has decided to conclude the food security strategy as of 1 July 2014 and focus the government's food security efforts on the freight initiative in 2014-15.

The PRESIDENT: A supplementary from the Hon. Mr Stephens.