APY Lands, Governance

The Hon. S.G. WADE (15:44): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking a question of the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation in relation to the APY Executive Board election.

Leave granted.

The Hon. S.G. WADE: Last year, when parliament hurriedly considered the APY Land Rights Act 1981, the then Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation mused about the options before the government in relation to electoral processes for the APY Executive Board. In particular, he mentioned the option of amending the bill or postponing the election.

He gave an assurance to the council that if the government took the option to introduce amendments to the act prior to the next APY board election, this would be done early in the next session of the parliament. By law, the SA Electoral Commissioner must conduct the next APY Executive election by no later than 29 May 2015. Allowing for the statutorily prescribed nomination period, there are only three more sitting weeks before 1 May, the last day by which the APY election process can begin. My questions are:

1. Is the minister planning to introduce a bill to amend the APY Land Rights Act ahead of the next APY Executive Board election?

2. If so, will the minister give an assurance that the bill will be introduced during the next sitting week so that parliament can give the bill its due consideration?

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Minister for Manufacturing and Innovation, Minister for Automotive Transformation, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation) (15:45): I thank the honourable member for his important question. I have had some discussions with the department and a number of other people in regard to the upcoming APY elections. I am turning my mind to this matter and over the coming days in the next couple of weeks will make a decision about the best way forward.