APY Lands, Governance

The Hon. T.J. STEPHENS (15:08): My question is to the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation. Can the minister update the house on the status of the general manager's position on the APY lands and what progress has been made?

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Minister for Manufacturing and Innovation, Minister for Automotive Transformation, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation) (15:08): I thank the honourable member for his question and his daily continuing interest in matters to do with APY.

The Hon. D.W. Ridgway interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. K.J. MAHER: The interim general manager has recently been Ms Lesley Johns. She informed the APY Executive of her decision to resign that position, which I think is effective at the end of this week, if my memory serves me correctly. My office and my department have been working with APY and I have had numerous telephone conversations with the chair, deputy chair and others on the APY Executive and we are providing as much support as we can in the process of a new general manager being appointed.

I think it is very close to that happening. It is a very important position, the general manager of APY. It is one under the legislation which the minister has to agree to the terms and conditions of a general manager being appointed. I am working closely and I am confident that we will have a new general manager in the very near future, but the Aboriginal Affairs department will continue to work with APY to make sure that they have what they need to carry out their duties.