Aboriginal Artefacts

The Hon. T.J. STEPHENS (14:28): Thank you, Mr President. I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation a question about damage to Aboriginal artefacts at the South Australian Museum.

Leave granted.

The Hon. T.J. STEPHENS: The minister should be aware that concerns have been raised publicly by Mr David Rathman, Chairman of the Museum's Aboriginal Advisory Committee, that priceless artefacts have been damaged by vermin and eight separate flooding events in recent times, most recently after the sprinkler system was set off after a fire alarm. My question to the minister is: what steps will the government take to ensure that our Museum's priceless collection of 60,000 irreplaceable Aboriginal cultural artefacts will be protected in adequate storage conditions?

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Minister for Employment, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation, Minister for Manufacturing and Innovation, Minister for Automotive Transformation, Minister for Science and Information Economy) (14:28): I thank the honourable member for his question and his continuing interest in these matters. I was, in our dinner break last night, at the SA Museum, opening their shields exhibition, putting on display some of their very, very significant collection. I think, as the honourable member has outlined, there are an estimated 30,000 objects in the Aboriginal culture collection at the SA Museum.

I haven't read the full transcript, but I understand that it was earlier this week on ABC radio that David Rathman made some comments. I will read that full transcript. I understand that it is the Minister for The Arts who is responsible for the Museum, so I will undertake to read that full transcript and pass on our concerns to the minister responsible.