Paddy, Mrs Kunmanara

The Hon. G.A. KANDELAARS (14:58): My question is to the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation. Can the minister inform the chamber about the contribution of Mrs Kunmanara Paddy to her community and to her people?

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) (14:58): I thank the honourable member for his question and his ongoing interest in the area of Aboriginal affairs. Kunmanara Paddy, or the Lady from Kalka, Chairperson of the APY Executive Board and a strong leader of the Kalka and Pipalyatjara communities, passed away on 7 May 2016. I would like to say a few brief words to acknowledge the achievements of this significant Anangu leader.

The 'Lady from Kalka' was elected as the first female chairperson of the APY Executive Board in May 2015. In this role, she quickly earned the respect and confidence of many through her leadership and generous spirit. She was a board member of Regional Anangu Services Aboriginal Corporation (RASAC) and the chair of the Kalka community council. Much of the development and process in the Kalka community can be attributed to her leadership, hard work and dedication.

Her home country was in Western Australia, where she lived, prior to living in Kalka, and also just over the border in the Northern Territory. In the 1980s she moved to Kalka with her husband and her children. In 1995 the Lady from Kalka was employed by Nganampa Health Council on the Home and Community Care program. During this time she travelled to the US, Canada and Hawaii to learn about and inspect aged-care systems in those jurisdictions. She was also a strong advocate for Anangu women and children and encouraged all children to attend school. In her spare time she looked after local rock holes and liked to paint and do woodcarving.

She was a dignified and humble lady who was respected by all who had the pleasure of meeting her. She was also a firm leader. I saw the strength of her leadership earlier this year at the opening of the Pipalyatjara/Kalka TAFE building. One of the public servants present at that opening decided to name a couple of families as having been instrumental in delivering the new TAFE.

This led to about 10 or 15 minutes of quite heated arguing of families who were at that opening about who was most instrumental and who did what. The Lady from Kalka stood up after about 10 or 15 minutes of arguing and in language let everyone know that she did most of the work, so everyone could be quiet—and they were. This was a sign of her leadership and the respect the community had for her.

Family was also very important to the Lady from Kalka. I remember when I first met her on one of my early trips to the APY lands as Aboriginal affairs minister. I was in Umuwa and was told to go and meet a couple of the significant old women who wanted to speak to me. It took me a couple of tries to find her in the accommodation behind the Umuwa administration centre. When I first met her and a couple of other significant women it was a very tentative conversation at first but when she found out I had children and showed her some pictures, the dialogue opened up and become much more free flowing.

I visited the Lady from Kalka both in the Royal Adelaide Hospital and the Alice Springs Hospital when she was sick. The very first question she asked was about my wife and children: how were my koonga and tjitji. She was quite a remarkable women, a trailblazer who always thought of her family, her community and her people first. I pay tribute to her contributions and the legacy that she leaves.