Parliamentary Committees

Aboriginal Lands Parliamentary Standing Committee: Annual Report 2015-16

The Hon. T.T. NGO (15:57): I move:

That the report of the committee, 2015-2016, be noted.

This is the 12^th annual report of the Aboriginal Lands Parliamentary Standing Committee and my third as the presiding member of the committee. The committee is responsible for reviewing the operation of the Aboriginal Lands Trust Act 2013, the Maralinga Tjarutja Land Rights Act 1984 and the Pitjantjatjara Land Rights Act 1981. The committee also has the responsibility of reviewing the operation of the new Aboriginal Lands Trust Act three years after its commencement.

The committee discharges its responsibilities in part by visiting Aboriginal lands and Aboriginal communities, by maintaining strong relationships with the Aboriginal landholding statutory authorities, inquiring into matters of importance to Aboriginal people and their communities, and by inviting representatives from those authorities to appear before the committee to give evidence.

During the past year, the committee visited dialysis service providers in the Northern Territory to determine how sustainable dialysis services could be delivered to Aboriginal South Australians and in particular the APY lands. The committee was aware that Anangu requiring dialysis were having to leave their homes and relocate to Adelaide, Port Augusta or Alice Springs with family members for treatment. This dislocation was adversely impacting the patient's health, their families and their community.

In April, the committee visited the Aboriginal community Kabulwarnamyo in West Arnhem Land. The Kabulwarnamyo community, through its business development company Warddeken Land Management, won the 2015 national NAIDOC Caring for Country Award for its work in Indigenous protected area management. The community was very impressed to learn how this small remote community developed successful business opportunities by partnering with the commercial sector, the Australian government and philanthropic sources.

This partnering was critical in building infrastructure and generating income streams and employment for the majority of the members of the community, as well as funding a school with a full-time teacher. The committee believes that some of the Warddeken business development concepts could also be applied in certain circumstances in South Australian Aboriginal communities. Funding from corporate philanthropy is emerging as an important resource for not-for-profit and community organisations.

The committee's planned visit to the APY communities of Ernabella and Umuwa, as well as Yalta and Oodnadatta, was cancelled due to the funeral of a prominent member of the APY Executive. However, the committee did travel to Yappala Station in the Flinders Ranges to hear traditional owners' concerns about the federal government's proposal for a low and intermediate-level nuclear waste facility near Hawker. The committee also travelled to the Aboriginal Lands Trust holdings of Nepabunna, Iga Warta and Marree.

The committee heard evidence from 26 witnesses during the course of the year, including a number who gave evidence in regard to the feasibility of the construction and operation of a dialysis centre at Ernabella in the APY lands. The evidence was strongly supportive of the establishment of a permanent dialysis centre in the APY lands. The committee worked with the state government and the intended service provider, Western Desert Dialysis, to ensure that any potential logistical issues were resolved, and in July this year the state government offered its support for the establishment of a permanent dialysis centre at Ernabella.

Honourable members: Hear, hear!

The Hon. T.T. NGO: Yes, hear, hear! It was good work from the committee. The committee commends Western Desert Dialysis, the Australian government and the South Australian government for delivering this important initiative to the APY lands. In addition, following on from the committee's recommendations that came out of the inquiry into the Stolen Generations Reparations Bill 2010, I would like to thank the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation for establishing the $11 million stolen generations reparation scheme in November 2015.

The scheme will provide up to $6 million in ex gratia payments to members of the stolen generations and allocate a further $5 million to a stolen generations community reparations fund. There will be a community consultation process to determine how this fund could be used, and I look forward to seeing the outcome of that consultation.

During the year, the committee also raised a number of issues on behalf of Aboriginal people and communities with respective commonwealth and state ministers and their agencies. The committee feels it has an important role in advocating for Aboriginal South Australians.

Committee members again showed their support for Aboriginal Australians by attending a number of different events, including the 8^th anniversary of the National Apology to the Stolen Generations and the National Reconciliation Week breakfast in Adelaide. As always, the state and commonwealth agencies provided considerable information, which greatly assisted the committee with its work, and I thank those agencies for their support and following up on matters that arise at meetings and at committee hearings.

I take this opportunity to thank individual members of the committee: the Hon. Terry Stephens; the Hon. Tammy Franks; Mr John Gee, the member for Napier; Mr Eddie Hughes, the member for Whyalla; and, finally, Dr Duncan McFetridge, the member for Morphett. The committee membership has not changed since I have been the Presiding Member, which is a good sign that things are functioning well, I hope. A lot of that also goes down to the work of our committee secretary, Jason Caire, who I would also like to thank.

Finally, to all the Aboriginal communities, organisations and their representatives who have given their time and provided evidence and valuable insight to the committee during the year, I say thank you.

Debate adjourned on motion of Hon. J.S.L. Dawkins.