Aboriginal Affairs

The Hon. T.T. NGO (14:39): My question is to the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation. Can the minister tell the chamber how the government is working with other jurisdictions to improve the lives of Aboriginal South Australians?

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) (14:39): I thank the honourable member for his question and his interest in the relationship South Australia has with other jurisdictions. The South Australian government has been working with our Central Australian counterparts for a number of years, particularly with Western Australia and the Northern Territory. In 2015 we signed a memorandum of understanding with the Northern Territory government with the aim of working closer together in areas of mutual interest, such as tourism, policing, roads and, importantly, agreeing to the development of a strategy to address family violence in Central Australia.

Last week, there was a joint South Australia-Northern Territory cabinet meeting held in Alice Springs, including most of the South Australian cabinet and all bar one of the Territorian ministers. It was at this meeting that the Premier and the Chief Minister of the Northern Territory, Michael Gunner, signed a new strategic framework to progress action on key agreed priorities.

Working more closely with the Northern Territory will see joint policy development, funding and service delivery in a range of important areas across Central Australia particularly. Combining resource and influence to achieve outcomes is of clear economic benefit to South Australia as well. But it doesn't make just good economic sense; it's common sense, particularly when it comes to the lives of Aboriginal people in Central Australia.

The SA-NT border is not marked with a big fence. It is just a line drawn on the map. The line doesn't mean much to many Aboriginal people of Central Australia, who for 50,000 years knew of no such line on a map. The NPY (Ngaanyatjarra Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara) lands are over 350,000 square kilometres, spread over our state, the Northern Territory and Western Australia. Approximately 6,000 Anangu live in this region, who at times can be highly mobile between the 26 major remote communities and homelands in this tri-state area.

Family and cultural connections are strong across this region. Working with the NT government on areas such as combating family violence will support even stronger families. We know that victims of family violence are predominantly women and children. Aboriginal women and children are more likely to experience family violence than their non-Aboriginal counterparts.

Just last year, we jointly funded the NPY Women's Council for a series of workshops and to establish a coalition of male leaders to promote healthy and respectful relationships. NPY Women's Council plays an integral role in this region and has built up extensive community support among families. The government recognises that addressing an epidemic like family violence is not going to happen overnight, but after consultation with the NPY Women's Council, they identified their greatest need as hiring new caseworkers on the ground.

I am proud to be able to say that the South Australian government is committed to funding three new caseworker positions for the NPY Women's Council. New funding of $1 million will allow the NPY Women's Council to deliver the domestic and family violence programs for two years and include funding for two primary prevention workers and one domestic and family violence caseworker.

This program is a community-led strategy, which increases its chances of success, as do all programs that are developed with Aboriginal people. I look forward to updating the chamber on this and other important initiatives as we go forward with our new strategic partnership with the Northern Territory.