Stolen Generations Reparations Scheme

The Hon. T.A. FRANKS (15:10): Supplementary: could the minister provide us details on the individual applicants who have currently already been interviewed and those who are yet to be interviewed? What is the time line for interviews to be completed? Will it be done this calendar year?

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) (15:10): I thank the honourable member for her question and her very strong interest in this matter, both as a member of the Aboriginal Lands Parliamentary Standing Committee and as a member of this chamber. I am advised that the independent assessor has completed about two-thirds of the application assessments.

When we embarked on this process, our estimate, working with people like the Aboriginal Legal Rights Movement, was that there may be 200 to 300 applications that people might make. We thought that it might be even be less than that, given that was the pool that we thought might apply. It is a tribute to those in the community who helped get the message out. We received 447 applications for the stolen generations individual reparation scheme. As I said, my advice is that about two-thirds have been assessed.

My last advice on this, some weeks ago, was that more than half of those applications had had an interview with the independent assessor—an individual interview. I am hopeful that this will be concluded this calendar year, but it is important that the process is worked through so that anyone who wants an opportunity to have their story heard is heard. I will endeavour to inform the chamber as it continues, but I am hopeful it will be this year. Given the much greater than anticipated numbers of applicants, it is taking more time than we had initially envisaged, but it is something that is many years and decades overdue and it's not something we are going to rush.