Question Time

National Partnership Agreement on Remote Indigenous Housing

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Leader of the Opposition) (14:36): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking a question of the Minister for Human Services regarding the National Partnership Agreement on Remote Indigenous Housing.

Leave granted.

The Hon. K.J. MAHER: It's been nearly four months since the previous remote Aboriginal housing funding agreement expired between the state and federal governments. There have been numerous questions in this chamber about this and the minister responsible has previously claimed in this place that negotiations with the federal government were nearing completion and that there would be an agreement signed imminently. Very recently, media reports indicate the new Prime Minister, Scott Morrison, is having a very, very different view, and I will quote what the new Prime Minister, Scott Morrison said:

Housing is the responsibility of the state and territory governments...We’ve provided support up in the Northern Territory because there are quite specific responsibilities we have, because it’s a territory and the nature of the Commonwealth leasehold arrangements around the housing in the Northern Territory. But for states like Western Australia, like Queensland and others, they actually have the responsibility for dealing with those issues.

This is what the new Prime Minister had to say about the ongoing negotiations that had been taking place between Western Australia, Queensland and South Australia, effectively bringing to a close any chance of a so-called deal that the minister has referred to. In a not dissimilar vein during budget estimates, the Premier, despite occasionally incorrectly being referred to as the minister for Aboriginal affairs in this state, denied any responsibility for Aboriginal housing. It beggars belief that there is no minister for Aboriginal affairs to advocate for the most basic rights of Aboriginal people, particularly housing. My questions to the minister are:

1. How did the minister respond to the funding offer put on the table by the federal government for three years of remote Aboriginal housing funding following the meeting between the Premier, the minister, and the federal minister responsible?

2. Does the minister stand by her previous statements that there was actually a meeting that she attended with the Premier and the federal minister responsible, minister Scullion, on this matter where this issue was raised?

3. What is the minister's plan B now that the federal government has walked away and the Prime Minister has said it is the sole responsibility of the states for remote Aboriginal housing?

4. Can the minister outline the remote Aboriginal communities affected by this stand-off that she has personally liaised with?

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK (Minister for Human Services) (14:39): I thank the honourable member for his questions. I would have to say that were he liable for making misrepresentations to the parliament, we would say 'Hook, line and sinker.' In relation to the first question—

The Hon. K.J. Maher interjecting:

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK: Deliberately misleading the house would be something quite serious, but fortunately—

Members interjecting:

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK: Deliberately misleading.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

Members interjecting:

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK: Tick, tick, tick—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Leader of the Opposition!

The Hon. K.J. Maher interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Leader of the Opposition! Control yourself! I warn you.

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK: Fortunately for the people of South Australia, the Leader of the Opposition is on the opposition benches, so we have the opportunity for some competence at South Australian government and leadership level to extract the best deals on behalf of South Australians.

I would like to check the exact wording in the quote the Leader of the Opposition used in his preamble. I think he referred to housing per se. Clearly, the federal government has already, in relation to the national homelessness and housing agreement, signed off on funding to South Australia, which we have accepted, so I think he is potentially misrepresenting the words of the Prime Minister.

In relation to his second question—do I stand by the fact that a meeting took place—well, yes, I was there, so yes, I do stand by the fact—

The Hon. K.J. Maher: And were minister Scullion and the Premier there as well?

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK: Indeed.

The PRESIDENT: Leader of the Opposition! Use your question.

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK: Indeed, I was there, in a meeting—

The PRESIDENT: Minister! Do not respond to his commentary.

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK: I apologise.

The Hon. K.J. Maher interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Leader of the Opposition, you have ample opportunity to ask other questions.

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK: I apologise.

The Hon. K.J. Maher interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Otherwise, no supplementaries, alright? I am losing patience. Minister, get on with your answer.

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK: Yes, thank you, Mr President, for the opportunity to address this important matter. And yes, I was there, unless I was hallucinating, but I have no reason to think that I would have been hallucinating, because I don't take illicit substances or anything that may induce hallucinations, so—

The PRESIDENT: Minister, stay on point, and don't bait the Leader of the Opposition.

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK: I was there. I'm not quite sure how many more times I can say I was—

The PRESIDENT: Answer his questions.

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK: I was there in a meeting with the Premier and Nigel Scullion. There we have it. Yes, I was there. He has also, in relation to his questions, been trying to—well, he used the word 'stand-off' between state and federal government. I can inform him that negotiations are continuing. They continue between the Department of Treasury and Finance, the Department of the Premier and Cabinet, the South Australian Housing Authority, federal Treasury and the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet—PMC officials.