Witton Bluff Base Trail Project

The Hon. L.A. HENDERSON (15:04): My question is to the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs about the Witton Bluff Base Trail Project. My questions are:

1. Why did it take so long for the minister to determine that he had the possibility for a perception of bias or conflict of interest?

2. Had the minister not considered this application between March 2022 and January 2023, and is this in line with the expectations of the community?

3. Noting the community has been waiting for an outcome for over 12 months from the Malinauskas government, can the minister advise whether this will be made a matter of priority for the new decision-maker, and when can we expect to have clarity around this matter?

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Attorney-General, Minister for Industrial Relations and Public Sector) (15:05): I thank the honourable member for her question: (a) I don't think it took too long to make a decision, and (b) no decision was made by me. Further, I think it would be completely inappropriate—I know the Liberal Party have a different idea about what you do when there may be conflicts, but I think it would be completely inappropriate for me, having declared a conflict, to involve myself in a process.