Davenport Community

The Hon. H.M. GIROLAMO (15:11): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before addressing questions to the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs on the topic of the Davenport Community Council Incorporated.

Leave granted.

The Hon. H.M. GIROLAMO: Members of the Davenport community have contacted the opposition because they feel ignored by this government after raising repeated concerns about the Davenport Community Council Incorporated and its abilities to manage services and deliver outcomes for the benefit of the Davenport community residents. So my questions to the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs are:

1. As Minister for Aboriginal Affairs how is the minister ensuring that the Davenport Community Council Incorporated is complying with the provisions of its lease with the trust and trust act and the associations act?

2. How is the minister ensuring appropriate financial transparency and communications are afforded to all members of the Davenport community?

3. Has the minister formally written to the Hon. Andrea Michaels MP, Minister for Consumer and Business Affairs, on behalf of the members of the Davenport community who have approached him in regard to their concerns around the operations of the council and its role and powers?

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Attorney-General, Minister for Industrial Relations and Public Sector) (15:13): I thank the honourable member for her question. She is right in terms of the fact that there is a relationship between the Davenport Community Council Incorporated and the Aboriginal Lands Trust. DCII are the head leaseholders from the lands trust of the land that the Davenport community incorporates. A number of years ago the Aboriginal Lands Trust, under I think it was section 45 of the Aboriginal Lands Trust Act 1966, appointed I think it is referred to as a community manager to manage the affairs of the leased land.

I know that I get concerns raised with me in different areas right around South Australia, and I have always encouraged and I will continue to encourage people who have concerns to raise them with the appropriate body who can take action. If there is a concern around how the lease or issues to do with the lease are being managed, the Aboriginal Lands Trust are the appropriate body, as I have let people who have raised concerns with me in these sorts of matters around South Australia know.

In relation to compliance with obligations as an association, again, the appropriate regulator here is Consumer and Business Services, which I understand has had, and may even continue to have, involvement with DCCI. If people have concerns about the way that is operating, it would be much more appropriate for that body to have investigations to look at remedies than for me, as the minister, to try to step in where I don't have the power to do so under legislation.