Tarrkarri Centre for First Nations Cultures

The Hon. J.S. LEE (Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (14:41): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking a question of the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs about Tarrkarri—Centre for First Nations Cultures.

Leave granted.

The Hon. J.S. LEE: The government recently released a new master plan for Lot Fourteen, which prominently features images of Tarrkarri in renders and site plans. The master plan also provides a timeframe for its construction, allegedly slated to begin in 2024 (this year) and be completed in 2028. However, the Premier stated in the press conference on 30 September that Tarrkarri continues to be a work in progress and that the government is still working to secure funding. My questions to the minister are:

1. Does the minister approve of gaslighting the South Australian public and the Aboriginal communities by including false timeframes for the construction of Tarrkarri in public documents when the government hasn't even secured funding for the project yet?

2. It is now 18 months since cabinet received the findings of the high-level review into the Tarrkarri project. When will the report finally be released to the public?

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Attorney-General, Minister for Industrial Relations and Public Sector) (14:42): I thank the honourable member for her question and bless her for continuing their strategy in the upper house today in state parliament. It's fabulous and I think it's working exceptionally well. I applaud them and there should be more of it. I do thank you. It is sometimes boring when I am not asked questions and I appreciate the opportunity to be up on my feet.

In relation to Tarrkarri, this was a project that was announced by the former Premier, Steven Marshall, under the Liberal government. From memory, it was somewhere around $200 million. It was a combination of state money and federal money under one of the city's projects from the federal government. I want to be clear: that money is still there; that money hasn't been taken away. But upon coming to government and upon instigating a review, what became very apparent is that what was proposed by the former Liberal Party would be something that would not be of international let alone possibly national significance.

We didn't think it was appropriate to proceed on the basis of that. There has been a review undertaken. I think the Premier has made it clear that there is further funding being sought and that work continues.