State Voice to Parliament

The Hon. H.M. GIROLAMO (14:47): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs a question about the State Voice.

Leave granted.

The Hon. H.M. GIROLAMO: Thank you, Mr President. Yesterday, in question time, you said in your response that four members of the State Voice had resigned. You also confirmed that the—

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN: Point of order: it is being alleged that 'you' said this, Mr President, whereas I think the—

Members interjecting:

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN: Whereas I think the honourable member is referring to the Attorney-General.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order! The Hon. Ms Girolamo, sit down. Minister, what is your point of order?

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN: That the Hon. Ms Girolamo is addressing a question to you instead of through you to the Attorney-General.

The PRESIDENT: The Hon. Ms Girolamo, ask your question through me to the minister.

The Hon. H.M. GIROLAMO: Yesterday, in question time, a response was given indicating that four members of the State Voice had resigned, and there was confirmation that the director of the State Voice secretariat had also resigned. My questions to the minister are:

1. Who are the four members of the Voice who have resigned, and can information please be provided to the chamber on who the replacements will be?

2. Has the recruitment process for a new director of the State Voice secretariat concluded and, if so, who is the new director and what is their salary?

3. When will all five people commence in their positions?

4. When and why did the four members of the Voice resign?

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Attorney-General, Minister for Industrial Relations and Public Sector) (14:49): I thank the honourable member for her question. In relation to people who have resigned from the Voice, my advice is that from the Central ward, Ms Tahlia Wanganeen has resigned; and also from the Central ward, Ms Cheryl Axelby; from the Murraylands, Riverland and South-East local ward, Mr Darryle Barnes; and from the Yorke and Mid North local ward, Ms Joy Makepeace. I know there were a variety of reasons for the people who have resigned, from moving interstate to taking on new employment that doesn't allow the flexibility to do that, as well as for other personal reasons. It is not necessarily my place to go into people's personal details.

In relation to the director of the Voice, that was to move back to her home town for very personal family reasons. I understand a recruitment process is underway for a replacement for that position as director of the Voice. In relation to replacements, my understanding is that as per the legislation and after discussions that occurred with the Electoral Commissioner—and I am happy to go back and double-check this—I believe that under the provisions of the act two of the positions, if I remember correctly, can be appointed from whoever was next on the list.

For two of the other positions, I think one of the reasons is that the next on the list is, for medical reasons, not able to take it up, and the way the legislation is written you can't go to the next one after that, so a supplementary election will be required. For similar reasons, a supplementary election will be required for one of the other positions. So my advice is I think two of the four positions will be filled by the person who would have been elected next, but for two of the four—and, as I said, I will double-check this—there will be a supplementary election, I presume sometime in the new year.