State Voice to Parliament

The Hon. F. PANGALLO (15:18): Supplementary: does the minister recall that I have actually asked a question in this place, and I have not received a response, about how many and who they are in terms of government employees who are on the Voice? The fact is that they are not only getting paid as public servants by the state government but also they are getting paid to be on the Voice. Perhaps that also constitutes a conflict. Secondly, the other part of the question I asked, does he have concerns that the secretariat may try to stop members of the Voice who have opinions from speaking to the media, as has been done to Mr Jackson?

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Attorney-General, Minister for Industrial Relations and Public Sector) (15:19): I thank the honourable member for his question. To the second part about speaking to the media, I am not aware that that has occurred. I will certainly pass on the question that the honourable member has asked. What was the first part of that supplementary?

The Hon. F. PANGALLO: The first part of the question was that earlier this year I put a question to the minister asking how many South Australian public servants were on the Voice and the fact is that they were not only getting paid by the government but also receiving a stipend for being on the Voice.

The Hon. K.J. MAHER: I thank the honourable member for his question. I appreciate him putting forward his views but I don't agree whatsoever with his views that getting a very small stipend for being elected as a member of the Voice somehow means that you are conflicted or can't provide that sort of advice. Members of the Voice aren't doing it for the money. Each of the 46 local members of their six local Voices receive an annual stipend of $3,000 to represent their community, to bring their lived experience and their views to bear to help decision-makers and provide advice in the state government.

The presiding members of each of the local Voices—and I am going from memory here—I think have a stipend of $10,500 and the two presiding members of the statewide Voice, I think the stipend for those two people is about $17,000. The idea that somehow people are doing this for the money and it is a rich cash cow—Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leaders who have put themselves forward and elected to the Voice aren't doing this for the money, aren't motivated by receiving money and conflicted in their roles because of that. They are doing it because they genuinely want to provide advice and help their communities.