Contents
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Commencement
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Bills
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Parliamentary Procedure
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Question Time
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Bills
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Parliamentary Committees
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Answers to Questions
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Antisocial Behaviour
The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK (14:58): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before directing questions to the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs in relation to the CBD.
Leave granted.
The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK: There have been ongoing reports and concerns regarding antisocial behaviour in Adelaide city, particularly in relation to alcohol consumption. More recently, Professor Scott Wilson, chair of the Aboriginal Drug and Alcohol Council, has stated that people experiencing homelessness and transient populations have limited access to targeted social services. He has also raised concerns about the accessibility of alcohol in the city and suggested that restrictions similar to those in Coober Pedy or Alice Springs should be considered. My questions for the minister are:
1. What is his understanding of which First Nation groups are currently congregating in Adelaide in relation to these matters?
2. What discussions has the minister had with Professor Wilson or other stakeholders regarding these matters?
The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Attorney-General, Minister for Industrial Relations and Public Sector, Special Minister of State) (14:59): I thank the honourable member for her question. In relation to the last question, what discussions have I had with Scott Wilson, I regularly have discussions with Scott Wilson. Apart from his work at ADAC (the Aboriginal Drug and Alcohol Council), Scott Wilson is the chair of SAACCON (the South Australian Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisation Network). Scott Wilson is also the South Australian representative on the Joint Council on Closing the Gap from the Aboriginal community controlled sector.
Scott Wilson and Pat Turner, the head of the Aboriginal community controlled organisations and Closing the Gap, not only have regular meetings with myself and other Aboriginal affairs ministers but I think have met every minister in the South Australian government at least once to discuss matters to do with programs and Closing the Gap.
In relation to matters to do with the Adelaide CBD, there are a range of measures that have been put in place from a law and order perspective but also, and possibly more importantly, for providing services. I know the member, when she had responsibility for human services, particularly during the COVID era, there were a range of services that were provided for Aboriginal people who were not from Adelaide who found themselves in Adelaide and particularly during COVID had difficulty getting back, leaving Adelaide to return to country.
I am happy to take on notice some of the other support services provided. I don't have a complete list and many of those that are provided are through the Department of Human Services. I will be happy to take it on notice and provide a more complete answer as to some of those support services that are provided.
There have been various conditions placed on liquor licences in the CBD for availability of alcohol. It is something that we will be continuing discussions on. I know that not just in the CBD but I think the honourable member mentioned other places like Port Augusta, Coober Pedy or Ceduna that from time to time have variations to their liquor licensing regime—certainly the commissioner for liquor licensing implements these from time to time, often in discussion and on the advice of Aboriginal elders.
The honourable member also asked, I think, what groups congregate in Adelaide city. I know that there are a wide number of Aboriginal people from right around the country who find themselves for various reasons in Adelaide and the Greater Adelaide region and the CBD, from the West Coast of South Australia, the northern areas of South Australia, the Riverland, the South-East, and also from across the border in the lower parts of the Northern Territory, and the tri-border area in Western Australia. There are numbers of Aboriginal people who for family and for other reasons, medical reasons, find themselves in Adelaide from right around Australia.