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House of Assembly - Fifty-First Parliament, Second Session (51-2)
2008-07-03 Daily Xml
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INDIGENOUS EDUCATION

Ms BEDFORD (Florey) (14:09): My question is to the Minister for Employment, Training and Further Education. What support is the government providing to encourage indigenous South Australians to undertake full-time undergraduate university studies?

The Hon. P. CAICA (Colton—Minister for Employment, Training and Further Education, Minister for Science and Information Economy, Minister for Youth, Minister for Gambling) (14:10): I thank the member for Florey for her question and for her ongoing interest in this area. I am very pleased to have the opportunity to talk today about two very talented young Aboriginal people and also to remember a colleague and friend to many of us, the late Hon. Terry Roberts.

On 19 June, I had the great pleasure of presenting cheques worth $2,000 to the recipients of the prestigious Terry Roberts Memorial Scholarship for Indigenous South Australians. At the presentation, this year's recipient, Jason Howell, received his first scholarship cheque, and last year's recipient, Rebecca Richards, received her second cheque.

This annual scholarship is awarded in honour of Terry Roberts' dedication as minister for Aboriginal affairs and reconciliation. As I have said, Terry was a friend and colleague to many of us, and I am sure many of you would understand that he would feel especially honoured that Aboriginal people are being encouraged and supported in their university studies through a scholarship named after him.

The scholarship presentation was a very uplifting event, made even more moving by the presence of Terry's partner, Julie Sinclair, and his four sons, Nick, Tim, Harry and Tom, along with many of Terry's friends. Several of my parliamentary colleagues also attended the presentation, and I offer them my personal thanks for their support of this important scholarship.

The scholarship is designed to encourage and support indigenous South Australians to undertake full-time undergraduate study at a South Australian university by providing financial assistance that goes some way to meeting living and study-related expenses. It provides $2,000 per annum for up to four years, totalling $8,000 per scholarship.

Both Jason and Rebecca are remarkable young South Australians, and they are already setting a very fine example for others to follow through their commitment to improving the lives of Aboriginal people. I am confident they will go on to make a significant contribution to the community throughout their chosen career.

When talking with Jason at the presentation ceremony, he made the value of the scholarship very, very clear to me. He had originally been in a position of having to defer his studies, but winning the scholarship has enabled him to continue his studies this year. Last year's inaugural winner, Rebecca, an Adnyamathanha woman from the Northern Flinders Ranges, is studying for a Bachelor of Arts degree at the University of Adelaide, majoring in psychology and anthropology. By coincidence, Jason is also studying psychology at the same university.

Jason comes from Broken Hill but, like many people in that fair city, he has strong family links and ties in South Australia, and he also intends to work in regional or rural parts of our state. We should not underestimate the impact that young professional people like Jason and Rebecca will have in their communities, where they will eventually work.

Both Jason and Rebecca are outstanding recipients of the Terry Roberts Memorial Scholarship for Indigenous South Australians, which is a fitting legacy to the memory of Terry Roberts.

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