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House of Assembly - Fifty-First Parliament, Third Session (51-3)
2009-10-13 Daily Xml
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ABORIGINAL AFFAIRS AND RECONCILIATION

In reply to Dr McFETRIDGE (Morphett) (5 February 2009).

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL (Cheltenham—Minister for Environment and Conservation, Minister for Early Childhood Development, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation, Minister Assisting the Premier in Cabinet Business and Public Sector Management): I am advised that:

This Government is proud of its progress on Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation. Each day we strive to work in partnership with the South Australian Aboriginal Community. As part of our engagement we have acknowledged that before we can genuinely 'Close Gap', Aboriginal South Australians must first be able to exercise the same choices as the wider community.

To this end, this Government has embedded Aboriginal wellbeing as a policy priority at the highest level within South Australia's Strategic Plan (SASP), with an increase from two to nine Aboriginal specific targets from 2004 to 2007. These targets provide a focus for policy and program implementation across government.

This Government is doing its part as an employer to improve Aboriginal Wellbeing. Since 2003 there has been a significant effort by the South Australian Government to improve the quality and quantity of Aboriginal employment in the State public sector. At 2003, 0.9 per cent of the SA public sector workforce identified as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander. By 2007, this had grown to 1.5 per cent. The Government recognises the importance of Aboriginal Leadership and over 150 Aboriginal people have undertaken leadership development through governance training, heritage management training and through a State public sector Aboriginal Leadership Program.

This Government has also committed itself to the review of the Aboriginal Lands Trust Act and the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1988. The ALTA has not been reviewed since its inception in 1966 and this review is a major commitment to retaining Aboriginal land rights while ensuring the legislative framework enables rather than impedes Aboriginal prosperity. Similarly our review of the Aboriginal Heritage Act will create a strong framework for Aboriginal custodianship of cultural heritage and for its long-term protection and management.

This Government is also working at both the national and community level to improve Aboriginal wellbeing.

State Government continues to work in partnership with the Commonwealth to implement programs to assist Aboriginal people to build their capacity to address social problems such as family violence and child abuse; links to existing services; and increased support for community education and awareness. Through the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) forum, South Australia is implementing an agreement focusing on a further priority health outcomes including;

Tackle smoking—'the single biggest killer of Indigenous people'

Healthy transition to adulthood

Making Indigenous health everyone's business

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