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House of Assembly - Fifty-Second Parliament, First Session (52-1)
2010-09-28 Daily Xml
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YUENDUMU FAMILIES

The Hon. M.D. RANN (Ramsay—Premier, Minister for Economic Development, Minister for Social Inclusion, Minister for the Arts, Minister for Sustainability and Climate Change) (14:11): I seek leave to make a ministerial statement.

Leave granted.

The Hon. M.D. RANN: On Tuesday 21 September, a group of 100 people from the remote Aboriginal community of Yuendumu in the Northern Territory left Alice Springs on two buses and in a number of cars travelling to Adelaide. At that time they were, I am told, fleeing an outbreak of violence in the Yuendumu community which had followed the death of a young man. I understand the violence arose from a form of 'payback' for the man's death.

The group affected by the violence had made a decision to travel to Adelaide to stay with family members who were living here. As to who organised the buses and paid for them has yet to be clearly established. Late in the morning of that Tuesday, I am told that the office of the Minister for Families and Communities first became aware of the arrival of this group of people from an ABC radio journalist. It was obvious they would need support when they arrived, and their exact destination at that point was unclear.

In preparation, state government agencies and non-government organisations worked collaboratively and urgently to ensure that when the group arrived they were safe, had somewhere to stay, and had food and supplies available to them. Housing SA and Families SA liaised with potential short-term accommodation providers and, in the short term, Anglicare at Elizabeth was able to house the group in a community centre where the majority of them remain for now.

It was only after their arrival in Elizabeth in the late morning of Wednesday 22 September that the government was able to establish that the group included around 30 children and two people who required regular dialysis treatment. I am informed that the latter are now receiving their treatment at the Lyell McEwin Hospital. Other medical checks are continuing and are being addressed as they arise. The Anglicare accommodation has been supported with beds, bedding, meals, portable toilets, showers, and other essential items from a variety of sources including local community groups, Families SA, the Metropolitan Fire Service and the State Emergency Service.

The government has been in contact with agencies in the Northern Territory to discuss the return of the group peacefully and safely back into their home community. I am informed that a number of outstanding legal matters will be dealt with by the Northern Territory courts during the course of this week, which will be closely monitored here in South Australia. I am advised that the majority of the group will be staying in Adelaide for between three and six weeks, depending on the outcome of court proceedings and associated steps to establish a resettlement strategy in the Yuendumu community.

Last Friday, the Minister for Families and Communities and I met with the leaders of the group in Elizabeth and assured them that we would do whatever is needed to ensure they and their children were safe and that they continue to receive the care and support they need. This will require many moving into alternative accommodation, which is now being sought by government agencies, until their return to the Territory.

During my visit to the leaders, I made it absolutely clear that any suggestion of retaliatory 'payback' was unacceptable to this government and that the process of mediation and healing must now begin. I was very concerned to hear repeated stories to and fro about the need for 'payback'. The fact remains that information regarding the movement of this large number of vulnerable Australians was not communicated to the South Australian government in a timely manner. This government will always do what it can for people who come to this state who are in need and facing a crisis situation.

In this instance, the government and many non-government organisations made a tremendous effort to ensure that safety, shelter, health and social supports are in place for these families, but there is no doubt that this work could have been achieved far more effectively if there had been notice received by us as soon as these people were known to be heading to South Australia.

I will be writing to the federal Minister for Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, Jenny Macklin, seeking her assurance that if similar situations arise in the future our government officials are notified immediately. This is not just a matter of courtesy; it is a matter of safety and preparedness.

For now, this government, the commonwealth government and community organisations are meeting regularly to coordinate service efforts and broader assistance that can be provided to the people from Yuendumu. This work will continue for as long as necessary. Who will pay for the accommodation and expenses of the group will be determined later by negotiation between agencies. The issue of payment is not our priority.

I understand that Centrelink staff in Alice Springs provided emergency payments to the 60 to 70 adults in the group and helped to ensure that they would be able to access their benefits under the Basic Card in South Australian stores. I wish to acknowledge the cooperation and offers of practical support from commonwealth officials since the arrival of the group in South Australia.

On the whole, I am pleased by the overwhelmingly positive response of the South Australian community regarding the safety and wellbeing of the group. In the group's own words, in a statement prepared for the media, they had this to say:

We have come for peace away from the Northern Territory on the request of family members who gave instructions to leave and all we want to do is settle down for some time until we will be able to negotiate with members from the other family groups. We would like the media to respect our privacy on all levels. We do not want people sneaking around to take photos of us. It is disrespectful to take photos of us. Leave our kids alone. We want to be safe. We are worried especially about our women and kids. We want them to be safe.

We would like to thank the South Australian government for what they have done for us already and Anglicare for putting us up and all the government agencies.

This initial response provided by government agencies and community organisations was timely, appropriate and, I am told, well received by the people from Yuendumu. I would like to thank all those employees and volunteers who have been contributing their time, energy and goods to assist those in need.

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