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House of Assembly - Fifty-Second Parliament, First Session (52-1)
2011-10-18 Daily Xml
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APY LANDS, COMMUNITY COUNCIL OFFICERS

Mr MARSHALL (Norwood) (16:33): My question is again to the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation. Given the minister has made a commitment to provide community council support officers in each of the communities on the lands, can the minister confirm to the house how many of the communities currently have these officers in place, how many are full time, what the term of their contract is, and why the position at Pipalyatjara has never been filled?

The Coordinator-General's report was tabled in federal parliament last week, as the minister previously announced. This report stated that community council support officers have been employed on the APY lands and that these positions will continue in 2011 and 2012. Despite this, we know that many of the communities are without community council support officers and that contracts are for only three months, making it extremely difficult to fill these positions.

The Hon. G. PORTOLESI (Hartley—Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation, Minister for Multicultural Affairs, Minister for Youth, Minister for Volunteers, Minister Assisting the Premier in Social Inclusion) (16:34): I am very happy to answer this question, but before I do I would like to ask the member for Norwood what his plan is for the future of the APY lands. A big fat zero!

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! Point of order, member for Finniss.

Mr PENGILLY: The minister is clearly trying to debate without even attempting to answer the question. You don't ask us questions.

The SPEAKER: Order! Thank you, member for Finniss. Minister, can you get back to the substance of the question?

The Hon. G. PORTOLESI: Of course. Funding for these positions, funding that this government instituted, has been extended—and this was the subject of one of the discussions I had with minister Macklin—until the end of the year. I understand that discussions continue regarding the funding—

Mr Marshall interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! Member for Norwood, you've asked your question. Minister.

The Hon. G. PORTOLESI: He practises so hard. I understand that discussions continue regarding the funding of these positions into the future. Positions in Ernabella, Amata, Fregon and Indulkana are all filled.

Mr Marshall interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. G. PORTOLESI: Expressions of interest for the position at Mimili close on Friday. The shared position for Pipalyatjara and Kalka is currently not filled in, because it has been my objective to fill those positions with Anangu, to fill those positions—

Mr Marshall interjecting:

The Hon. G. PORTOLESI: Here they are, attacking people on the lands, talking down the lands. What is their plan, Madam Speaker? We have the real shadow minister—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. G. PORTOLESI: —in the other place, who says that he wants to create a mini government on the lands. Then we have the member for Norwood going up to the lands, looking to do a bit of muckraking. What does he want to do? Set up a committee.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Mr MARSHALL: Point of order, Madam Speaker: that has nothing to do with the question whatsoever. We want to know how many you've got, and I think the answer is four out of ten.

The SPEAKER: Thank you. You have just answered the question yourself.

The Hon. G. PORTOLESI: I would just like to close on the final point, which is this: we have done our very, very best to recruit local people into these positions. I think it is very important if we want those positions to be successful. This is an initiative—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. G. PORTOLESI: —of this government, and we will do our very best to recruit good people to those positions.

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