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House of Assembly - Fifty-Second Parliament, First Session (52-1)
2011-10-19 Daily Xml
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COMMISSIONER FOR ABORIGINAL ENGAGEMENT

Ms THOMPSON (Reynell) (14:49): My question is also to the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation. Minister, can you please advise the house of the future arrangements for the Commissioner for Aboriginal Engagement?

Mr Marshall interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Member for Norwood, you are on your third warning.

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) (14:49): I thank the member for Reynell. The member for Norwood has a terrible habit of misrepresenting the facts in this place. He just said—

Members interjecting:

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

Mr WILLIAMS: What the minister just did is totally out of order and if she wants to make such an allegation she has to do it by substantive motion.

The SPEAKER: Thank you, you will sit down. Minister, return to your answer.

The Hon. G. PORTOLESI: The question is about the commissioner for engagement. Klynton Wanganeen is one of those commissioners for Aboriginal engagement. The member for Norwood said that the commissioner resigned. What did the commissioner say? Quote: 'I told him that I didn't resign.' Here it is in black and white. I will get back to that in a moment.

I would like to thank the member for Reynell for this very important question. I do acknowledge absolutely her commitment to advancing reconciliation in her community and doing what she can to close the gap of Aboriginal disadvantage. I am very pleased to advise the house about the ongoing arrangements for the role of the Commissioner for Aboriginal Engagement.

Mr Venning interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The member for Schubert, you are warned. Minister.

The Hon. G. PORTOLESI: This is a very important role in our view and one that the government remains absolutely committed to for the future. I am very pleased to announce that Khatija Thomas, one of the two commissioners for Aboriginal engagement for the past nine months, will continue in the role now in a full-time capacity. This will allow her to continue working on her specific projects around school retention and education, and also the work that she is undertaking in Port Augusta.

Commissioner Thomas is a Kokatha woman with a background as a solicitor, working in native title. She has strong links with the Port Augusta community and, together with commissioner Wanganeen, has been an important part of the work that we are doing in Port Augusta, following Mr Lew Owens' report.

The Commissioner for Aboriginal Engagement serves as a very important voice for the Aboriginal community here in South Australia and provides, and is encouraged to provide, independent advice to me as minister on issues affecting Aboriginal people. The commissioner's role includes publicly advocating engagement between Aboriginal people and the broader community, identifying barriers to Aboriginal people's access to services, mentoring emerging Aboriginal leaders and consulting with non-government organisations and peak Aboriginal bodies and representing their views to the government. The commissioner also works to reduce disadvantage in the Aboriginal community, addressing issues such as homelessness, school retention and youth offending.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank outgoing commissioner Klynton Wanganeen for his outstanding work in this role for the past four years. He has been, and I have no doubt that he will continue to be, an outstanding advocate for Aboriginal people in our state and he offers invaluable advice to me. I thank him for setting up this role. Of course, he was appointed by my predecessor, minister Weatherill, and I wish him well in his future endeavours, as I do commissioner Khatija Thomas.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The Leader of the Opposition.

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