Legislative Council - Fifty-Second Parliament, First Session (52-1)
2011-11-29 Daily Xml

Contents

ONE AND ALL

The Hon. T.A. FRANKS (15:09): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Youth a question about the One and All.

Leave granted.

The Hon. T.A. FRANKS: The minister would be aware that the One and All tall ship is an iconic part of South Australia's history and an iconic part of youth development in this state, and it has given hope and opportunity to hundreds, if not thousands, of young South Australians from all walks of life. Back in the 1980s, when the One and All was brought to this state, the funds raised by the South Australian people to bring it here were raised in the belief that it would be a youth development program for this state for some time to come.

As the minister is probably aware, the One and All has not been operational since July this year. A proposal tender went out, which I understand closed by August this year. We were assured previously by the government that the tender would be awarded by no later than October this year, yet here we are in November and we still have no future declared for the One and All. Can the minister please outline:

1. What is the future for the One and All?

2. Will that future include youth development?

3. How many youth programs that were scheduled to be run between July and the current date have not been run as a result of the lack of certainty in relation to the future of the One and All?

4. What undertaking will the minister personally take as Minister for Youth to ensure that the future of the One and All is preserved for young people and for young people at risk in particular?

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER (Minister for Communities and Social Inclusion, Minister for Social Housing, Minister for Disabilities, Minister for Youth, Minister for Volunteers) (15:10): I thank the honourable member for her very important question. At the outset I should say that this issue—indeed, the ship the One and All—is owned by the Minister for Transport and Infrastructure, the Hon. Patrick Conlon in another place, on behalf of the people of this state. The responsibility for this issue lies with him and his department.

As we all know, the One and All is a tall ship. Until recently it had been operating under tender by SA Tall Ships Incorporated, and was primarily used to provide adventure-style personal development voyages for young South Australians between the ages of 14 and 23. In recent years SA Tall Ships Inc. has focused on delivering programs targeted at disadvantaged young people, although there is also a range of public and private schools that schedule regular camps on the One and All.

On 11 July 2011 it was reported in the media that SA Tall Ships had gone into liquidation, and a new call for tender to operate the One and All was already underway when SA Tall Ships went into that liquidation. The Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure publicly advertised a request for proposals to operate the One and All on 5 July 2011, and the call closed on 4 August 2011.

The Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure is currently in negotiations to finalise a charter party agreement, and its focus during this stage and in the entire RFP process has been to select an organisation that not only has the ability to operate and administer the One and All in a sustainable manner, but also to ensure an ongoing community benefit for all South Australians through social and youth development initiatives.

During this process DPTI officers have engaged with other agencies across the South Australian government to ensure that they are aware of the opportunities this asset affords to youth development programs. As Minister for Youth I am not aware that my department has made any contribution to the ship and its program in recent years. I reiterate that this issue is one that falls under the primary responsibility of the Hon. Patrick Conlon in another place.