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Legislative Council - Fifty-Second Parliament, First Session (52-1)
2011-07-27 Daily Xml
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APY LANDS, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

The Hon. T.A. FRANKS (14:50): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for the Status of Women a question regarding women and children escaping violence or suspected child abuse on the APY lands.

Leave granted.

The Hon. T.A. FRANKS: Last November the South Australian government stated (on page 6 of the annual Mullighan report) that DPC-AARD 'is working with the commonwealth and Northern Territory governments to identify funding options to support the provision of safe accommodation and services in Alice Springs for women and children escaping violence or suspected child abuse'. Can the minister inform the council:

1. Is she aware that in 2009 the NPY Women's Council recommended that the SA government not build a safe house in Umuwa on the APY lands but that it instead establish a safe accommodation place in Alice Springs that specialises in women's and children's health care?

2. Given that last November the government reported that it was working with the commonwealth and Northern Territory governments to identify funding options to support this recommendation, will the minister please provide the council with an update on what work has been done and the relevant discussions, including the date on which the discussions with the Northern Territory government commenced?

3. Similarly, what discussions have taken place between the South Australian government and the NPY Women's Council on this matter since 2009?

4. When does the minister expect that this matter will be resolved?

The Hon. G.E. GAGO (Minister for Regional Development, Minister for Public Sector Management, Minister for the Status of Women, Minister for Consumer Affairs, Minister for Government Enterprises, Minister for Gambling) (14:52): I thank the honourable member for her most important question. Indeed, the safety of Indigenous people both on the lands and in other communities is most important to this government, and there are a number of initiatives that have been put in place to address these issues.

The issue of the safe house on the NPY lands is quite a controversial issue. I am aware that discussion around this has been going on for some time. I understand that there are a range of different opinions around this. It is often very difficult to land on consensus views in these communities given that, as I said, there are a range of different points of view about this.

Work is being done on this. As I said, the details of these negotiations are still under way. I would need to take on notice the details of those questions to bring back a response. I am not up to date with the latest on where this issue lies but, as I said, it is an ongoing issue and there is a great deal of controversy around it.

We continue to work with community groups, key stakeholders and agencies involved to work across not just safe housing issues but a wide range of other issues to deal with the safety and wellbeing of women and children in those communities. So, I am happy to bring back a response to the detailed questions that the honourable member has asked at another time.

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