Legislative Council - Fifty-Second Parliament, First Session (52-1)
2011-11-09 Daily Xml

Contents

ABORIGINAL LANDS PARLIAMENTARY STANDING COMMITTEE: ANNUAL REPORT 2010-11

The Hon. J.M. GAZZOLA (16:38): I move:

That the annual report of the committee, 2010-11, be noted.

This is the seventh annual report of the Aboriginal Lands Parliamentary Standing Committee and it provides a summary of the committee's activities for the financial year ending 30 June 2011. Over the past year, the committee has met with a wide range of Aboriginal people in their communities. These meetings have given the committee and the South Australian parliament a better understanding of the many and varied issues that are of importance to Aboriginal South Australians.

During the year, the committee spent significant time in the APY lands and at Alice Springs. From that trip, the committee gained insight and appreciation of the challenges faced by Aboriginal people living in the APY lands. The committee also visited Raukkan and Camp Coorong, the Davenport community and Aboriginal organisations in Port Augusta, as well as Yalata, Koonibba, Ceduna, Point Pearce and numerous Aboriginal organisations and support organisations within Adelaide. During the year, the committee also heard evidence from witnesses from a number of state and commonwealth agencies and Aboriginal support organisations, and I thank the people who provided that information to the committee.

I welcome the new presiding member, the Hon. Paul Caica, to the committee, and I would like to particularly thank the previous presiding member, the Hon. Grace Portolesi, for her contributions to the committee, as well as acknowledging the other members of the committee for their ongoing efforts: Mrs Leesa Vlahos, Ms Frances Bedford, the Hon. Terry Stephens, Mr Steven Marshall and the Hon. Tammy Franks.

On behalf of the entire committee, I thank all the Aboriginal people the committee has heard and met over the past year. I appreciate their willingness to discuss their issues and to share their stories and knowledge. The committee looks forward to continuing to develop those relationships in the years ahead. Finally, I acknowledge and thank the committee's executive assistant, Jason Caire, whose competence and understanding of his role and the role of the committee makes for a refreshing change.

Debate adjourned on motion of Hon. S.G. Wade.