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Legislative Council - Fifty-Second Parliament, Second Session (52-2)
2013-10-30 Daily Xml
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ABORIGINAL LANDS PARLIAMENTARY STANDING COMMITTEE (PRESIDING MEMBER) AMENDMENT BILL

Second Reading

Adjourned debate on second reading.

(Continued from 16 October 2013.)

The Hon. R.P. WORTLEY (17:23): The Aboriginal Lands Parliamentary Standing Committee was established in 2003 by legislation under the Aboriginal Lands Parliamentary Standing Committee Act 2003. For the most part, I am aware that the committee conducts its business in a collegial spirit so as to effectively serve the purposes for which it was established. I must say that, during the time I have been on it, that is exactly the way it has worked. It is quite refreshing that, as with the Natural Resources Committee, everyone works in a bipartisan fashion to achieve the best outcomes. The committee has now been in existence for 10 years with the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation being the presiding member.

Although there were grounds for the minister to be the presiding member of the committee when it was first established, this is no longer considered to be the case. I note the concerns of past and current members that the position of presiding member should be allocated to a person with greater opportunity to be fully engaged in the affairs of the committee. It is therefore intended to amend the Aboriginal Lands Parliamentary Standing Committee Act 2003 to remove the Office of the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation as a member of the Aboriginal Lands Parliamentary Standing Committee.

I understand the bill has the support of committee members and there will be a seamless transition with the minister no longer being a member of the committee. The amendment bill enables the committee to appoint one of its Legislative Council members to be the presiding member of the committee. In supporting the bill, I note the opposition has accepted government amendments in the other place to update references to the Pitjantjatjara Land Rights Act 1981 in the bill to the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Land Rights Act 1981. I understand this legislative change will have no impact on the work carried out, functions performed or Aboriginal community visitations made by the committee. I support the bill.

The Hon. T.A. FRANKS (17:25): On behalf of the Greens, I also rise to support the bill. I commend the member for Morphett for bringing it to the parliament and also his colleague in the upper house, the Hon. Terry Stephens, for bringing it before the council.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: The Hon. Ms Franks.

The Hon. T.A. FRANKS: Thank you for your protection, Mr President. I do so noting that it has taken the opposition to finally bring this issue before this place and I was trying to commend them, although I am not sure they were comfortable with that just then. This move to, in particular, remove the minister as the presiding member of the committee is most welcome and much overdue and has been called for continuously over many years and many incarnations of this committee.

I acknowledge that at its inception this model did work, but that was due more to the personality and commitment of a particular minister rather than the structural strength of the committee. It is the only committee where the minister sits on the relevant committee. In terms of the burden of workload on a minister, it is an unworkable model, simply for even achieving things like quorum to approve reports and for achieving presence at ongoing meetings, so it will be much welcomed to open up that position for a member who is not a minister to take a more active role in the committee. I certainly appreciate that and I know that many members of the Aboriginal lands committee will be glad that this day has finally come.

The Hon. R.L. BROKENSHIRE (17:27): Just briefly, I concur with other speakers. Family First supports the bill. Having been on the committee myself, I found it incredibly frustrating with the presiding member being the minister. I think in the interests of assessing what we need to do in assisting our Aboriginal communities it will be much better with an independent presiding member. With those few words, we support the bill.

The Hon. T.J. STEPHENS (17:28): I thank the Hon. Russell Wortley, the Hon. Tammy Franks and the Hon. Robert Brokenshire for their indications of support. It is a tripartisan committee at the moment. I am not sure what we would have called it—what do you call it?

Members interjecting:

The Hon. T.J. STEPHENS: Quatropartisan committee—we will call it 'multi'—when the Hon. Robert Brokenshire was there. It is a committee that works with the best interests of Aboriginal people at the forefront. We try to make sure that we bring the right issues and put them before the minister. So, we do work in a multiparty way. I thank members for their indications of support. I commend the good work of the committee and look forward to the speedy passage of the bill.

Bill read a second time.

Committee Stage

Bill taken through committee without amendment.

Third Reading

The Hon. T.J. STEPHENS (17:32): I move:

That this bill be now read a third time.

Bill read a third time and passed.

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