Parliamentary Committees

Aboriginal Lands Parliamentary Standing Committee: Report 2013-14

The Hon. T.T. NGO (17:34): By leave and at the request of the Hon. T.J. Stephens, as the Presiding Member of the committee, I move:

That the 2013-14 report of the committee be noted.

I thank the Hon. Terry Stephens for putting up the report at the last sitting week while I was absent. This is the 10^th annual report of the Aboriginal Lands Parliamentary Standing Committee and my first as Presiding Member of the committee, having been appointed to the committee after this year's election. In the past year there have been a lot of changes to the committee, and a significant change to the Aboriginal Lands Parliamentary Standing Committee Act, with the act being amended to remove the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation as the presiding member. The committee also welcomed new members after the election in March this year.

In the midst of all these changes, the committee still endeavoured to meet with and discuss issues of importance to the Aboriginal people in their communities. In July this year the committee decided to visit the APY lands to give new members like myself the opportunity to speak with and get an understanding of the communities. Having met and spoken to a number of Aboriginal people during this visit to the communities of Pipalyatjara, Kulka, Nyapari, Murpatja, Kanypi, Umuwa and Amata, I am starting to get a better appreciation of the complex social, cultural and economic issues that Aboriginal people face on a daily basis.

I have learnt that members of the committee have great respect for the issues facing Aboriginal people, particularly those living in remote and rural areas, and I applaud all members for taking a bipartisan approach to addressing these issues. During the year the committee also heard evidence from witnesses, from a number of state agencies and Aboriginal support organisations. I thank the people and organisations who provided information to the committee.

The committee also finalised its inquiry into the Stolen Generation Reparations Tribunal Bill 2010 and tabled its report in both houses of parliament in November. I thank the current members of the committee: the Hon. Terry Stevens MLC, the Hon. Tammy Franks MLC, Mr John Gee MP, Mr Eddie Hughes MP and Dr Duncan McFetridge MP, for their dedication and hard work. Special thanks to the Hon. Terry Stephens MLC, the Hon. Tammy Franks MLC and Dr Duncan McFetridge MP, who have been on the committee for several years, and for providing advice and guidance to the new members of the committee.

I also acknowledge the commitment and dedication of previous committee members. They are: the former presiding member and Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation, the Hon. Ian Hunter MLC; our President, the Hon. Russell Wortley MLC; and, former members of parliament, Lyn Breuer and Ms Gay Thomson, for their significant contribution to the committee. As always, the state and commonwealth agencies provided considerable information, which greatly assisted the committee with its work, and I thank those agencies for their support and following up on matters that arise at meetings and committee hearings.

Finally, I would like to thank the Aboriginal communities, organisations and representatives that I met with, and which provided advice and input to the committee during the year, especially the communities the committee recently visited for allowing us to visit their land and making us feel very welcome. I appreciate their willingness to discuss their issues and share their stories and knowledge with the committee.

Debate adjourned on motion of Hon. T.J. Stephens.