Law Society Indigenous Support Programs

The Hon. J.M. GAZZOLA (15:32): A question to the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation: will the minister update the chamber on efforts to advance reconciliation within South Australia's legal sector?

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER (Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation, Minister for Water and the River Murray, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation) (15:32): I thank the honourable member for his most important question. I have said on many occasions I think in this place that we are, as a government, and as a chamber that forms parliament, very serious about Closing the Gap and truly committed to reconciliation. If that's the case, and I think we are, we all have a part to play in that. Every citizen, every government agency, organisation, business and community group has a role to play in that. That's why I am pleased to see an organisation like the Law Society of South Australia take up this responsibility in such a serious manner.

The Law Society has been extremely proactive in its efforts to increase the understanding of issues faced by Aboriginal people within the legal system. The society, for example, established an Aboriginal issues committee in 1997 to examine issues of law that affect Aboriginal people, and has recently been vocal in its support for constitutional recognition of Australia's first nations. In addition, the Law Society has played an important role in the establishment of a successful mentoring program to encourage more Aboriginal people to work in the legal profession.

This government has been working with the Law Society since the inception of the program in 2008 when Premier Weatherill from the other place, then minister for Aboriginal affairs, provided support. More recently, the state government through TAFE SA has partnered with the Law Society to provide Certificate IV in Legal Services in a specialised format for Aboriginal students.

I understand this course currently has students in Port Augusta, Port Pirie, Murray Bridge, Berri and Adelaide. It provides a direct pathway to an undergraduate law degree at the University of Adelaide or into other work opportunities in the legal fields. This is very important because, when there are more Aboriginal people involved in the law, we will have a better understanding of and access to justice for Aboriginal people, and people whom Aboriginal people can look up to and have as role models and behaviour models.

In more recent times, the Law Society has established a reconciliation action committee. On Tuesday, the Law Society launched its reconciliation action plan. These plans are commonly referred to as RAPs. RAPs are real plans. They set out clear steps that an organisation or group can undertake to further the goal of reconciliation. They are designed to make us reflect on, answer and act upon a set of fundamental questions, including, for example:

How do we make sure reconciliation is everybody's business, not just Aboriginals' business?

How can we combat racism in the workplace and in the community, and what role do we have to play in that?

How do we support a cultural shift that leads to real behavioural change?

How do we ensure that the RAP process is not merely a 'ticking the box' exercise?

As the President of the Law Society, Mr Morry Bailes, has said, 'Having a Reconciliation Action Plan is not mere symbolism. We hope this plan has a real effect and improves the circumstances of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.' I would like to congratulate the Law Society for its RAP, and for its ongoing commitment to closing the gap with Aboriginal people in our state.