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Legislative Council - Fifty-Third Parliament, Second Session (53-2)
2015-05-06 Daily Xml
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HIV

The Hon. S.G. WADE (15:16): Supplementary question: can the minister assure the council that the South Australian government is committed to engaging the gay community in South Australia? This seems to me to be one in a series of events, for example, the abolition of the Health Advisory Council for Gay Health, the defunding of the AIDS Council and now the withdrawal of Positive Life. The government does not seem to be committed to engagement with the gay community in South Australia

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER (Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation, Minister for Water and the River Murray, Minister for Climate Change) (15:17): That is absolute rubbish, and the honourable member should know it. He draws conclusions from facts that would suggest, to him, at least, that the government is not interested in the local gay community's involvement in these programs' delivery. He doesn't, of course, mention to the parliament that, in fact, some of these organisations have had their ability to work with governments to deliver services through their own organisations somewhat diminished over the last couple of decades to the point where no responsible government could list contracts for some of these organisations. I am not referring in any particular way to the contracts that have been raised in the question asked by the Hon. Ms Vincent. The honourable member takes this even further.

The imputation in the honourable member's remarks I refute completely. The government is completely committed to engaging with the gay community here in South Australia, developing programs that will deliver the services these people need when they come to the South Australian government for health services but also, talking to community providers outside South Australian government health services, it can provide for the needs of people who don't want to deal with the state government, for example, or other service providers. That is why there are three contracts, I believe, involved in this current round.

With regard to the particular contracts that have been let, if the honourable member has further questions about those, I can take them to the minister. But I want to reassure the chamber that, if there are any concerns about the partner with SHine SA, that being the Victorian AIDS Council, I have the highest regard for them; they are performing to high levels. In fact, the gay community in Victoria have the highest regard for the Victorian AIDS Council as well.

The PRESIDENT: Before I call on the Hon. Mr McLachlan, I note that this will be our ninth question and we normally get up to about 12 or 13, so I don't think that it has been a very good question time, to be honest. The Hon. Mr McLachlan.

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