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Legislative Council - Fifty-Third Parliament, Second Session (53-2)
2017-03-01 Daily Xml
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Treaty Commissioner

The Hon. J.E. HANSON (14:29): My question is to the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation. Can the minister please inform the chamber about the appointment of the Treaty Commissioner.

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Minister for Employment, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation, Minister for Manufacturing and Innovation, Minister for Automotive Transformation, Minister for Science and Information Economy) (14:29): I thank the honourable member for his first question in this chamber. It is an excellent question, and it was very well researched and very well asked. I must say, I know the honourable member has a deep interest in this area from his time on the Tea Tree Gully council. This is an area we have discussed a number of times, so I thank him for his question and his longstanding interest, and I am sure it is a passion he will bring to this chamber in reconciliation.

Creating a community where all our citizens have the capacity to contribute, reach their potential and fulfil their aspirations for a strong and prosperous South Australia should be the focus of any government. The treaty process will signal a new direction and create a truer level of transparency and accountability, both for the government and for Aboriginal South Australians. Australia is the only nation of those that we compare ourselves to without a treaty with our first peoples. This remains a major obstacle in the reconciliation journey.

Treaty is collectively moving forward on a journey towards creating pathways and harnessing the levers that government has to enable strong economic opportunities for Aboriginal people. The South Australian government wants to address areas of disadvantage that many Aboriginal people in the state face. This can only truly be achieved in unity and agreement with the Aboriginal community. Treaty will allow for Aboriginal people to come together and strengthen their governance and representative models to provide a strong voice for their community and successfully negotiate solutions to address the diverse issues impacting on their local communities.

Treaty will allow for government to receive and understand the priority areas that Aboriginal people nominate and investigate what levers the government is able to use to deliver positive change. Whilst treaty is a government policy, it will be something that everyone in the community, business and institutions can use to consider how they may participate in our journey towards reconciliation and doing what may be within their power to help alleviate the disadvantage faced by so many Aboriginal South Australians. South Australia in general and South Australian Labor governments have a strong history of reform in this area. We now have an opportunity to become one of the first jurisdictions in the nation to deliver a legacy such as this.

To assist with the treaty consultation process, the government has appointed a Treaty Commissioner who will have a number of very important functions. Firstly, to undertake consultation with Aboriginal South Australia about a framework for treaty discussions to continue, and also, importantly, to facilitate treaty-making processes between the South Australian government and the South Australian Aboriginal community. The Treaty Commissioner is a role that necessarily needs to be filled by someone who is well-respected, has extensive experiences with Aboriginal people, has experience in delivering high-level advice to government and who brings something special to the role, which, by their own personal standing, adds value and integrity to the process.

On this basis, the government has appointed Kokatha and Mirning man, Dr Roger Thomas—a senior Aboriginal leader with a successful career both inside and outside government. Dr Thomas has extensive experience in conducting public consultations with Aboriginal communities. He has held various positions on state, national and international advisory committees dealing with Aboriginal issues. He was the inaugural professor of Indigenous Engagement and adjunct professor of education at the University of Adelaide and also the dean of the Centre for Australian Indigenous Research and Studies.

Appointing Dr Thomas to the role of commissioner for treaty is the next step towards commencing discussions and negotiations around what treaty will look like. I am very confident that Dr Thomas will be an effective steward in bringing together communities and government to consider what form treaty will take and what benefit there will be for Aboriginal people in this state.

In regard to particular questions asked by the Hon. Rob Lucas in this chamber yesterday, I have sought advice from my department, and I can advise that Dr Thomas formally started in the role of Treaty Commissioner on 28 February 2017. His total remuneration package is $189,000, and prior to taking that role, Dr Thomas took leave without pay from his role as manager of Aboriginal Heritage within the state government. I look forward to updating the chamber as treaty consultations progress.

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