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Legislative Council - Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1)
2023-06-15 Daily Xml
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South Australian Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisation Network

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK (14:45): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before directing a question to the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs regarding SAACCON.

Leave granted.

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK: I understand that on 10 November 2022 the South Australian government signed a formal partnership agreement with the South Australian Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisation Network (SAACCON). My questions to the minister are:

1. Has SAACCON incorporated as a separate legal entity?

2. How will SAACCON represent South Australia in national forums and working groups?

3. What mechanisms are in place to verify community voice representation?

4. Can the Attorney provide an update on the progress of consultation with Aboriginal communities and representative bodies regarding SAACCON's role and responsibilities?

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Attorney-General, Minister for Industrial Relations and Public Sector) (14:45): I thank the honourable member for her question. I am happy to check how SAACCON is constituted. I know that SAACCON was established during the term of the last government when the refresh to the Closing the Gap program occurred. I will double-check, but I think initially SAACCON was housed as part of the Aboriginal Legal Rights Movement, but my understanding is that they are or they have established themselves as an independent body. I am not sure exactly of the articles of incorporation or how they are established, but I am happy to find that out.

SAACCON nationally plays an important role as the peak organisation for Aboriginal community-controlled organisations in South Australia. Just last week, I attended the joint council meeting on Closing the Gap, a meeting chaired by a representative of peak bodies. It is usually Pat Turner who chairs the meeting; it was Catherine Liddle from SNAICC standing in this time who chaired the meeting last week. Scott Wilson, the head of SAACCON in South Australia is I think deputy convener of the national joint council, so not just SAACCON as the peak body in South Australia is represented on the national forums but the head of SAACCON in South Australia has a deputy convening role in the joint council nationally.

As the honourable member correctly pointed out, we entered a partnership agreement with SAACCON that looked at how we as a government and representative government regularly meet with SAACCON. I am very pleased at how that is progressing and the close working relationship being forged between the South Australian Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations and government departments.

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