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Legislative Council - Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1)
2023-05-03 Daily Xml
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Tarrkarri

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK (14:53): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before directing a question to the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs regarding the Tarrkarri—Centre for First Nations Cultures.

Leave granted.

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK: This morning on ABC radio, City of Adelaide Lord Mayor Dr Jane Lomax-Smith AM spoke at length about the Tarrkarri—Centre for First Nations Cultures and the outcome of the review panel's findings to state cabinet. After six years of consultation we understand there is support and enthusiasm for the centre in the South Australian Aboriginal community, and the understanding is there is an expectation it will go ahead as the promised internationally significant 'best in the world' institution. The Lord Mayor said the following on radio this morning:

It will be an extraordinary slap to Australian First Nations people to say, 'We've consulted you for six years and now we can't afford it.' This building could be iconic, it could be significant, it could be a game changer.

Will the South Australian Minister for Aboriginal Affairs commit to listening to the Aboriginal community and assure the chamber that this project will go ahead to the standard expected?

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Attorney-General, Minister for Industrial Relations and Public Sector) (14:54): I thank the honourable member for her question. I can absolutely assure her and this chamber I will listen to the South Australian Aboriginal community. I have done that since I have been in parliament and certainly in the seven or eight years I have held the portfolio, in government, in opposition and in government again, of Aboriginal Affairs, and I will continue to do that.

In relation to the Tarrkarri project, what I can say is one thing this government does not intend to do is create something that is so manifestly substandard that it's designed to fail. That's what the previous government had envisaged, had set it up. What was initially said was this could be something of what the previous government had envisaged was something that could be of some local interest. On coming to government, that's not something we wanted to do for this project. It's not something we were interested in doing and that's why a review has been undertaken and will be considered.

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