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Legislative Council - Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1)
2025-09-02 Daily Xml
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APY Lands General Manager

The Hon. C. BONAROS (14:46): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Attorney in his capacity as Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, or both, a question regarding the APY lands.

Leave granted.

The Hon. C. BONAROS: There have been media reports that the minister is considering appointing an administrator for the APY lands. Can the minister confirm if that has occurred and, if so, the reasons for such an appointment?

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Attorney-General, Minister for Industrial Relations and Public Sector, Special Minister of State) (14:47): I thank the honourable member for her question and her interest in this area. I know that over the years the honourable member has asked a lot of questions and has been very interested about people living in very remote Aboriginal communities.

I can confirm that I have commenced the process to appoint an administrator pursuant to the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Land Rights Act. Recently in parliament I tabled a report by a conciliator that looked at the appointment process of Richard King as general manager in late 2024. That conciliator's report provided, at the end, a number of determinations and directions in relation to striking out that appointment. Upon the conciliator's reflection, it was constitutionally invalid. It went into—and it is 60-odd paragraphs—a number of concerns about the process that led up to that.

Having reflected on the conciliator's report and having spoken to and received the views of a number of Anangu who are current or former members of the executive board, as well as others, I have determined that it is necessary to appoint an administrator. I commenced the process that is contemplated in the legislation last Wednesday by writing a letter to the chair of the board that I intended in seven days to appoint an administrator, as is contemplated in the act.

That process of looking at who that administrator may be is well underway. The intention is to appoint an administrator for a three-month period, which would mean the executive board would effectively be suspended for those three months and would allow for that recruitment process, as directed by the conciliator's report, to take place. Then the board could be reinstated after that occurs. So yes, in short, in relation to the honourable member's question, having reflected on the conciliator's report, having received advice and having reflected on the views of a number of Anangu—some who have been and currently are members of the executive board—I have decided to make sure the conciliator's report is implemented to appoint an administrator for that three-month period.

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