Mr MILLS - 2007-08-22
You have admitted that there are no expectations on Aboriginal people in relation to the $286m that you are spending. Much more than that has been spent in the past without placing expectations on Aboriginal people, and that has been called welfare. What is the difference between your non-expectation approach and past approaches?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I have just spent considerable time, and I do not know whether you can thank the member for this question, talking about a similar question that was previously asked, and talking about the importance of having a partnership. I gave an example of one in an educational context and said we would be working to further. To say, ‘You are committing $286m and you cannot assure us of an outcome’, we are determined to get those results. We are determined to change the disadvantages that Aboriginal Territorians face, however, unless we can get a partnership, unless we can get commitment from Aboriginal communities, we are not going to get there.
The dollars are a strong commitment. The additional 220 positions we are allocating across police and education, child protection workers, support workers, and the focus we have is a really targeted one. I believe it starkly contrasts with anything we have ever heard from the CLP when they were in government. We heard weasel words in government and nothing changed. The starkest elements of failure from the CLP was when they said: ‘Oh, it is too hard for education in the bush. We will not even put secondary education there’. That is an absolute disgrace.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Ms MARTIN: Why do you think the situation we face now is a very significant and challenging one? Because we had a government in place which did nothing, did not try, Madam Speaker. For anyone to be part of a party that, for 27 years, never bothered to put secondary education in the bush, and is lecturing us about what we are doing - you are a disgrace, and you cannot speak on this issue because you have no track record as the government for 27 years. You have no credibility at all.
This money is well targeted. We will monitor it very closely, and we are going to ensure that, for Aboriginal Territorians, this is a partnership. There will be obligations. There will be commitments made, and we will make sure we will see change.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I have just spent considerable time, and I do not know whether you can thank the member for this question, talking about a similar question that was previously asked, and talking about the importance of having a partnership. I gave an example of one in an educational context and said we would be working to further. To say, ‘You are committing $286m and you cannot assure us of an outcome’, we are determined to get those results. We are determined to change the disadvantages that Aboriginal Territorians face, however, unless we can get a partnership, unless we can get commitment from Aboriginal communities, we are not going to get there.
The dollars are a strong commitment. The additional 220 positions we are allocating across police and education, child protection workers, support workers, and the focus we have is a really targeted one. I believe it starkly contrasts with anything we have ever heard from the CLP when they were in government. We heard weasel words in government and nothing changed. The starkest elements of failure from the CLP was when they said: ‘Oh, it is too hard for education in the bush. We will not even put secondary education there’. That is an absolute disgrace.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Ms MARTIN: Why do you think the situation we face now is a very significant and challenging one? Because we had a government in place which did nothing, did not try, Madam Speaker. For anyone to be part of a party that, for 27 years, never bothered to put secondary education in the bush, and is lecturing us about what we are doing - you are a disgrace, and you cannot speak on this issue because you have no track record as the government for 27 years. You have no credibility at all.
This money is well targeted. We will monitor it very closely, and we are going to ensure that, for Aboriginal Territorians, this is a partnership. There will be obligations. There will be commitments made, and we will make sure we will see change.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016