Mr WOOD - 2013-10-08
Since your government commenced operation last year it has had a department for Indigenous development, a department for regional development, and a department for Indigenous advancement, all of which appear to have been replaced by the Department of Community Services and the Department of Local Government and Regions.
I thank the Minister for Community Services for giving some explanation of the role of the Department of Community Services. Is it not really a rebadged version of the department of Indigenous Advancement? Do you not wonder why people and public servants are confused and wonder where the government is going with all these changes of departments?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I can tell you how confused they were when we had the Council of Territory Cooperation running around in circles with nothing being achieved. They were very confused over that period of time.
Member for Nelson, people now have confidence that things are changing. The regime we have brought in is every minister having the opportunity to deliver services to all Territorians, because we are all equal, or all one. The Minister for Housing is delivering outcomes for Territorians in urban areas, in remote areas, for black, for white, for everybody else. That is what it is about.
Look at alcohol abuse, the chronic issues around alcohol, and the failure of you guys on the other side, when in government, to do anything for chronic alcoholics for years and years. We now have mandatory alcohol rehabilitation to service all Territorians. We have our commitment to the Pillars of Justice, where we are getting people from gaol into jobs. That is focusing on all Territorians. Alcohol management plans – alcohol policy is for all Territorians. Infrastructure is for all Territorians ...
Ms FYLES: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. It was a very direct question.
Madam SPEAKER: It is not a point of order. Sit down.
Mr GILES: It is completely relevant. Every minister has responsibility for all Territorians. With economic development, we are ensuring we can grow economies, invest in infrastructure to offer jobs and get people off the cycle of welfare. This is the way we should lead. Some people have said we need an Aboriginal Affairs department like they have in Canberra.
Good luck to my federal colleague, Senator Nigel Scullion, who will do a great job as minister for Indigenous Affairs. However, on a national scale, he is working on a population of around 2% to 3% of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders across the nation. Here, Aboriginal people make up 30% or more of the Territory. It is part of who we are and everyone has a job to do.
I was reflecting on the 1996 announcement by John Howard, when Prime Minister, to move Health out of ATSIC – I was having a chat to the member for Namatjira yesterday – and into OATSIH. At that time, significant changes were made to Indigenous health, and it ensured the federal Health department had a significant focus on Indigenous health, not just ATSIC ...
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr GILES: Listen to my answer, member for Nelson. The most successful thing, in my opinion, to occur in Indigenous affairs has been Indigenous health because it is part of a mainstream department. That is what we have to do in the Northern Territory. We cannot have one minister look after one particular thing. Everybody in the ministry is sharing the workload, working on economic development, health, housing, and education. That is what it is about. That is why I talk to the Minister for Education about the urgent need for a remote Indigenous education review to ensure the rubber is hitting the road.
What we saw under the previous government was failures everywhere in education. They are attacking us on teacher numbers, but reflect on the results of when you were in government. It is disgraceful and you should be embarrassed of those outcomes ...
Madam SPEAKER: Minister, your time has expired.
I thank the Minister for Community Services for giving some explanation of the role of the Department of Community Services. Is it not really a rebadged version of the department of Indigenous Advancement? Do you not wonder why people and public servants are confused and wonder where the government is going with all these changes of departments?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I can tell you how confused they were when we had the Council of Territory Cooperation running around in circles with nothing being achieved. They were very confused over that period of time.
Member for Nelson, people now have confidence that things are changing. The regime we have brought in is every minister having the opportunity to deliver services to all Territorians, because we are all equal, or all one. The Minister for Housing is delivering outcomes for Territorians in urban areas, in remote areas, for black, for white, for everybody else. That is what it is about.
Look at alcohol abuse, the chronic issues around alcohol, and the failure of you guys on the other side, when in government, to do anything for chronic alcoholics for years and years. We now have mandatory alcohol rehabilitation to service all Territorians. We have our commitment to the Pillars of Justice, where we are getting people from gaol into jobs. That is focusing on all Territorians. Alcohol management plans – alcohol policy is for all Territorians. Infrastructure is for all Territorians ...
Ms FYLES: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. It was a very direct question.
Madam SPEAKER: It is not a point of order. Sit down.
Mr GILES: It is completely relevant. Every minister has responsibility for all Territorians. With economic development, we are ensuring we can grow economies, invest in infrastructure to offer jobs and get people off the cycle of welfare. This is the way we should lead. Some people have said we need an Aboriginal Affairs department like they have in Canberra.
Good luck to my federal colleague, Senator Nigel Scullion, who will do a great job as minister for Indigenous Affairs. However, on a national scale, he is working on a population of around 2% to 3% of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders across the nation. Here, Aboriginal people make up 30% or more of the Territory. It is part of who we are and everyone has a job to do.
I was reflecting on the 1996 announcement by John Howard, when Prime Minister, to move Health out of ATSIC – I was having a chat to the member for Namatjira yesterday – and into OATSIH. At that time, significant changes were made to Indigenous health, and it ensured the federal Health department had a significant focus on Indigenous health, not just ATSIC ...
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr GILES: Listen to my answer, member for Nelson. The most successful thing, in my opinion, to occur in Indigenous affairs has been Indigenous health because it is part of a mainstream department. That is what we have to do in the Northern Territory. We cannot have one minister look after one particular thing. Everybody in the ministry is sharing the workload, working on economic development, health, housing, and education. That is what it is about. That is why I talk to the Minister for Education about the urgent need for a remote Indigenous education review to ensure the rubber is hitting the road.
What we saw under the previous government was failures everywhere in education. They are attacking us on teacher numbers, but reflect on the results of when you were in government. It is disgraceful and you should be embarrassed of those outcomes ...
Madam SPEAKER: Minister, your time has expired.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016