Mr MILLS - 2004-03-30
Do you believe that the peak indigenous body, ATSIC, should be abolished?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, this is a question that is very relevant today. The leader of the federal opposition, Mark Latham, has made a statement that Labor would abolish ATSIC and ATSIS, and has made a substantial contribution to indigenous policy. In terms of indigenous policy, and an organisation like the former ATSIC, and now ATSIS, and what will be done for the future, we need a direction …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Ms MARTIN: Madam Speaker, a substantial review of ATSIC was carried out over the last year, and a significant member of the three-person review was Bob Collins. Issues about the future of ATSIC have been substantially canvassed and that report is with the federal government and has been released publicly.
From the point of view of where we are in the Territory, we have been looking very strongly at how we better deliver services in remote areas to indigenous Territorians.
Mr Mills: So you support Latham?
Ms MARTIN: Madam Speaker, if the Opposition Leader asks a question, you would think he would have a little courtesy in waiting for the answer.
Mr Baldwin: Yes or no?
Mr Mills: Question - answer.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Ms MARTIN: Madam Speaker, I am answering the question. What I am saying is …
Members interjecting.
Ms MARTIN: If the opposition does not want an answer, I can sit.
Mr Mills: Well, we are not getting one.
Madam SPEAKER: Opposition members, fewer interjections, please.
Ms MARTIN: Madam Speaker, the issue of how we deliver services into remote communities is a key one for the Territory. At Wadeye over the last year, we have been looking at how we can better coordinate different service providers at different levels of government. We have seen a significant improvement in how government at all levels - federal, state, working with the local community and ATSIC - have been able to improve service delivery and coordination to the sixth largest community in the Territory.
From a Territory point of view, we would argue that to bring those services together, to have a whole-of-government approach, is the way forward. I support the federal Opposition Leader’s direction in what he is saying; that we must have a whole-of-government approach to the delivery of indigenous services in any part of Australia. That is the thrust of what he is saying.
We need to look at the detail of what he is saying, because you would have to say that how ATSIC was, was not working. There was no support for what …
Mr Dunham: That is the first time you have ‘fessed up to that.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Member for Drysdale.
Ms MARTIN: It is interesting that the member for Drysdale just makes up things. He said: ‘That’s the first time you’ve ever said that’. How would you know what I have said, member for Drysdale?
Mr Dunham: Well, you say different things all the time.
Ms MARTIN: ATSIC was not working. That is why there was a review, which was supported at a federal level by both the government and the opposition. What we want is to be able to deliver services effectively to indigenous communities. I will be supporting any way we can do that effectively. To ask whether or not I support the abolition of ATSIC is an irrelevant question because it is gone. So much for your question.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, this is a question that is very relevant today. The leader of the federal opposition, Mark Latham, has made a statement that Labor would abolish ATSIC and ATSIS, and has made a substantial contribution to indigenous policy. In terms of indigenous policy, and an organisation like the former ATSIC, and now ATSIS, and what will be done for the future, we need a direction …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Ms MARTIN: Madam Speaker, a substantial review of ATSIC was carried out over the last year, and a significant member of the three-person review was Bob Collins. Issues about the future of ATSIC have been substantially canvassed and that report is with the federal government and has been released publicly.
From the point of view of where we are in the Territory, we have been looking very strongly at how we better deliver services in remote areas to indigenous Territorians.
Mr Mills: So you support Latham?
Ms MARTIN: Madam Speaker, if the Opposition Leader asks a question, you would think he would have a little courtesy in waiting for the answer.
Mr Baldwin: Yes or no?
Mr Mills: Question - answer.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Ms MARTIN: Madam Speaker, I am answering the question. What I am saying is …
Members interjecting.
Ms MARTIN: If the opposition does not want an answer, I can sit.
Mr Mills: Well, we are not getting one.
Madam SPEAKER: Opposition members, fewer interjections, please.
Ms MARTIN: Madam Speaker, the issue of how we deliver services into remote communities is a key one for the Territory. At Wadeye over the last year, we have been looking at how we can better coordinate different service providers at different levels of government. We have seen a significant improvement in how government at all levels - federal, state, working with the local community and ATSIC - have been able to improve service delivery and coordination to the sixth largest community in the Territory.
From a Territory point of view, we would argue that to bring those services together, to have a whole-of-government approach, is the way forward. I support the federal Opposition Leader’s direction in what he is saying; that we must have a whole-of-government approach to the delivery of indigenous services in any part of Australia. That is the thrust of what he is saying.
We need to look at the detail of what he is saying, because you would have to say that how ATSIC was, was not working. There was no support for what …
Mr Dunham: That is the first time you have ‘fessed up to that.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Member for Drysdale.
Ms MARTIN: It is interesting that the member for Drysdale just makes up things. He said: ‘That’s the first time you’ve ever said that’. How would you know what I have said, member for Drysdale?
Mr Dunham: Well, you say different things all the time.
Ms MARTIN: ATSIC was not working. That is why there was a review, which was supported at a federal level by both the government and the opposition. What we want is to be able to deliver services effectively to indigenous communities. I will be supporting any way we can do that effectively. To ask whether or not I support the abolition of ATSIC is an irrelevant question because it is gone. So much for your question.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016