Ms CARNEY - 2005-10-11
Are you aware of a report in the Centralian Advocate dated 2 September 2005 which refers to a Department of Justice investigation regarding the Papunya store? Can you advise how that investigation is different from the federal government investigation that is presently under way into the misappropriation of funds at Papunya?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I missed part of what the Opposition Leader said. An investigation into the Papunya …
Ms Carney: Into the misappropriation of funds at Papunya.
Ms MARTIN: Madam Speaker, I am aware of two investigations into Papunya. I will refer this to the Minister for Justice and Attorney-General who has carriage of one of those. One is being done by the federal government - through which department I am not quite sure - through Amanda Vanstone’s carriage, and the second is being done through the Department of Justice in the area of Consumer Affairs.
I am certainly not in a position to comment on those investigations. However, if the Minister for Justice and Attorney-General has any further information to add about that, I refer the question to him.
Dr TOYNE (Justice and Attorney-General): Madam Speaker, first of all, there have been two distinct matters that the Department of Justice has investigated in relation to Papunya.
The first was some time ago, about the time of the last election, regarding the use of Northern Territory grant funding by the community. My understanding of the outcomes of that review was that there was no money missing; all money that had been expended had been expended appropriately to the program for which it had been provided.
The second matter is in the hands of the Commissioner for Consumer Affairs. He is doing a preliminary assessment of matters regarding the council and its operations. I stress that it is a preliminary assessment; it is not a full-blown investigation. As a statutory, independent position, that is as far as I am entitled to go. The commissioner will come back to us when he has made decisions on his findings.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I missed part of what the Opposition Leader said. An investigation into the Papunya …
Ms Carney: Into the misappropriation of funds at Papunya.
Ms MARTIN: Madam Speaker, I am aware of two investigations into Papunya. I will refer this to the Minister for Justice and Attorney-General who has carriage of one of those. One is being done by the federal government - through which department I am not quite sure - through Amanda Vanstone’s carriage, and the second is being done through the Department of Justice in the area of Consumer Affairs.
I am certainly not in a position to comment on those investigations. However, if the Minister for Justice and Attorney-General has any further information to add about that, I refer the question to him.
Dr TOYNE (Justice and Attorney-General): Madam Speaker, first of all, there have been two distinct matters that the Department of Justice has investigated in relation to Papunya.
The first was some time ago, about the time of the last election, regarding the use of Northern Territory grant funding by the community. My understanding of the outcomes of that review was that there was no money missing; all money that had been expended had been expended appropriately to the program for which it had been provided.
The second matter is in the hands of the Commissioner for Consumer Affairs. He is doing a preliminary assessment of matters regarding the council and its operations. I stress that it is a preliminary assessment; it is not a full-blown investigation. As a statutory, independent position, that is as far as I am entitled to go. The commissioner will come back to us when he has made decisions on his findings.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016