Mr BURKE - 1995-05-23
What action is being taken to address the needs of Aboriginal people, including those in the most remote communities, regarding anti-discrimination legislation?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, an excellent initiative from the Anti-Discrimination Commission is supported through the Northern Territory government's forthcoming budget. I realise the member for MacDonnell has some interest in this matter, given his interjections last week.
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Mr Bell: It is pretty cute of you to have a dorothy dixer when you are in breach of the Anti-Discrimination Act.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr Bell: I know you do not like it but ...
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr FINCH: I am pleased that the member reacted in that way, because it demonstrates again that what we should be doing ...
Mr Bell: Are you going to give me a go in Question Time too?
Mr FINCH: This particular initiative will be very helpful to his constituents. I do not know what we have to provide to help him. The member suggests that I am in breach of the Anti-Discrimination Act. He ought to reconsider that statement and check the facts in relation to accusations that he makes by way of interjection. If he has a difficulty, why doesn't he simply raise the question? He is suggesting very obliquely that we have failed somehow to provide a teacher at, I think it is, Mutitjulu. Is that right?
Mr Bell: Yes.
Mr FINCH: I am not aware whose salary we are paying for the teaching of students at Mutitjulu, but that is another matter for another day.
The good news is that his constituents will be apprised of the Anti-Discrimination Act and their rights and responsibilities under it. I believe this to be a great initiative. We will provide an officer, who will be attached to the Anti-Discrimination Commission for a year, and some additional resources. In conjunction with Aboriginal media organisations, the officer will provide a permanent resource of text, translations, and audio and video tapes in up to 10 of the main Aboriginal languages. The aim is to provide an effective package to help Aboriginal people, if not their local member, to understand their rights and responsibilities under the anti-discrimination legislation. That is planned to happen within a year.
It may be of help to the member that the text is to be in plain English. We hear the member waffling on in this House with his 5-barrelled verbiage. He has probably the greatest word power in this House, but the problem is that he cannot put 2 of them together coherently. When he does put them together, nobody understands what he is talking about. Plain English text may be of great assistance to him. The preparation of those translations will involve Aboriginal people to ensure that the package is appropriate. There will be consultation with various Aboriginal media organisations to obtain their assistance with not only the production of the audio and video tapes, but also their presentation and delivery to Aboriginal people. It is an excellent initiative. I know that it will get up the member for MacDonnell's nose because, every time Country Liberal Party members mention the word `Aboriginal', he goes ape. It is something I hold ...
Page 580
Mr Bell: I find it extraordinary that the minister can breach the legislation that he is responsible for administering.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr FINCH: Aboriginal people understand the valuable contribution that the Northern Territory Country Liberal Party government delivers to them. We do not talk; we deliver. The patronising approach to matters Aboriginal by the member for MacDonnell is way out of date. It belongs to the last decade, if not to the last century.
Page 581
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, an excellent initiative from the Anti-Discrimination Commission is supported through the Northern Territory government's forthcoming budget. I realise the member for MacDonnell has some interest in this matter, given his interjections last week.
Page 579
Mr Bell: It is pretty cute of you to have a dorothy dixer when you are in breach of the Anti-Discrimination Act.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr Bell: I know you do not like it but ...
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr FINCH: I am pleased that the member reacted in that way, because it demonstrates again that what we should be doing ...
Mr Bell: Are you going to give me a go in Question Time too?
Mr FINCH: This particular initiative will be very helpful to his constituents. I do not know what we have to provide to help him. The member suggests that I am in breach of the Anti-Discrimination Act. He ought to reconsider that statement and check the facts in relation to accusations that he makes by way of interjection. If he has a difficulty, why doesn't he simply raise the question? He is suggesting very obliquely that we have failed somehow to provide a teacher at, I think it is, Mutitjulu. Is that right?
Mr Bell: Yes.
Mr FINCH: I am not aware whose salary we are paying for the teaching of students at Mutitjulu, but that is another matter for another day.
The good news is that his constituents will be apprised of the Anti-Discrimination Act and their rights and responsibilities under it. I believe this to be a great initiative. We will provide an officer, who will be attached to the Anti-Discrimination Commission for a year, and some additional resources. In conjunction with Aboriginal media organisations, the officer will provide a permanent resource of text, translations, and audio and video tapes in up to 10 of the main Aboriginal languages. The aim is to provide an effective package to help Aboriginal people, if not their local member, to understand their rights and responsibilities under the anti-discrimination legislation. That is planned to happen within a year.
It may be of help to the member that the text is to be in plain English. We hear the member waffling on in this House with his 5-barrelled verbiage. He has probably the greatest word power in this House, but the problem is that he cannot put 2 of them together coherently. When he does put them together, nobody understands what he is talking about. Plain English text may be of great assistance to him. The preparation of those translations will involve Aboriginal people to ensure that the package is appropriate. There will be consultation with various Aboriginal media organisations to obtain their assistance with not only the production of the audio and video tapes, but also their presentation and delivery to Aboriginal people. It is an excellent initiative. I know that it will get up the member for MacDonnell's nose because, every time Country Liberal Party members mention the word `Aboriginal', he goes ape. It is something I hold ...
Page 580
Mr Bell: I find it extraordinary that the minister can breach the legislation that he is responsible for administering.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr FINCH: Aboriginal people understand the valuable contribution that the Northern Territory Country Liberal Party government delivers to them. We do not talk; we deliver. The patronising approach to matters Aboriginal by the member for MacDonnell is way out of date. It belongs to the last decade, if not to the last century.
Page 581
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016