Alex Somlyay (Fairfax, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I will speak very briefly on the Social Security and Other Legislation Amendment (Welfare Payment Reform) Bill 2007. I have been asked to keep my remarks short as the speaker’s list is quite long. I do not have a large Indigenous population in my electorate on the Sunshine Coast of Queensland but I do have quite a long history of association with the Northern Territory. That goes back to 1975-76 when I was chief of staff for the then Minister for Northern Territory, the late Hon. Evan Adermann, who was charged with the carriage of the Northern Territory (Self-Government) Act 1978. I was widely involved in writing that act and in its passage and implementation, which brought the Northern Territory to self-government. As well as that I was also involved with the Northern Territory land rights act, which had been introduced by the previous government under Prime Minister Whitlam. It was carried on by the Fraser government, by the Hon. Ian Viner, who was the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs.

I feel very passionate about this. I can remember my first visit to the Northern Territory with the minister. We went by RAAF plane to a number of communities, including Snake Bay on Melville Island, where these problems existed 31 years ago. The member for Fraser talked about this problem not being new. I will not say that it has been swept under the carpet by any government, but it has never been addressed. When is it the right time to do what we have to do here now? It seems to never be the right time, but the right time is now. We visited these communities. A good community at that time was Port Keats. That was a Catholic mission community which is now known as Wadeye. We have heard the Minister for Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs speak about the problems at Wadeye. So over 31 years things have not been improved. Health in Aboriginal communities is still a disgrace in Australia.

Why is the government doing this in the Northern Territory? I remind the House that in 1998 when I was minister for territories in the first Howard government we had a referendum in the Northern Territory on statehood. Those opposite opposed that. That referendum was unsuccessful and statehood did not happen for the Northern Territory. It remained a territory, and the Northern Territory (Self-Government) Act still applies. The Commonwealth has under that act certain powers to override territory legislation. If it had become a state back in 1998 I do not think that we would be standing here now.

I am pleased to participate in this debate because I believe that history will show this to be the most important legislation ever introduced by the Howard government. The package of bills being debated tonight will provide the framework to ensure that there is a future for Aboriginal children of the Northern Territory. These children are living with the consequences of the breakdown of communities from the abuse of alcohol and the commonality of the abuse of pornography. This government did not stand by while the Territory thought about committees and reports and more reports and more inquiries. There comes a time when government has to act. Now is that time. The safety of children is at stake.

This legislation will ensure that everyday items that we should take for granted, such as food and basic consumables, are available to families and children in these remote communities. Children in Australia in the 21st century should not be going without these basic needs. The very first recommendation of the Little children are sacred report into the protection of Aboriginal children from child abuse in the Northern Territory recommended:

That Aboriginal child sexual abuse in the Northern territory be designated as an issue of urgent national significance by both the Australian and Northern Territory Governments ...

This government acted on this recommendation to ensure the protection of Aboriginal children from harm. No Australian could possibly stand by and continue to do nothing, and this government moved urgently and decisively. The legislation shows how serious the government is about tackling this problem and tackling it now. This legislative package in the House tonight includes two appropriation bills that provide in excess of $500 million in 2007-08.

I said that I would keep my remarks short. I will not go into the details of the bills, because the Minister for Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs and other speakers have, but I want to put on record my total support for these bills. After 31 years, it gives me great personal gratification to see that this problem is being finally addressed and that the people of Australia are facing up to the problem. I commend the bills to the House.

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