Warren Snowdon (Lingiari, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Defence Science and Personnel) Share this | Hansard source

tobacco consumption rates amongst Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians, and we, through this budget, are going to implement the programs we have announced previously through our chronic disease package. We are investing $805.5 million in that package. Together with the states we are investing $1.6 billion on addressing these issues. We are doing it in partnership with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community; we are doing it in partnership with state and territory governments. We are having success in doing it. I want to say to the shadow minister: you do more by collaboration, discussion and partnership then you will do by adversarial politics. If you want to have a real discussion about how we improve the life outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, I am pleased to have it. I know the shadow parliamentary secretary is keen on these sorts of issues, had his own experiences working in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and knows what the priority should be. The person sitting next to him, another medical practitioner, also knows the importance of these measures. I am sure they both share, as I am sure you do—

See this speech in context