Jenny Macklin (Jagajaga, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Disability Reform) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That the amendments be agreed to.

I just want to make a few remarks to thank the House for staying here to consider three important pieces of legislation, and I do mean that. I want to thank the senators as well for considering the legislation at this late hour. There are three bills that go together known as the Stronger Futures in the Northern Territory legislation and they are accompanied by $3.4 billion and a 10-year commitment by the government to work with Aboriginal people in the Northern Territory. I think everybody in the House would agree that this is very urgent work and I know members of the opposition support it. It is all about addressing the disadvantage that Aboriginal people face in the Northern Territory.

We have heard loud and clear from Aboriginal people what their priorities are. It has been very plain that they are about tackling alcohol abuse, putting in place proper alcohol restrictions, strengthening penalties for grog-running and strengthening arrangements for local alcohol management plans such that they focus more on harm minimisation in the future.

Another priority has come through loud and clear from Aboriginal people and is shared across this parliament. We all want to make sure that children go to school on a regular basis. If you do not go to school every single day, it is impossible to get a decent education. That is why we are very pleased that these bills support and improve school enrolment and attendance measures, which will be very important for these children. This means that, if children fall below a set attendance benchmark, schools and Centrelink will work with families to make sure that the children are attending on a regular basis. It will only be as a last resort that, where parents do not meet part of the agreed attendance plan, we will see income support payments suspended.

Another area that has been demonstrated to be very important—a success from the Northern Territory Emergency Response—is the licensing of stores to make sure that people have access to healthy food. And I can inform the House that the bills also provide extended opportunities for voluntary leasing to community living areas and town camp land to support economic development and opportunities for people to own their own homes.

Honourable Members:

Honourable members interjecting—

Ms Anna Burke (Chisholm, Deputy-Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The minister should be heard in silence and our visiting senator might like to take a seat in the visitors box.

Jenny Macklin (Jagajaga, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Disability Reform) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

One of the most important considerations for the government was that the legislation be designed to comply with the Racial Discrimination Act. I want to be very clear with the House and with Aboriginal people that this legislation now states explicitly that it does not affect the operation of the Racial Discrimination Act. This is something that Aboriginal people in the Northern Territory particularly wanted to see, and we are very pleased to have it implemented as a result of our actions tonight. The legislation also repeals the Northern Territory National Emergency Response Act 2007 and has been prepared in line with Australia's human rights obligations.

I want to thank a number of people who have been involved, including in the House and the Senate. There was a Senate committee inquiry and many, many Aboriginal people were involved in consultations right around the Northern Territory. I thank those who shared their views with me, particularly those women whose voices are often not heard but who were able to be heard because of the way we conducted the consultations. All of us know that, wherever you go, there will be men and women who will quietly tell you what needs to be done. I have had men telling me that alcohol abuse is killing their families and women telling me about the abuse happening to them and their children. It is our job to do our best in this area. These are very serious matters. I know it is very late, but I want to finish by thanking not only those I have already mentioned but also the Northern Territory government, the Chief Minister and the staff of my department, who have worked long and hard on this issue. I will just mention a very senior staff member, Brian Stacey, and Alice Kimble from my office. All of this has been done in the interests of Aboriginal people in the Northern Territory who suffer much greater disadvantage than any other group in our community. It is our collective responsibility to do everything we can with them to address these matters.

Question agreed to.