Anne Webster (Mallee, National Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Regional Health) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Indigenous Australians. On 6 February this year, the Albanese government announced a $250 million package for Central Australia. How much money has been expended to date?

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The member for Lingiari will cease interjecting before the minister has even begun.

Linda Burney (Barton, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Indigenous Australians) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for her question. The member is correct in that we announced a $250 million investment into Central Australia. People across this chamber understand some of the challenges faced by Central Australia. I have visited Alice Springs and surrounding regions on a number of occasions. When we first got to Central Australia, because of the actions of the previous government, youth services were about to close.

Sussan Ley (Farrer, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Women) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

How much has been spent?

Linda Burney (Barton, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Indigenous Australians) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'm about to tell you if you stop. Twenty-five million dollars was expended to keep those youth services open. That's the first thing. The second thing is that recently I announced an $18.4 million package in terms of FASD, ADHD and other neurological issues faced by children in Central Australia. For the Congress of First Peoples, which is the Aboriginal medical service out there, this means that they can reach double the number of children that were previously part of the FASD program.

We have also expended money through Minister Clare—$40.1 million—in terms of the schools right across Central Australia. This means schools like Yuendumu get an extra $1.4 to $1.8 million. So $40.1 million across schools in Central Australia has been expended. We have spent $2 million on the Tangentyere women's service, which means that they are able to service more people in the town camps when it comes to domestic violence.

We've expended over $100,000 in Katherine in terms of the legal service there that particularly serves women that have been victims of domestic violence. We are laying out plans now, working with the local government association, for $18 million into justice reinvestment programs.

That is not everything, but it gives you a very good example of what we're doing in Central Australia. We take our responsibilities there extremely seriously.