David Johnston (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Justice and Customs) Share this | Hansard source

I am obliged to the senator for her interest in the subject matter. The opposition and minor parties are opposed to this mechanism. It is clearly an accountability mechanism. The native title regime is not about the process. Senator—through you, Chair—you used the word ‘industry’. It is not about the native title industry. This is about claimants and delivering outcomes for claimants. That is the priority; that is the focus that we seek to have. Fixed terms are integral to a more efficient, effective and accountable system. That is the intent: accountability, performance and benchmarking.

Representative bodies that are good performers have nothing to fear. Bureaucratic, slow, ponderous, process driven representative bodies that are not focused on outcomes have a lot to be fearful of. Indeed, their constituents have a lot to be pleased about with respect to these provisions. Poor performers should be wary. Native title claimants deserve much better than they have been getting. Public funding needs to be used in efficient and accountable ways, and that is the motivation for this. I am very interested to hear whether learned senators are opposed to these principles.

Fixed terms will not be unduly disruptive. The application process requires a minimal amount of paperwork. The opposition have said that fixed terms will undermine the ability of representative bodies to attract staff into the future. We see that a better performing representative body will have much more respect, be much more administratively competent and be able to perform in a much more professional way. On that basis, it should attract more employees. I do not think that I can say any more other than to reiterate that this is about accountability; it is not about ‘the industry’.