Nigel Scullion (NT, Country Liberal Party, Minister for Indigenous Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

For many years successive Commonwealth governments have been funding municipal services in remote Indigenous communities using this inconsistent and confused approach. Since 2010 the former government—those opposite—announced their intention on an almost yearly basis to transition out of this funding arrangement but each year, extending the funding for another 12 months, failed to reach agreement. This is a significant achievement and I congratulate the Queensland, Victorian, Tasmanian and Western Australian governments on reaching the agreement with the Commonwealth.

Whilst I am disappointed at this stage that the South Australian government has not taken on responsibility for its residents in remote Aboriginal communities, I remain hopeful that we will be able to come to an agreement. My door remains open for the South Australian government to negotiate an agreement, so we can ensure the Aboriginal communities in their state are not left behind.