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

I thank Senator McKenzie for her question. I can advise the Senate that I have now approved spending of $860 million over four years for projects through the grant funding round. This spending covers 1,297 projects right across Australia. These projects will support the Abbott government's key objectives in Indigenous affairs of getting kids to school, getting adults into work and making sure that communities are safe.

When we came into government at the end of 2013, we brought most Indigenous-specific services into the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. There were 150 separate programs and services. These myriad programs were burying providers in red tape, some employing staff specifically to meet the reporting requirements of government across multiple funding streams. We had to bite the bullet. We have streamlined those 150 programs and services into five programs. We could have stuck with the old ways, but, as the latest Closing the Gap report revealed, we are not getting anywhere near closing the gap. As the saying goes, if we keep doing things the same way, we will get the same result.

That is not an approach that is good enough for this government—or indeed, I suspect, for this parliament. It is certainly not an approach that is good enough for some of the most disadvantaged people in our community. For the first time, this government has taken a holistic look at a whole range of services being delivered to support our first Australians in achieving their aspirations—aspirations which are no different from those of others in our community: a better future for the next generation.