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

I thank the Senator for the question. As the senator would be aware, we know that economic development is the key to improving the lives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians and their communities. The choice facing Indigenous Australians is: who do you select? What government would you select to support the right balances and economic development? Through our procurement policy we have 956 Indigenous businesses winning Commonwealth contracts today. In 2012-13, under the policies of those opposite, we had 30. Under our policies, we had 594 million in contracts in the first two years. Your figure was 6.2 million. In the senator's home state of Western Australia, we see the number of contracts awarded to Indigenous businesses has absolutely exploded, including a $4 million defence contract awarded to CareyMC. They are doing an absolutely wonderful job. Is it any wonder that Indigenous leaders, from Marshall Langton to Warren Mundine have described our IPP policies—the policies of this side—as the greatest policies in Indigenous affairs since Federation. (Time expired)