Cory Bernardi (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Families and Community Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to Senator Evans, the Minister representing the Minister for Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs. Why has the government moved to reintroduce the permit system and thereby erode measures in the Northern Territory emergency intervention ahead of the review of the intervention?

Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the senator for his question. The senator would be aware that the bill relating to these matters is scheduled for debate in the chamber tomorrow. I am not sure what the procedure is. I am happy to answer the question but if the senator is interested in the issue I invite him to join the debate on that measure tomorrow in the parliament. I know that Senator Scullion, who is distracted at the moment, will be engaged in that debate. He and I were engaged in it when the previous government sought to legislate in this area of permits. As I said, the issue will be dealt with by the Senate as early as tomorrow. We will have the debate then on the merits of the scheme. But, as I have outlined previously in the chamber, the Labor Party is of the view that the permit system provides some assistance in allowing the communities to control who comes onto their land. That assists them in keeping drugs and alcohol and criminals out of their communities. They say that it is an advantage to them in monitoring and controlling who comes onto their land.

This is about giving those communities the same sorts of rights that all Australians claim, which is to determine who comes onto their land. We all regard it as a natural right, if you like, that we can control who comes onto our properties. These Indigenous communities argue that community in determining who comes onto their land is important for them.

The debate about the permits has been held in this chamber a number of times. I know the opposition have a different view about it. We, though, have argued that the permits serve a useful purpose. They help deal with people seeking to run grog and drugs into these communities. Therefore we support the permits. We obviously also support, though, free access for government officials, police and others and will make sure that their access to communities is not impacted.

In terms of the scheme’s relationship to the review, the review of the Northern Territory intervention is, as I understand it, due by the end of September. So that review will be brought down shortly. Obviously the government will then respond to that. As I understand it there is bipartisan support for the review occurring to see how those measures have occurred. But we had this policy debate about the permits when the opposition were in government. It was our commitment to legislate to provide for permits being reapplied to Indigenous land. That election commitment by the Labor Party has been honoured. Unlike the current opposition we look to deliver on our election promises.

That legislation is about us delivering on an election commitment we made. We made a commitment to the Australian people that we would look to reinstitute permits and to give those communities the capacity to control who came onto their land. That is what we are going to do, Senator. If you want to oppose that or support it you will get your chance tomorrow. I hope that the opposition will rethink their positions and support the capacity of those communities to control who comes onto their land.

Cory Bernardi (SA, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Families and Community Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I have a supplementary question. If the government can act on this issue before the review is finalised and presented, why then won’t the government provide immediate relief to single age pensioners and support the coalition’s call to immediately increase the single age pension by $30 a week?

Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I think it is unfortunate that the opposition seek to trivialise the question of the support given to pensioners by not even giving them the respect of asking a primary question about the issue. What we did in the budget was to provide a down payment by putting $7.5 billion extra into supporting pensioners and carers. That was a down payment on what needs to be fundamental reform. We accept that they are doing it tough, but they did it tough for 12 long years, when the Howard government did nothing for them. What we have done is make a serious down payment on assisting those pensioners and we will institute fundamental reform.

Opposition Senators:

Opposition senators interjecting—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Evans, resume your seat. When there is order I will ask you to continue. Senator Evans.

Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I made it very clear that this government is serious about fundamental reform to assist those living on fixed incomes. Stunts like that by Dr Nelson that leave out $2.2 million for pensioners do the opposition no credit at all. (Time expired)