Glenn Sterle (WA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Indigenous Affairs, Senator Scullion. Minister, is Mr Pat Dodson, first Chairman of the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation, correct when he says:

It is not a "lifestyle choice" to be born in and live in a remote Aboriginal community. It is more a decision to value connection to country, to look after family, to foster language and celebrate our culture.

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

I do not really want to reflect or show my opinion on what Mr Dodson said in terms of lifestyle choices. But as you and I know, Senator Sterle, you are on the ground a lot.

Opposition Senators:

Opposition senators interjecting—

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

I will take the interjection. What I know about this is that I was on the ground the entire week this conversation was happening, and I can promise you the only thing that was not suggested to me was something about lifestyle choices. What the people on the ground—if you had bothered to be there—would suggest is that they were simply part of a conversation that was involving their future that did not involve them. That is what, fundamentally, they are interested in.

I try very hard in this portfolio not to politicise these matters, but there was a whole suite of processes that happened under your watch around provision of the funding for municipal services and a whole range of existing processes around Australia, which you attempted to do but failed to do. We have taken up that same opportunity, and we have been successful. I am just not interested in providing some sort of by-line commentary on what the very respected Mr Dodson says about the motivation for people living in communities.

Glenn Sterle (WA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. Minister, is Mr Warren Mundine, chair of the Prime Minister's Indigenous Advisory Council, correct when he says of the Prime Minister's comments about lifestyle choices for Indigenous Australians:

That is a complete misconception of what it is and he's wrong in that regard.

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

Again, those are matters for Mr Mundine. Mr Mundine is entitled, as is Mr Dodson, to have a response to what seems to be the new convention in this area, which is this word-annoying: we will take one word, and then we will go along to an Indigenous leader—

Opposition Senators:

Opposition senators interjecting—

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

We have had a couple of them: we have used 'cave' and 'lifestyle'. They are two things we have used. We will wave them in front of people, out of context, and we will say, 'How do you feel about that?' You have to go and answer the question. Invariably they say, 'Oh, I'm not sure,' or, 'That seems a bit odd.' Of course it is, because it was not provided in the context of the statement that was provided.

To be honest, I am not sure exactly what you think is the motivation for continuing to talk about issues that are in the margins. I can tell you what the people of Western Australia want to talk about, Senator Sterle, and that is the provision of services: 'Am I going to be included in a decision made by the Western Australian government or not?' That is a real matter for them, and it should be for us in this place. (Time expired)

Glenn Sterle (WA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question as a very proud Western Australian who talks to more Western Australians than most people in this room. Minister, is Mr Noel Pearson correct when he describes the Prime Minister's comments as 'disappointing', 'hopeless' and 'a disgraceful turn of events'?

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

No, he is not correct on any of those. As I said many times in the media last week, we should reflect on what the people who live in those communities are thinking. It is not about these issues in the margins; it is about making sure that they are included front and centre in the conversations about their future. At the moment, everyone is managing to have a conversation without involving those communities. I have indicated to the Western Australian government, both by calls to the Premier's office and by my presentations in the media, that that is exactly what they want to do, because there are 150 communities that right at the moment are not receiving services and are not even vaguely being considered for removal of those services, but they are themselves concerned that there may be some issue because of what has been in the media. So I have indicated to the Western Australian government that they should ensure that they bring forward their consultation process to ensure that there is no confusion in this very important area.