Linda Reynolds (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Indigenous Affairs, Senator Scullion. Can the minister explain to the Senate how the coalition government is supporting the delivery of municipal and essential services in remote Indigenous communities?

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

I thank Senator Reynolds for the question. This government is focused on delivering better outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and ensuring that our first Australians can expect the same—if not better—levels of service as other Australians. That is why we have been working with state governments to reform the delivery of municipal and essential service in remote Indigenous communities to ensure services like rubbish collection and the provision of water and power are provided by state and local government with funding provided by the Commonwealth financial assistance grants, as they are in every other community. What needs to be put on the public record is that communities are not closing and services have not been reduced.

Sue Lines (WA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Tell that to the Western Australian community.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Lines!

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

Municipal and essential services are continuing to be delivered by the Commonwealth until the end of June, when the Western Australian government has agreed to take over these services. The Premier of Western Australia, Colin Barnett, confirmed that services would continue when he spoke on the steps of the Western Australia house of parliament last week and said no Aboriginal people would be forced to move from their traditional lands and communities. Last month, the Western Australian government confirmed that the funding provided by the Commonwealth would keep all community funding arrangements in place. It is great to see that state governments are taking up their responsibilities for Indigenous communities, something it does for every other town, city and state. This government will continue working with state and territory government to ensure that services are delivering outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities by making sure that governments work better and are more focused on delivering services on the ground.

Senator Lines interjecting—

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order, Senator Lines!

Linda Reynolds (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. Can the minister update the Senate on the future of service delivery for these communities? Also, can he advise what damage there has been from the scaremongering about the closure of these communities?

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

As I said, the Western Australian government have confirmed that services are continuing in remote communities in Western Australia. No communities have been closed because of the transition and services will continue at existing levels from 1 July 2015. I can advise that, rather than using my position to speculate and create unnecessary fear, I have been working with ministers in Western Australia and other states to ensure there is no closure of communities.

Sue Lines (WA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I bet they welcomed you with open arms!

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

I am disappointed, Senator Lines, with senators opposite who are making claims that communities are closing or, even worse, that traditional owners are being forced off their land when they know this is not the case. It is unhelpful when senators opposite are tweeting that traditional owners have been forced off the land when they know this is not the case. So I call on those opposite to take a lead from this government and focus on delivering better outcomes for our first Australians, rather than misleading them.

Linda Reynolds (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. Will the minister inform the Senate how the reforms to municipal and essential services in remote communities have contributed to this government's efforts to deliver better outcomes for Indigenous Australians?

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

I thank the senator, again, for the question. This government is focused on making a change in Indigenous affairs and achieving actual results for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. Under successive governments, billions of dollars have been spent over decades with little to show in remote communities. The continuation of municipal and essential services funding, just in remote Aboriginal communities, is the kind of complicated arrangement that plagued Indigenous affairs under the former Labor government. Instead of supporting complicated bureaucratic funding arrangements, we are focussing on our three priorities in Indigenous affairs: children need to attend school on a more regular basis; adults need to be engaged in work, training for jobs and more purposeful activities; and we need to keep Indigenous communities safe. This is what Indigenous communities have been asking for and telling me, and that is why these are the government's priorities in Indigenous affairs.