Jan McLucas (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Mental Health) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Indigenous Affairs, Senator Scullion. I refer to the minister's comments that vegemite is a precursor to misery in many remote Indigenous communities, where the minister has alleged that the popular spread is used to brew alcohol. Does he stand by his comment that children were failing to turn up to school because they were too hung-over as a result of consuming the home brew? What evidence does the minister have to support these allegations?

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

On 20 May this year, in the company of three senators, I attended upon Mornington Island at the invitation of that island. We took evidence from the police force; we took evidence from their justice agency; we took evidence from the health centre. All said that the current issues facing Mornington Island were because of the home brew, which they described as being made from fruit juice, sugar and vegemite. It may be the case that there was some sort of placebo that they did not need. I would not know. But let me tell you a reflection from the month before. There were 186 charges on 72 persons in a community of 750, the vast majority being home brew. Many were breaches of domestic violence orders so they could again beat those people. It leaves me in absolutely no doubt that this is a serious issue and should not be made a laughing stock of. The fact that I have to continue to deal with this and rebut the silliness in the media is because I do not wish to further stigmatise communities in this way in the media. I am very disappointed that those on the other side have seen fit to continue to pursue this matter as if it is a laughing stock. All you have to do is to look back in the media—

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

Pause the clock. Senator Moore, on a point of order?

Government senators interjecting—

Order on my right! Senator Moore has the right to be heard.

Honourable senators interjecting—

Senator Wong!

Claire Moore (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Women) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I raise a point of order. It is on direct relevance of an answer. The question was focused on what evidence the minister has to support these allegations. There was no evidence. I ask you to draw the minister's attention to the question.

Honourable senators interjecting—

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

Order! I do not need assistance. Senator Moore, there is certainly no point of order. Senator Scullion's opening remarks indicated where he got the direct evidence from, which was a direct part of the question. You have the call, Minister.

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

Can I just read a few news items. Perhaps those on the other side could follow some of this. There were some concerns in November 2009 that a fatal brew would be made. 29 June 2010: yes, a man aged 40 died after drinking an alcoholic drink brewed from vegemite on an island community in the Gulf of Carpentaria. The evidence goes on and on. I do not have time to get through it here. 2 July: an Anglican minister, Reverend John Adams, calls. He said he was so overwhelmed with the brew that children as young as 11 are risking their lives drinking this potent concoction. (Time expired)

Jan McLucas (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Mental Health) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. I refer to the minister's call to restrict sales of vegemite in dry and remote Indigenous communities and the Prime Minister's statement that 'the last thing I want to do is have a vegemite watch.' Who is correct—the minister or the Prime Minister?

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

The Prime Minister, as the senator has accurately quoted, was quite right. He did not call for a vegemite watch, and nor did I. I had an unsolicited request from a journalist who tried, time and time again, which has been recorded. She said, 'Will you ban vegemite?' I said, 'No, don't be stupid.' 'Will you do this, will you do that?' We talked about the precursors to misery; we talked about detergent; we talked about restrictions on petrol. We talked about the great work that had been done by CAYLUS in actually itemising normal processes of life, issues around detergents, paint and other substances used in chroming. You learn the lesson in this game of who to talk to and who not to talk to. I will not be speaking to that journalist again. I have never said that, and there is no evidence to say that I have said any such thing.

Senator O'Sullivan interjecting—

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

Senator O'Sullivan! Senator McLucas, do you have a supplementary question?

Doug Cameron (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator O'Sullivan owns half of Mornington Island!

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

Senator Cameron, you have a colleague on her feet.

Jan McLucas (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Mental Health) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. If the minister is concerned about alcohol abuse in remote Indigenous communities, why has the minister implemented just one of 23 community alcohol management plans for the Northern Territory since coming to office almost two years ago?

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

I will just correct the senator. There were 23 community alcohol management plans. Under your legislation, Senator—through you, Mr President—they were reduced to eight, because the others were noncompliant. I have not only dealt with one; I have dealt with all eight. I have rejected seven and I have accepted one. Of the seven applications that I rejected, most were rejected because they actually introduced more alcohol into communities, and I am someone who has been on the record—and I am unlikely to change my stance—saying that I have never seen more alcohol in the community help things.