Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Indigenous Affairs, Senator Scullion. Can the minister confirm that, on top of the $500 million cut to Indigenous affairs programs in the 2014 budget, the Turnbull government has cut a further $17.8 million? Why is the Turnbull government cutting more money from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander programs when the latest closing the gap report shows key targets, including life expectancy, are not on track?

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

The $17 million that the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate is referring to is the same indexation halt that we have had in years previous. I am not sure why this is particularly exceptional. We have not made cuts out of this area. In previous years, there was a pause on indexation, and that has been the case this year. The reason, of course, why we have had to pause this indexation—as you would well know, Senator Wong, as finance minister in the previous government—is that we have had to ensure that the repairs to the budget is covered right across the portfolios, as it was last year and the year before. This is not a particular cut to a program. As we have said before and demonstrated time and time again in this place, we have been sophisticated enough to ensure that there have been absolutely no cuts to frontline services under the previous government or under this government.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I have a supplementary question. Is the campaign steering committee for the closing the gap initiative right to say that the minister's Indigenous advancement strategy, which he referenced, had a '… disproportionately negative impact on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations and communities'?

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

I find it very difficult in any circumstances to understand how the investment of multiple billions of dollars in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander affairs can somehow have a negative impact. I will say there is no doubt at all that, in repairing how things were being done under the 150 different programs of the previous government, we ensured not only that were we getting value of money but that we were actually getting and buying an outcome.

There are organisations who are unhappy with that; there is no doubt about that. There are organisations that were unhappy that they were replaced with organisations that got the job done—invariably, Indigenous organisations. Ensuring that we employ more Indigenous organisations—an increase of 10 per cent—and ensuring that we are getting the job done with the right providers has offended some providers. There are always going to be those people who say, 'You are taking the money from us and giving it to others.' I do not think that has had a negative impact at all. (Time expired)

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. Does the minister support the comments of the member for Tangney, Mr Jensen, who describes Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as 'noble savages' and says that government services should not be provided to remote communities because:

… the taxpayers of Australia should not be funding lifestyle choices.

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

In this place, those remarks are usually described as 'unhelpful' by Mr Jensen. No, I do not support his remarks in any way.