Pauline Hanson (Queensland, Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Indigenous Australians, Senator Gallagher. I have previously asked questions and written to the Prime Minister and to Ministers Burney and Rishworth about investigations into alleged corruption at Aboriginal Community Services, or ACS, an Adelaide based Indigenous organisation supposed to be providing aged-care assistance in South Australia's APY Lands. I have had no response to any of it. Will the minister please confirm if ACS has been placed into administration or receivership, and if not, will the minister please identify the people leading this organisation and managing its taxpayer funding?

Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Hanson for the question and for the heads up that she was going to ask a question around this. This organisation, Aboriginal Community Services, is registered under South Australian law. It's not within the jurisdiction of the federal Registrar of Indigenous Corporations. Therefore, its administration is a matter for the South Australian government.

I'm not sure if I heard your question correctly. I understood that the Minister for Indigenous Australians had written to you, although I heard you say in your question that that she hadn't. I will chase that up. In terms of investigations that would be done by the Commonwealth, I think the answer is that this is a matter under the South Australian law. I do have a response from Minister Burney to you, Senator Hanson, on 4 September this year, when she confirmed that in writing to you and that that organisation has not received funding from the National Indigenous Australians Agency. It did enter into voluntary liquidation on 5 May 2022. I don't know if that is helpful for you, but as far as the information I've been able to provide for you today, that's the advice that I have.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Hanson, a first supplementary?

Pauline Hanson (Queensland, Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I have also previously asked questions about the status of an investigation into alleged corruption by leaders of the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Corporation, or NATSIC. Will the minister please confirm if this investigation has now been made the responsibility of the Office of the Registrar of Indigenous Corporations, or ORIC, more than two yours after the investigation was moved from ORIC to the Department of Social Services because of ORIC's incapacity to do the job?

Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Hanson for the question. I understand that DSS has referred NATSIC to the Office of the Registrar of Indigenous Corporations for consideration of potential offences under the CATSI Act. The registrar, who is an independent statutory officeholder, does not make public comment on whether an investigation into offences under the CATSI Act is underway or not, so as not to jeopardise any investigations or regulatory actions. I also note that NATSIC entered voluntary liquidation on 5 May 2022.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Hanson, second supplementary?

Pauline Hanson (Queensland, Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thousands of Indigenous corporations, land councils and charities have for decades been provided with hundreds of billions of taxpayer dollars intended to address Indigenous disadvantage and close the gaps. The referendum has exposed this industry and its failure, and Australians are demanding answers. Minister, when will the Albanese Labor government undertake a crucial comprehensive audit of this money and these organisations to determine why they have failed to close the gaps?

Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

There are a number of ways, and I think we've spoken about this before. The Audit Office has tabled reports into the administration of the arrangements under the National Indigenous Australians Agency, and those recommendations have been implemented by NIAA. Since 2014, ANAO has conducted more than 20 performance audits into Indigenous affairs. The ANAO report released earlier this year found that NIAA was not meeting legislated requirements in certain areas, and compliance systems have been put in place. It was under the former government, of course, that that audit was taken.

I would also say that what we do see, across the community services sector, is that you do need to have in place appropriate avenues for investigations where there are allegations of concern. (Time expired)