Lidia Thorpe (Victoria, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

This question is for the Minister for Indigenous Australians, Minister McCarthy. Minister, I understand that approximately 90 applicants for the latest round of justice reinvestment grants were recently informed that their applications would not even be considered. This decision reeks of disregard for those fighting to make meaningful change on the ground. Can you confirm the total number of applicants that were sent this letter and how many were from organisations that were First Nations controlled and operated?

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I understand that that program is, in fact, administered in the Attorney-General's portfolio. I'm happy for you to either redirect the question or address it to the minister representing the Attorney-General. I'm not trying to be difficult. I think it's a program that's not covered by Senator McCarthy's portfolio but is—

Lidia Thorpe (Victoria, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Shut your mouth!

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

Senator Thorpe, come to order. Senator Thorpe!

Lidia Thorpe (Victoria, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

You need to open your eyes, President.

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

Senator Thorpe! Withdraw that comment.

Lidia Thorpe (Victoria, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

How come you tell me off—

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

Senator Thorpe, withdraw the comment.

Lidia Thorpe (Victoria, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

They are having a go at me. You don't hear them, do you?

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

Senator Thorpe, you are not in a debate with me. You either withdraw the comment you just made—

Lidia Thorpe (Victoria, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I withdraw.

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

No, you need to stand and withdraw.

Lidia Thorpe (Victoria, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I withdraw.

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

Thank you. Senator Polley, I'm not quite sure what you said—

Lidia Thorpe (Victoria, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

No, it was her in the purple dress.

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

Senator Thorpe, if you can't come to order then I will rule that you not be heard. I am trying to work out what happened. I do not need your interjections. If there was a disorderly comment—I thought it was Senator Polley, but my apologies if it wasn't—I am inviting whoever it was to withdraw in the interests of the chamber.

Catryna Bilyk (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I withdraw.

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

Thank you, Senator Bilyk. Minister Watt.

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator Thorpe. This government has made significant new investments when it comes to justice matters involving First Nations people. We've particularly made investments through our National Justice Reinvestment Program that are entirely designed to support the legal needs of First Nations people in a wide variety of communities right across the country. Many of the organisations are of course in remote communities, and they span a range of Indigenous corporations, leaders groups and legal services. As recently as September this year, Minister McCarthy and the Attorney-General jointly announced an additional six organisations selected to deliver justice reinvestment initiatives, everywhere from the—

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

Minister Watt, please resume your seat. Senator Thorpe?

Lidia Thorpe (Victoria, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It's relevance. The question is that there are 90 applicants; 90 mob have reached out saying, 'What's going on with this minister here?'

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

Senator Thorpe, please resume your seat. You don't need to repeat the question. The minister is being relevant. You did talk about a particular program. The minister is responding to the first part of your question.

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As I say, Senator Thorpe—through you, President—there are a wide variety of organisations that have been funded already by the government through our Justice Reinvestment Program. I don't know the circumstances of the groups that you're referring to. But it is not unusual that through funding programs there are more applicants seeking funding than can be provided funding. So it may well be the case that some of the organisations that you're talking about did apply unsuccessfully for funding, but I can take you through the list of organisations that have received funding.

In February this year we funded nine organisations to deliver justice reinvestment initiatives across a number of states. In April we funded an additional 10 organisations to deliver justice reinvestment initiatives. In September an additional six organisations were selected to deliver justice reinvestment initiatives. And they are of course in addition to our early investments in Alice Springs and Halls Creek. I understand that maybe not everyone was successful, but there are a lot of groups getting funding as well. (Time expired)

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

Senator Thorpe, first supplementary?

Lidia Thorpe (Victoria, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Can you please outline the reasons for the 90 that weren't considered after their application? They want an answer.

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I don't think, Senator Thorpe, you would expect me to have the details of a tender process in a portfolio that I'm not the minister for. It is customary for feedback to be provided to applicants as to why they're unsuccessful. I'm happy to take on notice what I can provide about why those particular groups were unsuccessful, if in fact they did apply. I don't know whether they did or not.

As I've said to you, there are a very large number of organisations that have been funded, as a result of this government, in a way that hasn't been done before under previous governments. That's a good thing. These organisations are delivering important services to people who deserve that support, and that's exactly what our government will do going forward.

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

Senator Thorpe, second supplementary?

Lidia Thorpe (Victoria, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Applying for government grants is time consuming and diverts organisations' time and resources away from the urgent needs of our people. Will your government compensate those 90 applicants for the resources they wasted on a process that led nowhere?

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I would haven't thought we would be compensating groups who are unsuccessful in receiving government funding. Across every single portfolio of government there are far more organisations that apply for funding than it is possible to fund. We don't fund any groups who are unsuccessful in obtaining funding. I don't know whether the particular groups that you're talking about were eligible for funding. But the reality is that, from what I can see, there are a large number of organisations from every state and territory in the country who have received funding, ranging from the Cowra Information and Neighbourhood Centre Inc. to the Nja-marleya Cultural Leaders and Justice Group, in Maningrida, in the Northern Territory. Of course, it would be disappointing for those who missed out on funding, but it simply isn't possible to fund every organisation who seeks government funding, whether it be in this portfolio or in any other.