Greens MLC Tammy Franks says ; The minister should have visited the lands, should have investigated more, seeks to take away democracy and no local government would take this. She is wrong on all points.
SUPPORTED BY THE LIBERALS the Labour Minister introduced the amendments to the APY act which will allow the Minister and ICAC to step in.
Reportedly Greens MLC Tammy Franks said Mr Hunter had not undertaken due diligence to investigate the issues involved. Or visited the region since taking on the portfolio 14 months ago.
The State Minister’s report writers investigating these specific issues visited the APY lands:
First visit to APY Lands: 8-12 October 2013 .................................................................................................... 26
Second visit to APY Lands: 17 October 2013 ................................................................................................... 27
Third visit to APY Lands: 4-7 November 2013 ................................................................................................. 28
Fourth visit to APY Lands: 13-15 November 2013 ........................................................................................... 30
Fifth visit to APY Lands: 4 December 2013 ...................................................................................................... 32
Sixth visit to APY Lands: 12-18 January 2014 ................................................................................................. 33
Seventh visit to APY Lands: 20-21 February 2014 including the Special General Meeting ............................ 37
Eighth visit to APY Lands: 12 March 2014 ...................................................................................................... 42
The team of eminent volunteers, were
The Hon Robyn Layton AO QC
Presently an Adjunct Professor at the University of South Australia School of Law. Prior to September 2010 she was a Judge of the Supreme Court of South Australia until she resigned in order to further her current interests. Her legal career has spanned more than 40 years. Her strong connection with Aboriginal issues began in the late 1960’s after she went into partnership with the late Honourable Elliott Johnston AO QC. Her work included pro bono legal work for Aboriginal people: solicitor for the Central Aboriginal Land Rights team from 1972-1974, whose report formed a foundations for the Central Aboriginal Land Council; acting as a barrister in the Hindmarsh Island litigation in State and Federal Courts and also in the Royal Commission on behalf of either the ALRM or the women who claimed protection for their beliefs. She is currently Chair of the Advisory Committee for the Australian Centre for Protection; a member of the NJCA Justice Indigenous Committee SA and Co Chairs of Reconciliation SA.
The Hon John Hill MP
John Hill was elected to the House of Assembly as the member for Kaurna in 1997. He became a member of the Rann Cabinet in 2002 and held various positions including Minister for Environment and Conservation, Minister for Health and Ageing and Minister for the Arts. In each of these roles he visited the APY lands, having first visited the lands in the mid 1980s while working as an advisor to then Minister for Education and Aboriginal Affairs,Hon Greg Crafter. In January 2013 John announced that he was stepping down from Cabinet and not contesting the next State election.
April Lawrie-Smith
April is the Director of the Aboriginal Health Branch in the South Australian Department of Health and over the last seven years has provided leadership in Aboriginal health policy development. For four years prior to that she was the Aboriginal Justice Director in the Attorney General’s Department. April heralds from the Mirning and Kokatha people of the far west coast of South Australia, with many family and relatives living in and around Ceduna. Over the last 23 years April has contributed to the formation of policy at the state and national level, and excellence in service innovation and community development with regard to Aboriginal health, child protection, family support and foster care, justice and social services, across metro and regional areas, including rural/ remote. April has also proudly served as an inaugural delegate to the National Congress of Australia’s First Peoples.
Harry Miller
Harry is the Chief Executive Officer of the Port Lincoln Aboriginal Health Service in South Australia, where he has worked for the last seven years. Most recently he has lead the Port Lincoln Aboriginal Health Service through a whole of organisation accreditation process. He previously worked across government in many agencies including as Regional Chairperson of the Wangka Wilurarra Regional Council. He has also worked on the review of the Aboriginal Lands Trust Act and been a member of the South Australian Aboriginal Consultative Committee. His other areas of interest in Aboriginal affairs are education, social services, vocational education and training and community capacity development. He is as well an avid sport follower with the Mallee Park Football Club and have been involved with the Koonibba Football Club.
Harry believes the work he has been involved in over the last twelve years will help Aboriginal communities to develop quality leaders and ensure effective family wellbeing outcomes for the community through developing policies that maintain Aboriginal self management and self determination.
THE TEAM REPORTED TO THE MINISTER TWICE, The Parliament has not, as accused by the Greens, set out to strip democratic rights but seeks to restore them to the rank and file Anangu.
"We are apparently in a crisis mode and stripping the democratic rights of the people of the APY Lands," said. Greens MLC Tammy Franks
The Report writers say the Rank and file want but are not getting:
equal numbers of men and women on the APY Executive
• a new election system that allows:
• smaller communities to be represented on the APYE3
• all Anangu to have a right to vote in the election for APYE members,
• standards for candidates for election to the APYE, in addition to being Anangu and over the age of 18 years. Candidates should:
• be physically and mentally fit to do the work of the APYE
• have no convictions for serious offences, which need to be confirmed by a police clearance. This would not include less serious offences, for example, driving and minor alcohol related offences
• live on the APY Lands but also live in the community the candidate seeks to represent
• report to the APYE about what their community wants the APYE to do and also report back to the community about decisions made by the APYE after each meeting
• APYE members to maintain these standards upon which they were elected
• support for pre-election information in communities about the work of the APYE and election processes. Post-election induction training for APYE members about APYE business as well as discussing how men and women may work together respectfully on the APYE
• ways to encourage and support younger men and women to stand for and become members of the APYE
• some support for the idea of a separate economic advisory committee to provide
"No council would accept this Parliament acting in such a way and no local government would accept this Parliament acting and riding rough-shod over them in such a way." said. Greens MLC Tammy Franks
No other Council excludes outsider observers, no other Council has control of so many aspects of community life. No other council has presided over the most terrible and vile contemporary history reported in the State. No other council has reportedly sacked its manager for failing to provide funds to its Chairman on a Saturday night at the Alice Springs Casino!
There are between 2000 and 3000 people, depending on which reports you prefer, who live on “The Lands”. By no stretch of the imagination can it be said that the Act’s purpose “to provide for efficient and accountable administration and management of the lands by Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara” has being remotely met while under the control of the Indigenous APY Board for the last 20 years. Now with 7 managers in the last 5 years.
The Mullighan Inquiry into sexual abuse was informed that Anangu girls accept that they will be sexually abused. They do not consent to the sexually abusive activity. It is expected of them. They simply believe that resistance is futile. The abuse occurs in over-crowded houses and elsewhere in communities.
The Advertiser this reports that sexual abuse continues and crosses all barriers and includes children of both sexes.
The children of the lands are crying out for someone who has the power to stand up to the Management Board when they make bad decisions.
The Ministerial Appointment of an administrator for the APY Lands is the way forward. It needs someone who cannot get sacked for trying to make good decisions. Such as not providing casino funds on a Saturday night.
This is now the only way that APY land residents can be brought into the first world. Dr. Layton’s report can then be used to amend the Statute and re-set the indigenous management structure.