❓ Question criticises closure of regional Indigenous Affairs offices, querying resource allocation. Minister defends closures, citing ineffective inherited model and shift to integrated service delivery.
AnsweredQoN 742Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
I refer the minister to the Premier’s response to the Gordon inquiry into sexual abuse in Aboriginal communities in which he stated that it was better to spend funds on services in the regions than on offices in Perth. (1) Will the minister confirm that as part of the Labor Government’s razor gang, 16 offices of the Department of Indigenous Affairs in regional Western Australia have been closed in areas including Carnarvon, Fitzroy Crossing, Halls Creek and Onslow? (2) Will the minister confirm that more regional offices of the Department of Indigenous Affairs will be closed; and, if so, how many and in which locations? (3) How does the minister reconcile his decision to pull resources from indigenous people in the country with his Government’s claims that country areas are where services are needed? Mr A.J. CARPENTER
AnswerView source ↗
(1)-(3) There is a fundamental difference between having an office and having resources to address a problem. One of the problems inherited from the previous Government was the model it established to deliver - with the best of intentions - services to Aboriginal people. I have told the House this several times. The previous Government established a model of local area coordination for Aboriginal affairs based on a model used by disability services. The big difference between indigenous affairs and disability services is that being an Aboriginal is not a disability. We do not require one person for every 50 Aboriginal people in the State to try to link them with government services or provide them with fundamental services. That is what other government departments are for. The Government had to decide whether it should continue expending precious resources on single-person offices across the State that were achieving nothing. Ms S.E. Walker interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, member for Nedlands! Mr A.J. CARPENTER: The Government had to decide whether it wanted to achieve something with the human resources available in the department. The Government decided to do that; it wants to achieve things. The Government embarked upon the process of closing down single-person offices across Western Australia because they were achieving nothing. One of the first things that the leadership of the Aboriginal community asked me to do as a new minister was to seriously consider shutting down the entire Department of Indigenous Affairs because it was being used as an instrument of oppression rather than of use to Aboriginal people. If members think of the history of the department, they will understand why. The Government has embarked upon the right course. Human resources are now being allocated more effectively. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr A.J. CARPENTER: The human resources are being used in partnership with local government, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission and other government departments to deliver the services that Aboriginal people in Western Australia should receive. The Government is doing the right thing. The Government inherited a model that was bound to fail and was failing. The model put in place by the Government is working and will work. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: I call the members for Nedlands and Warren-Blackwood to order.
(1) Will the minister confirm that as part of the Labor Government’s razor gang, 16 offices of the Department of Indigenous Affairs in regional Western Australia have been closed in areas including Carnarvon, Fitzroy Crossing, Halls Creek and Onslow? (2) Will the minister confirm that more regional offices of the Department of Indigenous Affairs will be closed; and, if so, how many and in which locations? (3) How does the minister reconcile his decision to pull resources from indigenous people in the country with his Government’s claims that country areas are where services are needed? Mr A.J. CARPENTER replied: (1)-(3) There is a fundamental difference between having an office and having resources to address a problem. One of the problems inherited from the previous Government was the model it established to deliver - with the best of intentions - services to Aboriginal people. I have told the House this several times. The previous Government established a model of local area coordination for Aboriginal affairs based on a model used by disability services. The big difference between indigenous affairs and disability services is that being an Aboriginal is not a disability. We do not require one person for every 50 Aboriginal people in the State to try to link them with government services or provide them with fundamental services. That is what other government departments are for. The Government had to decide whether it should continue expending precious resources on single-person offices across the State that were achieving nothing. Ms S.E. Walker interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, member for Nedlands! Mr A.J. CARPENTER: The Government had to decide whether it wanted to achieve something with the human resources available in the department. The Government decided to do that; it wants to achieve things. The Government embarked upon the process of closing down single-person offices across Western Australia because they were achieving nothing. One of the first things that the leadership of the Aboriginal community asked me to do as a new minister was to seriously consider shutting down the entire Department of Indigenous Affairs because it was being used as an instrument of oppression rather than of use to Aboriginal people. If members think of the history of the department, they will understand why. The Government has embarked upon the right course. Human resources are now being allocated more effectively. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr A.J. CARPENTER: The human resources are being used in partnership with local government, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission and other government departments to deliver the services that Aboriginal people in Western Australia should receive. The Government is doing the right thing. The Government inherited a model that was bound to fail and was failing. The model put in place by the Government is working and will work. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: I call the members for Nedlands and Warren-Blackwood to order.
(2) Will the minister confirm that more regional offices of the Department of Indigenous Affairs will be closed; and, if so, how many and in which locations? (3) How does the minister reconcile his decision to pull resources from indigenous people in the country with his Government’s claims that country areas are where services are needed? Mr A.J. CARPENTER replied: (1)-(3) There is a fundamental difference between having an office and having resources to address a problem. One of the problems inherited from the previous Government was the model it established to deliver - with the best of intentions - services to Aboriginal people. I have told the House this several times. The previous Government established a model of local area coordination for Aboriginal affairs based on a model used by disability services. The big difference between indigenous affairs and disability services is that being an Aboriginal is not a disability. We do not require one person for every 50 Aboriginal people in the State to try to link them with government services or provide them with fundamental services. That is what other government departments are for. The Government had to decide whether it should continue expending precious resources on single-person offices across the State that were achieving nothing. Ms S.E. Walker interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, member for Nedlands! Mr A.J. CARPENTER: The Government had to decide whether it wanted to achieve something with the human resources available in the department. The Government decided to do that; it wants to achieve things. The Government embarked upon the process of closing down single-person offices across Western Australia because they were achieving nothing. One of the first things that the leadership of the Aboriginal community asked me to do as a new minister was to seriously consider shutting down the entire Department of Indigenous Affairs because it was being used as an instrument of oppression rather than of use to Aboriginal people. If members think of the history of the department, they will understand why. The Government has embarked upon the right course. Human resources are now being allocated more effectively. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr A.J. CARPENTER: The human resources are being used in partnership with local government, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission and other government departments to deliver the services that Aboriginal people in Western Australia should receive. The Government is doing the right thing. The Government inherited a model that was bound to fail and was failing. The model put in place by the Government is working and will work. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: I call the members for Nedlands and Warren-Blackwood to order.
(3) How does the minister reconcile his decision to pull resources from indigenous people in the country with his Government’s claims that country areas are where services are needed? Mr A.J. CARPENTER replied: (1)-(3) There is a fundamental difference between having an office and having resources to address a problem. One of the problems inherited from the previous Government was the model it established to deliver - with the best of intentions - services to Aboriginal people. I have told the House this several times. The previous Government established a model of local area coordination for Aboriginal affairs based on a model used by disability services. The big difference between indigenous affairs and disability services is that being an Aboriginal is not a disability. We do not require one person for every 50 Aboriginal people in the State to try to link them with government services or provide them with fundamental services. That is what other government departments are for. The Government had to decide whether it should continue expending precious resources on single-person offices across the State that were achieving nothing. Ms S.E. Walker interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, member for Nedlands! Mr A.J. CARPENTER: The Government had to decide whether it wanted to achieve something with the human resources available in the department. The Government decided to do that; it wants to achieve things. The Government embarked upon the process of closing down single-person offices across Western Australia because they were achieving nothing. One of the first things that the leadership of the Aboriginal community asked me to do as a new minister was to seriously consider shutting down the entire Department of Indigenous Affairs because it was being used as an instrument of oppression rather than of use to Aboriginal people. If members think of the history of the department, they will understand why. The Government has embarked upon the right course. Human resources are now being allocated more effectively. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr A.J. CARPENTER: The human resources are being used in partnership with local government, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission and other government departments to deliver the services that Aboriginal people in Western Australia should receive. The Government is doing the right thing. The Government inherited a model that was bound to fail and was failing. The model put in place by the Government is working and will work. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: I call the members for Nedlands and Warren-Blackwood to order.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER replied: (1)-(3) There is a fundamental difference between having an office and having resources to address a problem. One of the problems inherited from the previous Government was the model it established to deliver - with the best of intentions - services to Aboriginal people. I have told the House this several times. The previous Government established a model of local area coordination for Aboriginal affairs based on a model used by disability services. The big difference between indigenous affairs and disability services is that being an Aboriginal is not a disability. We do not require one person for every 50 Aboriginal people in the State to try to link them with government services or provide them with fundamental services. That is what other government departments are for. The Government had to decide whether it should continue expending precious resources on single-person offices across the State that were achieving nothing. Ms S.E. Walker interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, member for Nedlands! Mr A.J. CARPENTER: The Government had to decide whether it wanted to achieve something with the human resources available in the department. The Government decided to do that; it wants to achieve things. The Government embarked upon the process of closing down single-person offices across Western Australia because they were achieving nothing. One of the first things that the leadership of the Aboriginal community asked me to do as a new minister was to seriously consider shutting down the entire Department of Indigenous Affairs because it was being used as an instrument of oppression rather than of use to Aboriginal people. If members think of the history of the department, they will understand why. The Government has embarked upon the right course. Human resources are now being allocated more effectively. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr A.J. CARPENTER: The human resources are being used in partnership with local government, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission and other government departments to deliver the services that Aboriginal people in Western Australia should receive. The Government is doing the right thing. The Government inherited a model that was bound to fail and was failing. The model put in place by the Government is working and will work. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: I call the members for Nedlands and Warren-Blackwood to order.
(1)-(3) There is a fundamental difference between having an office and having resources to address a problem. One of the problems inherited from the previous Government was the model it established to deliver - with the best of intentions - services to Aboriginal people. I have told the House this several times. The previous Government established a model of local area coordination for Aboriginal affairs based on a model used by disability services. The big difference between indigenous affairs and disability services is that being an Aboriginal is not a disability. We do not require one person for every 50 Aboriginal people in the State to try to link them with government services or provide them with fundamental services. That is what other government departments are for. The Government had to decide whether it should continue expending precious resources on single-person offices across the State that were achieving nothing. Ms S.E. Walker interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, member for Nedlands! Mr A.J. CARPENTER: The Government had to decide whether it wanted to achieve something with the human resources available in the department. The Government decided to do that; it wants to achieve things. The Government embarked upon the process of closing down single-person offices across Western Australia because they were achieving nothing. One of the first things that the leadership of the Aboriginal community asked me to do as a new minister was to seriously consider shutting down the entire Department of Indigenous Affairs because it was being used as an instrument of oppression rather than of use to Aboriginal people. If members think of the history of the department, they will understand why. The Government has embarked upon the right course. Human resources are now being allocated more effectively. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr A.J. CARPENTER: The human resources are being used in partnership with local government, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission and other government departments to deliver the services that Aboriginal people in Western Australia should receive. The Government is doing the right thing. The Government inherited a model that was bound to fail and was failing. The model put in place by the Government is working and will work. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: I call the members for Nedlands and Warren-Blackwood to order.
Ms S.E. Walker interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, member for Nedlands! Mr A.J. CARPENTER: The Government had to decide whether it wanted to achieve something with the human resources available in the department. The Government decided to do that; it wants to achieve things. The Government embarked upon the process of closing down single-person offices across Western Australia because they were achieving nothing. One of the first things that the leadership of the Aboriginal community asked me to do as a new minister was to seriously consider shutting down the entire Department of Indigenous Affairs because it was being used as an instrument of oppression rather than of use to Aboriginal people. If members think of the history of the department, they will understand why. The Government has embarked upon the right course. Human resources are now being allocated more effectively. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr A.J. CARPENTER: The human resources are being used in partnership with local government, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission and other government departments to deliver the services that Aboriginal people in Western Australia should receive. The Government is doing the right thing. The Government inherited a model that was bound to fail and was failing. The model put in place by the Government is working and will work. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: I call the members for Nedlands and Warren-Blackwood to order.
The SPEAKER: Order, member for Nedlands! Mr A.J. CARPENTER: The Government had to decide whether it wanted to achieve something with the human resources available in the department. The Government decided to do that; it wants to achieve things. The Government embarked upon the process of closing down single-person offices across Western Australia because they were achieving nothing. One of the first things that the leadership of the Aboriginal community asked me to do as a new minister was to seriously consider shutting down the entire Department of Indigenous Affairs because it was being used as an instrument of oppression rather than of use to Aboriginal people. If members think of the history of the department, they will understand why. The Government has embarked upon the right course. Human resources are now being allocated more effectively. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr A.J. CARPENTER: The human resources are being used in partnership with local government, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission and other government departments to deliver the services that Aboriginal people in Western Australia should receive. The Government is doing the right thing. The Government inherited a model that was bound to fail and was failing. The model put in place by the Government is working and will work. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: I call the members for Nedlands and Warren-Blackwood to order.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER: The Government had to decide whether it wanted to achieve something with the human resources available in the department. The Government decided to do that; it wants to achieve things. The Government embarked upon the process of closing down single-person offices across Western Australia because they were achieving nothing. One of the first things that the leadership of the Aboriginal community asked me to do as a new minister was to seriously consider shutting down the entire Department of Indigenous Affairs because it was being used as an instrument of oppression rather than of use to Aboriginal people. If members think of the history of the department, they will understand why. The Government has embarked upon the right course. Human resources are now being allocated more effectively. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr A.J. CARPENTER: The human resources are being used in partnership with local government, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission and other government departments to deliver the services that Aboriginal people in Western Australia should receive. The Government is doing the right thing. The Government inherited a model that was bound to fail and was failing. The model put in place by the Government is working and will work. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: I call the members for Nedlands and Warren-Blackwood to order.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr A.J. CARPENTER: The human resources are being used in partnership with local government, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission and other government departments to deliver the services that Aboriginal people in Western Australia should receive. The Government is doing the right thing. The Government inherited a model that was bound to fail and was failing. The model put in place by the Government is working and will work. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: I call the members for Nedlands and Warren-Blackwood to order.
The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr A.J. CARPENTER: The human resources are being used in partnership with local government, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission and other government departments to deliver the services that Aboriginal people in Western Australia should receive. The Government is doing the right thing. The Government inherited a model that was bound to fail and was failing. The model put in place by the Government is working and will work. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: I call the members for Nedlands and Warren-Blackwood to order.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER: The human resources are being used in partnership with local government, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission and other government departments to deliver the services that Aboriginal people in Western Australia should receive. The Government is doing the right thing. The Government inherited a model that was bound to fail and was failing. The model put in place by the Government is working and will work. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: I call the members for Nedlands and Warren-Blackwood to order.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: I call the members for Nedlands and Warren-Blackwood to order.
The SPEAKER: I call the members for Nedlands and Warren-Blackwood to order.
(1) Will the minister confirm that as part of the Labor Government’s razor gang, 16 offices of the Department of Indigenous Affairs in regional Western Australia have been closed in areas including Carnarvon, Fitzroy Crossing, Halls Creek and Onslow? (2) Will the minister confirm that more regional offices of the Department of Indigenous Affairs will be closed; and, if so, how many and in which locations? (3) How does the minister reconcile his decision to pull resources from indigenous people in the country with his Government’s claims that country areas are where services are needed? Mr A.J. CARPENTER replied: (1)-(3) There is a fundamental difference between having an office and having resources to address a problem. One of the problems inherited from the previous Government was the model it established to deliver - with the best of intentions - services to Aboriginal people. I have told the House this several times. The previous Government established a model of local area coordination for Aboriginal affairs based on a model used by disability services. The big difference between indigenous affairs and disability services is that being an Aboriginal is not a disability. We do not require one person for every 50 Aboriginal people in the State to try to link them with government services or provide them with fundamental services. That is what other government departments are for. The Government had to decide whether it should continue expending precious resources on single-person offices across the State that were achieving nothing. Ms S.E. Walker interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, member for Nedlands! Mr A.J. CARPENTER: The Government had to decide whether it wanted to achieve something with the human resources available in the department. The Government decided to do that; it wants to achieve things. The Government embarked upon the process of closing down single-person offices across Western Australia because they were achieving nothing. One of the first things that the leadership of the Aboriginal community asked me to do as a new minister was to seriously consider shutting down the entire Department of Indigenous Affairs because it was being used as an instrument of oppression rather than of use to Aboriginal people. If members think of the history of the department, they will understand why. The Government has embarked upon the right course. Human resources are now being allocated more effectively. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr A.J. CARPENTER: The human resources are being used in partnership with local government, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission and other government departments to deliver the services that Aboriginal people in Western Australia should receive. The Government is doing the right thing. The Government inherited a model that was bound to fail and was failing. The model put in place by the Government is working and will work. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: I call the members for Nedlands and Warren-Blackwood to order.
(2) Will the minister confirm that more regional offices of the Department of Indigenous Affairs will be closed; and, if so, how many and in which locations? (3) How does the minister reconcile his decision to pull resources from indigenous people in the country with his Government’s claims that country areas are where services are needed? Mr A.J. CARPENTER replied: (1)-(3) There is a fundamental difference between having an office and having resources to address a problem. One of the problems inherited from the previous Government was the model it established to deliver - with the best of intentions - services to Aboriginal people. I have told the House this several times. The previous Government established a model of local area coordination for Aboriginal affairs based on a model used by disability services. The big difference between indigenous affairs and disability services is that being an Aboriginal is not a disability. We do not require one person for every 50 Aboriginal people in the State to try to link them with government services or provide them with fundamental services. That is what other government departments are for. The Government had to decide whether it should continue expending precious resources on single-person offices across the State that were achieving nothing. Ms S.E. Walker interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, member for Nedlands! Mr A.J. CARPENTER: The Government had to decide whether it wanted to achieve something with the human resources available in the department. The Government decided to do that; it wants to achieve things. The Government embarked upon the process of closing down single-person offices across Western Australia because they were achieving nothing. One of the first things that the leadership of the Aboriginal community asked me to do as a new minister was to seriously consider shutting down the entire Department of Indigenous Affairs because it was being used as an instrument of oppression rather than of use to Aboriginal people. If members think of the history of the department, they will understand why. The Government has embarked upon the right course. Human resources are now being allocated more effectively. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr A.J. CARPENTER: The human resources are being used in partnership with local government, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission and other government departments to deliver the services that Aboriginal people in Western Australia should receive. The Government is doing the right thing. The Government inherited a model that was bound to fail and was failing. The model put in place by the Government is working and will work. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: I call the members for Nedlands and Warren-Blackwood to order.
(3) How does the minister reconcile his decision to pull resources from indigenous people in the country with his Government’s claims that country areas are where services are needed? Mr A.J. CARPENTER replied: (1)-(3) There is a fundamental difference between having an office and having resources to address a problem. One of the problems inherited from the previous Government was the model it established to deliver - with the best of intentions - services to Aboriginal people. I have told the House this several times. The previous Government established a model of local area coordination for Aboriginal affairs based on a model used by disability services. The big difference between indigenous affairs and disability services is that being an Aboriginal is not a disability. We do not require one person for every 50 Aboriginal people in the State to try to link them with government services or provide them with fundamental services. That is what other government departments are for. The Government had to decide whether it should continue expending precious resources on single-person offices across the State that were achieving nothing. Ms S.E. Walker interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, member for Nedlands! Mr A.J. CARPENTER: The Government had to decide whether it wanted to achieve something with the human resources available in the department. The Government decided to do that; it wants to achieve things. The Government embarked upon the process of closing down single-person offices across Western Australia because they were achieving nothing. One of the first things that the leadership of the Aboriginal community asked me to do as a new minister was to seriously consider shutting down the entire Department of Indigenous Affairs because it was being used as an instrument of oppression rather than of use to Aboriginal people. If members think of the history of the department, they will understand why. The Government has embarked upon the right course. Human resources are now being allocated more effectively. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr A.J. CARPENTER: The human resources are being used in partnership with local government, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission and other government departments to deliver the services that Aboriginal people in Western Australia should receive. The Government is doing the right thing. The Government inherited a model that was bound to fail and was failing. The model put in place by the Government is working and will work. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: I call the members for Nedlands and Warren-Blackwood to order.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER replied: (1)-(3) There is a fundamental difference between having an office and having resources to address a problem. One of the problems inherited from the previous Government was the model it established to deliver - with the best of intentions - services to Aboriginal people. I have told the House this several times. The previous Government established a model of local area coordination for Aboriginal affairs based on a model used by disability services. The big difference between indigenous affairs and disability services is that being an Aboriginal is not a disability. We do not require one person for every 50 Aboriginal people in the State to try to link them with government services or provide them with fundamental services. That is what other government departments are for. The Government had to decide whether it should continue expending precious resources on single-person offices across the State that were achieving nothing. Ms S.E. Walker interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, member for Nedlands! Mr A.J. CARPENTER: The Government had to decide whether it wanted to achieve something with the human resources available in the department. The Government decided to do that; it wants to achieve things. The Government embarked upon the process of closing down single-person offices across Western Australia because they were achieving nothing. One of the first things that the leadership of the Aboriginal community asked me to do as a new minister was to seriously consider shutting down the entire Department of Indigenous Affairs because it was being used as an instrument of oppression rather than of use to Aboriginal people. If members think of the history of the department, they will understand why. The Government has embarked upon the right course. Human resources are now being allocated more effectively. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr A.J. CARPENTER: The human resources are being used in partnership with local government, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission and other government departments to deliver the services that Aboriginal people in Western Australia should receive. The Government is doing the right thing. The Government inherited a model that was bound to fail and was failing. The model put in place by the Government is working and will work. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: I call the members for Nedlands and Warren-Blackwood to order.
(1)-(3) There is a fundamental difference between having an office and having resources to address a problem. One of the problems inherited from the previous Government was the model it established to deliver - with the best of intentions - services to Aboriginal people. I have told the House this several times. The previous Government established a model of local area coordination for Aboriginal affairs based on a model used by disability services. The big difference between indigenous affairs and disability services is that being an Aboriginal is not a disability. We do not require one person for every 50 Aboriginal people in the State to try to link them with government services or provide them with fundamental services. That is what other government departments are for. The Government had to decide whether it should continue expending precious resources on single-person offices across the State that were achieving nothing. Ms S.E. Walker interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, member for Nedlands! Mr A.J. CARPENTER: The Government had to decide whether it wanted to achieve something with the human resources available in the department. The Government decided to do that; it wants to achieve things. The Government embarked upon the process of closing down single-person offices across Western Australia because they were achieving nothing. One of the first things that the leadership of the Aboriginal community asked me to do as a new minister was to seriously consider shutting down the entire Department of Indigenous Affairs because it was being used as an instrument of oppression rather than of use to Aboriginal people. If members think of the history of the department, they will understand why. The Government has embarked upon the right course. Human resources are now being allocated more effectively. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr A.J. CARPENTER: The human resources are being used in partnership with local government, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission and other government departments to deliver the services that Aboriginal people in Western Australia should receive. The Government is doing the right thing. The Government inherited a model that was bound to fail and was failing. The model put in place by the Government is working and will work. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: I call the members for Nedlands and Warren-Blackwood to order.
Ms S.E. Walker interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, member for Nedlands! Mr A.J. CARPENTER: The Government had to decide whether it wanted to achieve something with the human resources available in the department. The Government decided to do that; it wants to achieve things. The Government embarked upon the process of closing down single-person offices across Western Australia because they were achieving nothing. One of the first things that the leadership of the Aboriginal community asked me to do as a new minister was to seriously consider shutting down the entire Department of Indigenous Affairs because it was being used as an instrument of oppression rather than of use to Aboriginal people. If members think of the history of the department, they will understand why. The Government has embarked upon the right course. Human resources are now being allocated more effectively. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr A.J. CARPENTER: The human resources are being used in partnership with local government, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission and other government departments to deliver the services that Aboriginal people in Western Australia should receive. The Government is doing the right thing. The Government inherited a model that was bound to fail and was failing. The model put in place by the Government is working and will work. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: I call the members for Nedlands and Warren-Blackwood to order.
The SPEAKER: Order, member for Nedlands! Mr A.J. CARPENTER: The Government had to decide whether it wanted to achieve something with the human resources available in the department. The Government decided to do that; it wants to achieve things. The Government embarked upon the process of closing down single-person offices across Western Australia because they were achieving nothing. One of the first things that the leadership of the Aboriginal community asked me to do as a new minister was to seriously consider shutting down the entire Department of Indigenous Affairs because it was being used as an instrument of oppression rather than of use to Aboriginal people. If members think of the history of the department, they will understand why. The Government has embarked upon the right course. Human resources are now being allocated more effectively. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr A.J. CARPENTER: The human resources are being used in partnership with local government, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission and other government departments to deliver the services that Aboriginal people in Western Australia should receive. The Government is doing the right thing. The Government inherited a model that was bound to fail and was failing. The model put in place by the Government is working and will work. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: I call the members for Nedlands and Warren-Blackwood to order.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER: The Government had to decide whether it wanted to achieve something with the human resources available in the department. The Government decided to do that; it wants to achieve things. The Government embarked upon the process of closing down single-person offices across Western Australia because they were achieving nothing. One of the first things that the leadership of the Aboriginal community asked me to do as a new minister was to seriously consider shutting down the entire Department of Indigenous Affairs because it was being used as an instrument of oppression rather than of use to Aboriginal people. If members think of the history of the department, they will understand why. The Government has embarked upon the right course. Human resources are now being allocated more effectively. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr A.J. CARPENTER: The human resources are being used in partnership with local government, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission and other government departments to deliver the services that Aboriginal people in Western Australia should receive. The Government is doing the right thing. The Government inherited a model that was bound to fail and was failing. The model put in place by the Government is working and will work. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: I call the members for Nedlands and Warren-Blackwood to order.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr A.J. CARPENTER: The human resources are being used in partnership with local government, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission and other government departments to deliver the services that Aboriginal people in Western Australia should receive. The Government is doing the right thing. The Government inherited a model that was bound to fail and was failing. The model put in place by the Government is working and will work. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: I call the members for Nedlands and Warren-Blackwood to order.
The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr A.J. CARPENTER: The human resources are being used in partnership with local government, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission and other government departments to deliver the services that Aboriginal people in Western Australia should receive. The Government is doing the right thing. The Government inherited a model that was bound to fail and was failing. The model put in place by the Government is working and will work. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: I call the members for Nedlands and Warren-Blackwood to order.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER: The human resources are being used in partnership with local government, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission and other government departments to deliver the services that Aboriginal people in Western Australia should receive. The Government is doing the right thing. The Government inherited a model that was bound to fail and was failing. The model put in place by the Government is working and will work. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: I call the members for Nedlands and Warren-Blackwood to order.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: I call the members for Nedlands and Warren-Blackwood to order.
The SPEAKER: I call the members for Nedlands and Warren-Blackwood to order.
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