❓ Mr. Redman questions the Premier's stance on remote Indigenous housing funding, alleging hypocrisy and a metro-centric approach. The Premier deflects, criticising the previous Premier's remarks and highlighting the Commonwealth's funding responsibilities.
AnsweredQoN 483Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
NATIONAL PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT
ON REMOTE INDIGENOUS HOUSING
483. Mr D.T. REDMAN to the Premier:
I
refer to the Premier's opposition to Premier Barnett's
suggestion in 2015 that closing some remote Aboriginal communities may be the
consequence of cuts to federal funding, and recent responses from the Premier
and the Minister for Housing that failure of the commonwealth continuing the
National Partnership Agreement on Remote Indigenous Housing funding beyond June
this year may result in the closure of some remote Aboriginal communities.
(1) Does the Premier accept the
hypocrisy of this position?
(2) Does this not
expose the government's metro-centric approach to commonwealth funding
and failure to prioritise funding to remote community housing?
ON REMOTE INDIGENOUS HOUSING
483. Mr D.T. REDMAN to the Premier:
I
refer to the Premier's opposition to Premier Barnett's
suggestion in 2015 that closing some remote Aboriginal communities may be the
consequence of cuts to federal funding, and recent responses from the Premier
and the Minister for Housing that failure of the commonwealth continuing the
National Partnership Agreement on Remote Indigenous Housing funding beyond June
this year may result in the closure of some remote Aboriginal communities.
(1) Does the Premier accept the
hypocrisy of this position?
(2) Does this not
expose the government's metro-centric approach to commonwealth funding
and failure to prioritise funding to remote community housing?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2) Once
again, I fail to understand the logic of the National Party, but I note that
all our talking about and raising the issues of remote communities has stung
the Nationals into asking two questions about the matter. If that is the sum
total of the Nationals' effort when it comes to remote communities,
well, good for you. The member has actually taken the issue up in, I must
admit, a very polyglot and unusual way.
But let us go back a bit. Let us
remember what Premier Barnett said; as the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs will
attest. He said some shocking things in here. He said some shameful things in
here. What I noted about former Premier Barnett is that he would get his blood
up and then he would lose control of what he said. He said some shocking things
about Aboriginal men and he generalised about Aboriginal men across Western Australia
in an appalling manner.
Mrs L.M. Harvey : When did he
do that?
Mr M. McGOWAN : That is
exactly what occurred.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Mr M. McGOWAN : Does the
member want me to come back and read out what happened? I am more than happy to
do that. It is on the Hansard .
Dr M.D. Nahan : So is yours.
The SPEAKER : Leader of the
Opposition!
Mr M. McGOWAN : Leader of the
Opposition, we are aware of people saying shocking things in this Parliament,
and you did it this morning.
Several members interjected.
Mr M. McGOWAN : In relation to
the —
The SPEAKER : Premier, a point
of order.
Point of Order
Dr M.D. NAHAN : I just want to highlight that —
Several members
interjected.
Dr M.D. NAHAN :
I have not finished. I have not said anything.
The SPEAKER :
What is your point of order?
Dr M.D. NAHAN :
The Premier does not have any respect for the 184 children who are under threat
in Roebourne.
Several members
interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Sit down! That is not a point of order, and I call you to order for that
inappropriate one. That is the third, Leader of the Opposition.
Questions without
Notice Resumed
Mr M. McGOWAN :
I draw to the Parliament's attention again that today we have older men
and women who were victims of child sexual abuse in the Parliament. It was an
opportunity for big-spirited speeches, and the Leader of the Opposition went
low, and that was inappropriate. It was inappropriate for the Leader of the
Opposition to do that.
Back to the member's
question. Mr Barnett said some shocking things about Aboriginal men and he
generalised across the community. Our view —
Mrs L.M. Harvey :
He didn't!
Mr M. McGOWAN :
Honestly, the member's memory is like a sieve.
He also indicated
the communities would just be closed willy-nilly. We all know the consequence
of that. The consequence of that is people who have lived on land for hundreds
and hundreds of generations disperse into bigger communities and we create
homelessness and dysfunction, we send people towards a life of crime and we
have children not attending school. We have all those things occur.
What happened last
year, I think, was that the federal government ceased the funding for services
in remote communities. Up until then it had supported Western Australia in
providing services, and we had to pick up that cost, which we did. The Minister
for Aboriginal Affairs and, I think, the Minister for Housing were involved in
that picking up of costs for services, which was a direct transfer of
responsibility from the commonwealth to the state. Now it is looking at doing
it for building houses and maintaining houses, and it is a $100 million a year
liability that the commonwealth is seeking to pass on to the state. I am saying
to the commonwealth government that they are not delivering on a historic
obligation that the government of Australia has to our first inhabitants. That
historic obligation of the government of Australia to our first —
Mr D.T. Redman :
Do you stand by yesterday's comments that the consequence will be that
communities die? Your comments yesterday: communities die.
Mr M. McGOWAN :
Please! Please!
The SPEAKER :
Member for Warren–Blackwood, I call you to order for the second time.
Mr M. McGOWAN : That historic obligation of the government of Australia has been
through Prime Ministers Gorton, McMahon, Whitlam, Fraser, Hawke,
Keating, Howard, Rudd, Gillard, Rudd, Abbott and Turnbull. Through each and
every one of them. They have accepted the obligation up until this one—up
until Turnbull. I thought he was a better fellow than that. I actually get on
quite well with him and I thought he was a better fellow than that to give up
that historic obligation to our first inhabitants, but obviously I am wrong.
again, I fail to understand the logic of the National Party, but I note that
all our talking about and raising the issues of remote communities has stung
the Nationals into asking two questions about the matter. If that is the sum
total of the Nationals' effort when it comes to remote communities,
well, good for you. The member has actually taken the issue up in, I must
admit, a very polyglot and unusual way.
But let us go back a bit. Let us
remember what Premier Barnett said; as the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs will
attest. He said some shocking things in here. He said some shameful things in
here. What I noted about former Premier Barnett is that he would get his blood
up and then he would lose control of what he said. He said some shocking things
about Aboriginal men and he generalised about Aboriginal men across Western Australia
in an appalling manner.
Mrs L.M. Harvey : When did he
do that?
Mr M. McGOWAN : That is
exactly what occurred.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Mr M. McGOWAN : Does the
member want me to come back and read out what happened? I am more than happy to
do that. It is on the Hansard .
Dr M.D. Nahan : So is yours.
The SPEAKER : Leader of the
Opposition!
Mr M. McGOWAN : Leader of the
Opposition, we are aware of people saying shocking things in this Parliament,
and you did it this morning.
Several members interjected.
Mr M. McGOWAN : In relation to
the —
The SPEAKER : Premier, a point
of order.
Point of Order
Dr M.D. NAHAN : I just want to highlight that —
Several members
interjected.
Dr M.D. NAHAN :
I have not finished. I have not said anything.
The SPEAKER :
What is your point of order?
Dr M.D. NAHAN :
The Premier does not have any respect for the 184 children who are under threat
in Roebourne.
Several members
interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Sit down! That is not a point of order, and I call you to order for that
inappropriate one. That is the third, Leader of the Opposition.
Questions without
Notice Resumed
Mr M. McGOWAN :
I draw to the Parliament's attention again that today we have older men
and women who were victims of child sexual abuse in the Parliament. It was an
opportunity for big-spirited speeches, and the Leader of the Opposition went
low, and that was inappropriate. It was inappropriate for the Leader of the
Opposition to do that.
Back to the member's
question. Mr Barnett said some shocking things about Aboriginal men and he
generalised across the community. Our view —
Mrs L.M. Harvey :
He didn't!
Mr M. McGOWAN :
Honestly, the member's memory is like a sieve.
He also indicated
the communities would just be closed willy-nilly. We all know the consequence
of that. The consequence of that is people who have lived on land for hundreds
and hundreds of generations disperse into bigger communities and we create
homelessness and dysfunction, we send people towards a life of crime and we
have children not attending school. We have all those things occur.
What happened last
year, I think, was that the federal government ceased the funding for services
in remote communities. Up until then it had supported Western Australia in
providing services, and we had to pick up that cost, which we did. The Minister
for Aboriginal Affairs and, I think, the Minister for Housing were involved in
that picking up of costs for services, which was a direct transfer of
responsibility from the commonwealth to the state. Now it is looking at doing
it for building houses and maintaining houses, and it is a $100 million a year
liability that the commonwealth is seeking to pass on to the state. I am saying
to the commonwealth government that they are not delivering on a historic
obligation that the government of Australia has to our first inhabitants. That
historic obligation of the government of Australia to our first —
Mr D.T. Redman :
Do you stand by yesterday's comments that the consequence will be that
communities die? Your comments yesterday: communities die.
Mr M. McGOWAN :
Please! Please!
The SPEAKER :
Member for Warren–Blackwood, I call you to order for the second time.
Mr M. McGOWAN : That historic obligation of the government of Australia has been
through Prime Ministers Gorton, McMahon, Whitlam, Fraser, Hawke,
Keating, Howard, Rudd, Gillard, Rudd, Abbott and Turnbull. Through each and
every one of them. They have accepted the obligation up until this one—up
until Turnbull. I thought he was a better fellow than that. I actually get on
quite well with him and I thought he was a better fellow than that to give up
that historic obligation to our first inhabitants, but obviously I am wrong.
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