❓ Mr. Wyatt questions the Premier regarding the planned closure of remote Aboriginal communities due to funding cuts. The Premier responds by blaming the Commonwealth's withdrawal of funding and acknowledging the difficult transition and potential social issues.
AnsweredQoN 891Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
REMOTE
INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES — CLOSURES
891. Mr B.S. WYATT to the
Premier:
I refer to the Premier's statement in The Weekend
Australian in which he stated that he wanted to close down many remote
Aboriginal communities because the state cannot service them.
(1) On what basis will the Premier decide which particular
communities will be closed?
(2) In respect
of those many remote Aboriginal communities that the Premier intends to close,
where does he propose that the dislocated people will be accommodated?
(3) Will this
not create more social issues when people are driven away from their
communities?
INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES — CLOSURES
891. Mr B.S. WYATT to the
Premier:
I refer to the Premier's statement in The Weekend
Australian in which he stated that he wanted to close down many remote
Aboriginal communities because the state cannot service them.
(1) On what basis will the Premier decide which particular
communities will be closed?
(2) In respect
of those many remote Aboriginal communities that the Premier intends to close,
where does he propose that the dislocated people will be accommodated?
(3) Will this
not create more social issues when people are driven away from their
communities?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(3) As members are aware, the commonwealth took
the decision to cut its funding for essential services.
Mr B.S. Wyatt interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Order, member for Victoria Park!
Mrs M.H. Roberts interjected.
The SPEAKER : Thank
you, member for Midland. I call you to order for the first time.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
As members would be aware, the commonwealth took the decision to cease its
funding for essential services to remote Aboriginal communities. We are very
disappointed with that decision. The reality is that there are 274 remote
Aboriginal communities in Western Australia with a total population of around
12 000 people. Many of those communities have five, 10 or 15 people. This is a
very complex and difficult issue for the Western Australian government to
handle and we have no option but to handle it because the commonwealth has
vacated the territory. It has walked away —
Dr A.D. Buti interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Armadale, I call you to order for the first time.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
The state will not have —
Mr D.J. Kelly interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Bassendean, I call you to order for the first time.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
Previous commonwealth governments created this issue of encouraging Aboriginal
people to go back onto the lands that helped establish these small and remote
communities. This will be a process of transition. The state government has not
yet worked out how it will handle this, but we accept that we have no option
but to accept the responsibility of dealing with this situation. It will cause
great distress to the Aboriginal people who will move. It will cause issues in
regional centres and towns as Aboriginal people move into them; there is no
doubt about that. However, what is the issue in the Kimberley where most of
these communities are? There are high rates of suicide, and people with a poor
education, poor health and no jobs. Although this will be a very difficult
issue to handle, this Liberal–National government will take it on, and
we will do it to the best of our ability.
Several members interjected.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : We will not laugh, as members opposite are. It is a huge
social issue. It is a huge economic issue. It is a huge health issue.
Mrs
M.H. Roberts interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Midland, I call you to order for the second time.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : Members opposite may snigger, but they might look at their
lack of effort in dealing with the issues of Aboriginal people. This government
will take it on, as difficult as it is, because this is the biggest social
issue that this state faces.
the decision to cut its funding for essential services.
Mr B.S. Wyatt interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Order, member for Victoria Park!
Mrs M.H. Roberts interjected.
The SPEAKER : Thank
you, member for Midland. I call you to order for the first time.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
As members would be aware, the commonwealth took the decision to cease its
funding for essential services to remote Aboriginal communities. We are very
disappointed with that decision. The reality is that there are 274 remote
Aboriginal communities in Western Australia with a total population of around
12 000 people. Many of those communities have five, 10 or 15 people. This is a
very complex and difficult issue for the Western Australian government to
handle and we have no option but to handle it because the commonwealth has
vacated the territory. It has walked away —
Dr A.D. Buti interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Armadale, I call you to order for the first time.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
The state will not have —
Mr D.J. Kelly interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Bassendean, I call you to order for the first time.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
Previous commonwealth governments created this issue of encouraging Aboriginal
people to go back onto the lands that helped establish these small and remote
communities. This will be a process of transition. The state government has not
yet worked out how it will handle this, but we accept that we have no option
but to accept the responsibility of dealing with this situation. It will cause
great distress to the Aboriginal people who will move. It will cause issues in
regional centres and towns as Aboriginal people move into them; there is no
doubt about that. However, what is the issue in the Kimberley where most of
these communities are? There are high rates of suicide, and people with a poor
education, poor health and no jobs. Although this will be a very difficult
issue to handle, this Liberal–National government will take it on, and
we will do it to the best of our ability.
Several members interjected.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : We will not laugh, as members opposite are. It is a huge
social issue. It is a huge economic issue. It is a huge health issue.
Mrs
M.H. Roberts interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Midland, I call you to order for the second time.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : Members opposite may snigger, but they might look at their
lack of effort in dealing with the issues of Aboriginal people. This government
will take it on, as difficult as it is, because this is the biggest social
issue that this state faces.
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