Page 277 - Week 01 - Thursday, 12 February 2015
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Mr Wall: A point of order, Madam Speaker.
MR CORBELL: There is no point of order.
MADAM SPEAKER: Mr Corbell, I will determine whether there is a point of order. Mr Wall.
Mr Wall: I seek your guidance, Madam Speaker. The question related directly to the briefing of the chair of the elected body. I seek your guidance on whether that responsibility falls under the department of health or whether that responsibility lies with the Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs, given that they are a statutory officer.
MADAM SPEAKER: Even if they are statutory officers, there would be interaction between multiple government agencies. If the Minister for Health says that he is the minister responsible for matters relating to the bush healing farm, I think it is reasonable that he should answer the question.
MR CORBELL: Thank you, Madam Speaker. The chair of the elected body was not directly advised, but, as I have previously placed on the record, two other members of the elected body were. Indeed, two other members of the elected body—that is, the previous elected body, the elected body at the time—were members of the Indigenous advisory panel for this project. They were directly advised of the circumstances in relation to asbestos. Indeed, one of those Indigenous elected body members is a member of the tender review panel for the works to be undertaken at the bush healing farm, including the asbestos remediation task. Any suggestion that there has not been proper consultation with the elected body representatives or, indeed, with the Indigenous community more broadly, is false.
Mr Wall: A point of order, Madam Speaker.
MADAM SPEAKER: Stop the clock, please.
Mr Wall: On relevance, the question was why the Chair of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elected Body had not been informed. If the minister could be relevant and explain why the chair was not informed, that would be appreciated.
MADAM SPEAKER: It is quite clear in my notes that Mr Wall asked that question. Could you come to Mr Wall’s question, which is: why the chair was not briefed.
MR CORBELL: I am, Madam Speaker, thank you. I am explaining why it was not necessary to consult with Mr Little: because we were consulting other members of the elected body. We have a dedicated Indigenous consultative forum that is established to develop the project that includes members of the elected body, Indigenous health service providers in the ACT and other representatives of the Indigenous community in the ACT. We have a specific consultative forum to manage the project and to consult with the Indigenous community. It includes members of the elected body. It does not include Mr Little, but we are clearly engaged with a broad representative number of people from the Indigenous community here in the ACT.
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