Premier of South Australia

Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation Minister Jay Weatherill says while Federal Minister Mal Brough has been talking up the sense of urgency in remote communities elsewhere in Australia, he has turned his back on remote South Australian communities.

“For the past 12 months SA has been negotiating with the Commonwealth over the provision of housing in the APY Lands,” Mr Weatherill said.

“Some time ago the Commonwealth agreed to fund $25 million for about 65 new houses and 30 upgrades to existing houses.

“However, we’ve been in a stalemate over the Commonwealth’s insistence on land rights reform.

“The Commonwealth’s earlier justifications for these reforms were the need to protect public housing assets and make provision for home ownership.

“The South Australian Government and APY community have already provided for these matters some time ago – yet the stalemate remains.

“Last week, I wrote to Mr Brough offering to break the impasse through an approach whereby the houses would be built and during the building phase we would consult extensively with Aboriginal communities over his proposals.

“As yet, we have heard nothing from Mr Brough on this matter.

“Mr Brough is suggesting some states and territories lack sufficient urgency in addressing the challenges facing remote Aboriginal communities.

“Yet in South Australia, it is the Commonwealth Government that is dragging the chain.

“The approach that the Commonwealth Government is taking in South Australia lends weight to the argument that it is using the crisis in Aboriginal communities to achieve its admitted objective of undermining land rights.

“The Commonwealth Government continues to refuse to explain how its controversial changes to land rights will protect Aboriginal children.”