Rachel Siewert (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Indigenous Affairs, Senator Scullion. It is about Aboriginal stolen wages. The Senate inquiry into stolen wages in 2006 found that the Commonwealth played a role in controlling the finances of Aboriginal people through its regulation of, access to and payment of social security payments.

In fact, the Commonwealth amended its legislation to enable allowances to be paid indirectly to a third party. Records from Queensland and WA suggest that Commonwealth authorities knew of the misappropriation of endowments and pensions but did not introduce procedures to prevent misuse nor to ensure that those receiving an endowment and pensioners received their entitlement, as mandated by federal legislation. Do you acknowledge that payments were taken? Does the Commonwealth accept any responsibility for these stolen allowances? If so, what is the Commonwealth doing about it? If not, why not?

Nigel Scullion (NT, Country Liberal Party, Minister for Indigenous Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I would like to take some of those more detailed questions on notice. The principal question goes to responsibility of the Commonwealth and—as the senator has pointed out—there is a vicarious connection to those people who were responsible for paying the wages, which are in fact in the jurisdictions of the states. Under a Commonwealth legislation, as to if they have failed to obey Commonwealth legislation and the question about whether or not the Commonwealth has some responsibility in that matter, I will have to take that question on notice. It is very detailed, but it is an important question.

Rachel Siewert (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. Could the minister please outline any work that the Commonwealth has been doing to look at this issue? I am specifically asking about Commonwealth payments. The evidence suggests that the Commonwealth knew about the fact that these payments were not going to the intended recipient. Has the Commonwealth done any work since the Senate report was released in 2006?

Nigel Scullion (NT, Country Liberal Party, Minister for Indigenous Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Obviously the question is on what work the Commonwealth may have done either in the area of my portfolio or similar portfolios and within the Attorney-General's Department between 2006 and now. Again, it is something that I will have to take on notice due to the considerable detail of the question.

Rachel Siewert (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. Will the Commonwealth be prepared to open its records so that those people needing and seeking redress for stolen allowances—which is part of the whole process of stolen wages—can access that detail in order to make claims regarding their lost allowances?

Nigel Scullion (NT, Country Liberal Party, Minister for Indigenous Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Again, I will have to take that question on notice. But I certainly would support the notion that, if the Commonwealth has details about that matter, those people who—

Kim Carr (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister Assisting the Leader for Science) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

You have no idea!

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Carr!

Kim Carr (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister Assisting the Leader for Science) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Take it on notice! You took the whole thing on notice—something as simple as this.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order, Senator Carr! Minister, you have the call.

Nigel Scullion (NT, Country Liberal Party, Minister for Indigenous Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Mr President. I would certainly support the notion that, if the Commonwealth has information that pertains to a claim, no matter how long ago it was, that information should be made available. But, again, I will have to take that on notice.