Jenny Macklin (Jagajaga, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

These are very serious issues and very difficult issues to resolve. I hope and expect that all of us can work together to address what is a critical issue for everyone: protecting children. Last week, when the Mullighan inquiry report was tabled by the Premier of South Australia in the South Australian parliament, this government here in Canberra responded immediately by committing an additional $19 million for both additional police facilities and homes for additional police officers and child protection officers so they can finally be located on the APY lands. We are also putting additional money—$2.8 million, in fact—into additional places at boarding colleges in Adelaide so that children from the APY lands can come to Adelaide to continue their education. There is additional money for mental health services.

I have asked the South Australian government to move swiftly so that we can proceed to build the $25 million worth of housing that is urgently needed on the APY lands. The South Australian government has created a taskforce to respond as quickly as possible to the Mullighan committee of inquiry recommendations. They have already had their first meeting. Just today I asked that a senior member of my department join that taskforce. I have asked the South Australian government and the minister to respond as quickly as possible to every one of the recommendations in the Mullighan inquiry report.

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