Rick Wilson (O'Connor, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

( On Saturday, the federal Minister for Indigenous Affairs, Nigel Scullion, and I attended a leadership summit convened by the City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder to address tensions that have been growing in the community with escalating juvenile crime, disengagement of Indigenous youth from education and assaults in schools. The vandalism of a newly-built school building and the death in August of 14-year-old Elijah Doughty, who was run over while riding a motorbike, brought these issues to a head.

The summit brought together all levels of government, including WA Premier, Colin Barnett; his deputy, Liza Harvey, in her capacity as police minister; Andrea Mitchell, Minister for Child Protection; Mayor John Bowler; state MPs Wendy Duncan and Dave Grills; opposition leader, Mark McGowan; and Indigenous services providers, educators, local police and Indigenous community leaders.

Senator Scullion and I spent the previous day consulting with various Indigenous service providers and Aboriginal community leaders. We discussed possible ways to engage disaffected Indigenous youth in education, employment or training and to reconnect them with their culture, family and greater community.

The summit began with an acknowledgement that the recent escalation of racial tensions was driven by only a small number of individuals. It was also acknowledged that there was a willingness of all parties to commit to collaborating to achieve positive outcomes and greater social cohesion of the entire Kalgoorlie-Boulder community. After several hours of productive discussion moderated by John Walker, CEO of the City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder, the summit settled on three priorities going forward: firstly, supporting families to provide a stable and supportive environment for children; secondly, seeking better education outcomes through higher attendance rates and more appropriate curriculum; and, thirdly, more genuine employment opportunities through the local business sector and local government departments.

Minister Scullion asserted the situation in the goldfields was not unique, and was certainly resolvable in his experience. To this end he has committed the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet to seven actions: firstly, a survey of local Indigenous youth to assess what they think would engage them—whether that be mainstream education, vocation related training like hairdressing, motor vehicle maintenance, aged care and nursing or back-to-country activities like in the Indigenous Rangers program. The survey will be conducted imminently, and it is hoped it will report by the end of 2016. Secondly, it would facilitate a regular and reliable means of transport back to the Lands so that people are not trapped in the towns. This would involve cooperation of the state governments to ensure that all PATS patients scheme users were taken all the way home, reducing strain on the Kalgoorlie-Boulder accommodation and services. Thirdly, it would perform an audit on early childhood attendance and accessibility. Fourthly, it would assess where there is a duplication of Indigenous services across Kalgoorlie-Boulder. Fifthly, it would speak to Premier Barnett about co-location of the state Department of Aboriginal Affairs and the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet staff in Kalgoorlie. Six, it would help to form an Aboriginal leadership reference group; and, lastly, it would draft an economic engagement strategy encompassing jobs and jobactive CDP opportunities in the pastoral and mining industries. (Time expired)