Nigel Scullion (NT, Country Liberal Party, Deputy Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Hansard source

Well, I had not seen it, in any event. It has only just been placed in front of me. All of the things Senator Siewert said are right, but the reason I will not be supporting the amendment is that, if we are moving people who are inappropriately placed or who are in a program that is not working, then it is quite clear that we need appropriate programs in those communities. Like you, Senator Siewert, we will be looking very carefully at those, at what the government’s intentions and activities are in that area. I will be as rigorous as you in that direction. The principal reason we will not be supporting the amendment is that it does not deal with introducing any of those things or any of those sorts of programs. The government has put on the record their intent in this area—and I thank the minister for that. We will be monitoring their activities in that regard.