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

I thank Senator Kroger for the question and her continued interest in this particular area. I know that her interest is shared with everyone in the chamber because, in this portfolio, I discuss it with almost everyone in the chamber as they move around their electorates. They report the continuing frustration about the engagement of our First Australians in employment. It is one of the greatest challenges that we face and certainly one of the most important challenges, not only as a government but also as a parliament.

I visited Ayers Rock Resort a week ago, and I have to say for the first time, instead of visiting communities and saying, 'It is moving at a very steady rate and things are going sort of all right,' I was just completely astonished at the difference that people in Ayers Rock Resort have made over the last three years. A couple of years ago, before the purchase of the resort by the Indigenous Land Corporation, there was just a handful of—I think there might have been two—Anangu working at Ayers Rock Resort. When I was there last week, over 220 Aboriginal people had been engaged. This has to be a beacon to parliament that there are mechanisms and ways, and if corporations are determined then we can change. We can change the way of things not at a snail's pace—