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

I would like to provide further information in relation to a question Senator Sterle asked me today about the Healing Foundation and Deadly Choices. With respect to the Healing Foundation, we provided core funding this year of $6.6 million. However, late this year an additional $150,000 was given to that organisation to honour a commitment by your government, particularly in the Darwin town camps. We have extended the foundation's existing funding agreement for $6.6 million by 12 months to 31 October 2015. I have also encouraged them to apply for future funds under the new Indigenous Advancement Strategy.

In regard to the Deadly Choices program, this is a difficult area, so every time you have a question for me, give me a ring a couple of hours before question time and I will sort it out for you. This is a difficult area and it is not in my portfolio. In any event, Deadly Choices is funded through the Tackling Indigenous Smoking Program. There is a review underway, but the only real impact is that they are not recruiting additional people. There has been a pause in recruitment, and I am advised that the funding is going to continue while the review is undertaken.