Nova Peris (NT, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Indigenous Affairs, Senator Scullion. I refer to calls by Mr Warren Mundine, the hand-picked Chair of the Prime Minister’s Indigenous Advisory Council, for more cuts to Indigenous programs, totalling $600 million in the next budgetary round in 2015. Can the minister confirm that the Indigenous programs will take a further hit of at least $600 million on top of the already half a billion dollars of cuts in the Prime Minister's first budget?

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

What I can confirm is that there is not $500 million worth of cuts to my portfolio or the comprehensive portfolio. The second thing I will say in answer, specifically in further clarification of the question, is that we have not decided anything about the next budget. We are just very carefully and systematically implementing the changes of this budget. I am aware of Mr Mundine's comments about further efficiencies and the hypothecation of some savings in the next budget into better efficiency dividends. It certainly was not couched as a saving. But I have not considered those matters, and it has not been put to me.

Nova Peris (NT, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. I refer to the comments by the Deputy Chair of the Prime Minister’s Indigenous Advisory Council, Dr Ngiare Brown:

I do not believe that the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander portfolio can take a $1.1 billion hit over the next four years without impacting significantly on essential frontline services …

Is the deputy chair of the Prime Minister’s Indigenous Advisory Council correct?

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

Again, I will correct you. We are not anticipating and we have not declared cuts of that scale. I am not sure where that number came from. I was not aware, specifically, that that had been the case.

Opposition Senators:

Opposition senators interjecting—

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order on my left!

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

I have no reason to doubt the senator. However, if what the senator says is correct, then I do disagree with the deputy chair.

Nova Peris (NT, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. Minister, can you tell us where the next round of Indigenous cuts is coming from?

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

We have been very clear about where the savings are coming from and where the funds have been invested in this portfolio. We have had a number of questions in this place and they have been comprehensively answered. In fact, I have had a couple of questions on this area that were outside of my portfolio. We still took them and provided those answers. There are no further savings or cuts because any savings or cuts, in the normal process in this place and in the other place, are about this budget. This budget is for this financial year—we have made it very clear. We have a strategic approach to ensure that we have kids going to school, that adults are involved in work and that we have safer communities. We have got absolutely no plans to make further cuts in this portfolio.

Honourable Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order, Senator Cameron, Senator Scullion!