Jan McLucas (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Mental Health) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Indigenous Affairs, Senator Scullion. I refer to this year's budget papers, which confirm:

… net savings of $534.4 million over five years through efficiencies resulting from the rationalisation of Indigenous programmes, grants and activities …

I also note the minister's statement on ABC radio, when he said: 'There are no cuts at all.' Which is correct—the budget papers or the minister?

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

And I can just continue the quote—'to front-line services.' I will maintain that there are no cuts at all to front-line services. Of course, when those opposite are peddling this sort of material, even with the basis under which they say, 'There has been this much cut,' they forget to add to the Australian people that it is useful to notice that there were also some additions in the offsets. Clontarf academy—everyone has heard what a fantastic job they have done—will receive $13.4 million. For police infrastructure in remote communities, there is $54 million—oh, sorry about that; I just forgot to mention it. How disingenuous do we have to get? There is $10.6 million for outback power. Support for the Northern Territory Child Abuse Taskforce is another $3.8 million. There will be more Aboriginal community engagement officers, with another $2.5 million—I am sorry, I left that off the list. The national congress of the first peoples will receive $15 million over three years, and $29.3 million had already been provided to 30 June. The list goes on.

The point I am simply making is that, with those opposite, you have got to be a bit cynical about what they say. You have got to listen very carefully for the parts that they simply do not put forward. As I have indicated, it is simply an inconvenient truth. Let me tell you, there is enough wrong with my portfolio from what I have invested and for what will be in the future without having to make it up. There are enough challenges in this portfolio without having to make them up. I simply refute the notion that there were that many cuts—that is simply not correct.

Jan McLucas (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Mental Health) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. Can the minister confirm that the Family Violence Prevention Legal Service, which has been supporting Indigenous women and children for the past 16 years, does not have guaranteed funding as a result of his decision to amalgamate 150 Indigenous programs? Will the minister now guarantee ongoing funding for the Family Violence Prevention Legal Services?

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

Thank you for the question, Senator. What I can guarantee is that the same amount of funds that were available will still be available. What also will happen is that we will be in a competitive environment. So we think that the Family Violence Prevention Legal Services—

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

That is not true.

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

Order, Senator Wong!

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

I have been advised that the Family Violence Prevention Legal Services have an anticipated underspend this year of $500,000—that is just in this year. We do not yet have the final figure for acquittals; they are still coming from the service providers. I am confident it is going to show that this funding was not even being spent in the previous years. I notice you are talking about Family Violence Prevention Legal Services. You forgot to mention the $6 million we just provided to the Northern Territory government so everybody in the Northern Territory can enjoy access to those sorts of services.

Jan McLucas (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Mental Health) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. Is the minister aware that the Ballarat and District Aboriginal Cooperative, which has been operating for 35 years and services the health needs of the local area, will not find out until next year whether they are funded beyond 30 June? Will he now guarantee ongoing funding for the Ballarat and District Aboriginal Cooperative?

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

As I said, for every service their current funding arrangements will be honoured. Some will go until the last day of this year, 30 December; some will go to 30 June 2015. That is the situation at the moment. You are right: they will have to wait until next year. We are making the decisions based on some time, some full consultation with these processes, but there is nobody at this stage who can say, 'If my funding ends on 30 December this year, it will be extended, but if my funding ends on 30 June 2015, it will necessarily be extended.' I have written to every single one of those providers and I have to say that there has been no reflection about any particular concern or surprise in that regard. This is the first time I have had any particular concerns that you have reflected from this particular health service in Ballarat, but I will get in touch with them today and check that out.