Senate debates Questions without Notice
National Congress of Australia's First Peoples
Rachel Siewert WA, Australian Greens
2:14 pm
My question is to the Minister for Indigenous Affairs, Senator Scullion. The secretariat of the National Congress of Australia's First Peoples is based in Redfern, Sydney, in a building leased to it by the ILC. On 20 March, National Congress were advised by the ILC that they need to vacate the Redfern headquarters by 30 April. The new tenant is unable to offer National Congress any space and congress risks having nowhere to go. Given that National Congress have been a long-term tenant and have previously submitted a divestment application for the floor of the building they occupy, does the minister know why they were not considered for tenancy and, if he knows, could he explain why?
Nigel Scullion NT, Country Liberal Party, Minister for Indigenous Affairs
2:15 pm
Just before I walked into question time, I was able to ask the co-chair, Jackie Huggins, if she was still in fact homeless. She was be able to tell me: 'No, Senator. Thank you so much for your assistance. We will be housed where we are currently housed in Redfern.'
Rachel Siewert WA, Australian Greens
2:01 pm
Thank you. That is indeed good news and very recent news. Could you please inform the Senate as to what conditions will be applied to that tenancy, if they are being offered a lease, and at what cost?
Nigel Scullion NT, Country Liberal Party, Minister for Indigenous Affairs
12:00 am
) ( ): I understand those details are currently being worked out, Senator. What I will do and to the best I can inside the parameters of commercial-in-confidence—and I do not think there should be many—is provide the Senate with those when they come to bear.
Stephen Parry President
Senator Siewert, a final supplementary question.
Rachel Siewert WA, Australian Greens
Could I confirm that they will in fact be in exactly the same place and if they are being offered the new rate? Building on that commercial-in-confidence comment that you made, I understand the new tenant who was to replace them was being offered a contract of $50,000 a year, whereas congress was paying $24,000 a month.
Nigel Scullion NT, Country Liberal Party, Minister for Indigenous Affairs
2:01 pm
) ( ): As I said, to my knowledge I can confirm that they will be staying. It is very recent, as you understand. In terms of the costings, again, I will report both to you immediately and to the Senate in the appropriate period of time, but my understanding is that they are very satisfied with the outcome of those negotiations with the tenant.