Page 120 - Week 01 - Wednesday, 8 April 1992
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In respect of education, the royal commission gave particular emphasis to youth and the need for the education system to meet their specific needs. In line with these recommendations, the ACT will continue its ongoing consultation with Aboriginal organisations in the development of schools curricula. The newly introduced Aboriginal student support program will be continued and by 1993 positions for an Aboriginal education assistant and an Aboriginal home-school liaison officer will be established in the Department of Education and Training.
I turn to cross-cultural training. If the Government is to better serve the community, it is vital that people working within the Government Service are sensitive to the particular needs of Aboriginal people. Training in cultural sensitivity will therefore be introduced across the ACT Government Service, with particular areas being targeted for special training. I am pleased to note that teachers, juvenile justice staff and police currently receive training in Aboriginal culture.
I refer now to data collection. Many of the commission's recommendations highlighted the need for the collection of better data. This is a priority for both the ACT Government and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community. Our current lack of statistics too easily allows these people to be invisible. Such statistics are needed if we are to effectively respond to the needs of the community. The ACT is committed to improving the collection of statistics in a wide range of areas, including health and the criminal justice system.
Finally, I mention monitoring. It is essential that the implementation of the commission's recommendations be closely monitored. All ACT government agencies will therefore be required to report against the recommendations in their annual reports. The ACT, along with all other governments in Australia, will be participating in the cross-tabling of reports against the recommendations in parliaments across the nation. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people must play an integral part in the monitoring process. The Government will work closely with the local Aboriginal community to ensure that an effective mechanism is established to provide for this.
In conclusion, Madam Speaker, I trust that the Government's response to this important and far-reaching report receives the bipartisan support of this Assembly. I believe that such support will be necessary if we are to unite to successfully tackle the findings of the royal commission. Madam Speaker, I present the following papers:
Aboriginal Deaths in Custody - Royal Commission -
Ministerial statement, 8 April 1992.
Overview of the Response by Governments.
Response by Governments - Volumes 1 to 3.
Response by the ACT Government.
I move:
That the Assembly takes note of the papers.
Debate (on motion by Mr Humphries) adjourned.
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