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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2000 Week 11 Hansard (30 November) . . Page.. 3529 ..

MR HUMPHRIES (continuing):

its actions and progress on reconciliation and was particularly pleased with the Legislative Assembly's apology to members of the stolen generation and our support for the council's work. The Chief Minister also agreed to provide the council with an ACT government statement of commitment to reconciliation for inclusion in the council's final report.

The council will present its final report to the nation via federal parliament on 7 December, next week. This final report will document the past decade of the reconciliation process and include government commitments to the actions proposed in Road Map for Reconciliation as well as commitments to other actions to advance reconciliation. The council advised that it would be releasing extended versions of the strategies before the end of the year and that these extended versions would include additional proposals as well as more detail on the existing proposals.

Although it was not feasible or proper to endorse documents that were not yet released, we nonetheless supported the spirit of the then existing documents and have certainly made commitments that are relevant to a number of the council's recommendations. Importantly, the documents recognise that reconciliation is a shared responsibility of all Australians and a collective effort by government, business, community and individuals. The government endorses this inclusive and comprehensive approach.

The government has informed the council of the whole-of-government approach that we take to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander issues in the ACT. This integrated whole-of-government approach is being extended into the delivery of services.

The council was particularly pleased at the September meeting to hear of the success of the government's approach to improving educational outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students in the ACT. Our statement of commitment also informs them of the educational scholarships to year 12 students, the Ginninderra nursing and medical scholarship and the government's partnerships with local industry in providing vocational education and training.

The government has already dedicated a number of positions to improving service delivery to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the ACT, across health, education, justice, the arts, heritage, environment and children's, youth and family services.

The government is committing an additional full-time position in the Chief Minister's Department to reconciliation. This central agency position will maintain a focus and momentum for reconciliation in the ACT; provide a contact point for local, regional and national reconciliation networks; and facilitate coordination and organisation of reconciliation policy, programs and commemorative ceremonial events. This position is intended to be both a practical and a symbolic commitment to reconciliation in the ACT.

The council was also interested in our consultative mechanisms to include Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in decision-making. The council was advised about the government's four Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander specific advisory and consultative bodies and about a number of other key bodies which include representation by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

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