Senate Finance and Public Administration Legislation Committee, , 6:29:26 to 6:37:36
Further discussion on Port Hedland, focusing on food security, affordability, and the need for jurisdictional leadership in addressing social issues.
Topics: First Nations, Food security, Public safety
Speakers: Hon Malarndirri McCarthy, Senator Matt O'Sullivan, Unknown Speaker, Senator Karen Grogan
>> Thank you. I won't detain the committee and the witnesses too long. Uh I just wanted to ask this in relation to Port Headland. Uh Senator McCarthy, uh you may know I've been up there twice in the last month. Um the second visit was after your recent visit and I I thank you for going. I heard from members of the community that appreciated your time and your your attention up there. I'm keen to understand from you uh what what did you hear what what are you hearing as the the major issues? Sure. >> And what what actions are you taking uh and what's the comm doing to address these very serious issues? Of course learned about the 15 children abandoned. Uh we heard uh about the lack of action and reaction to the Hawk children case. Um met with Dorothy Palk last week. wonderful [clears throat] grandmother that is still grieving. As soon as I walked into her home, she burst into tears after, you know, many years of uh dealing with the struggle. So, I'm just keen to understand what you heard and what specific actions come taking.
>> Sure. Thank you, Senator Sullivan. Uh I certainly met with uh a number of elders. Uh it's probably similar to the ones you met with and a number of organizations uh and Giuliardi was one of those organizations. uh also u uh talking to uh some of the young people uh in terms of Yik and the evening program uh listening to some of the families. One of the things that struck me immediately was around uh food and access to food uh in terms of some of the areas that I have responsibility for uh in terms of some of the issues raised more broadly around the care and protection of children. Uh that was something that I've spoken to the minister the WA minister about but also the children's commissioner. Uh clearly there are steps now underway uh to look at what they can do in terms of some of those issues raised directly there with those organizations. And what we're doing is looking at what we can at the Commonwealth level uh in terms of uh nutrition uh food access uh in terms of uh the funding that's going into places uh not just in Port Hedland but in the region. Uh these are the things that we're doing.
>> So on food security, what what specific action have you taken? I mean there's >> there's a Coohl's, there's a McDonald's, there's a Subway, there's a chicken treat. There there's plenty of access to food. So is it a affordability issue? What what's the
>> From the conversations I had, it was more around the affordability. Uh one of the organizations that I spoke to uh has its own store at the front of the organization, just a small a small shop shop front. Yep. And uh their outreach to the communities nearby uh was raised with me in terms of uh wanting to assist those communities with our food and we talked about the food security uh policy that we have with remote stores and how we've rolled out uh cheaper prices in around 120 stores. those particular communities that are identified around Port Hedland. My understanding is that they don't have stores. I haven't been to those communities, but I wanted to understand from that organization uh just what was their outreach. Is there a possibility that we could look at any kind of support for them? Uh given that Port Headland's not considered remote. So, these are these are a couple of things that we're working on at the moment.
What I heard was the community is really looking for leadership accepting that issues of law and order, child protection are state matters, but what they are looking for is leadership. They don't frankly care about jurisdictional responsibilities or boundaries. we got high levels of drug abuse. I heard stories of um, pedophilia. I had stories of uh child- on-child sexual absolutely horrific, sobering discussions. These problems don't exist in a vacuum and there are Commonwealth responsibilities. Commonwealth has responsibility for the welfare system, for example, >> where you've got unaccountable welfare, >> uh where, you know, mutual obligations clearly not being addressed and met. uh where you've got um you know training programs uh that that are not leading to outcomes and jobs and there's a there's a despair that that exists. So these things don't just happen in isolation. >> No. >> So it's it's it's there's a frustration within these communities that there's not the leadership. Roger Cook's going out there not meeting with any community people today or reported in the papers today. Look, what this community desperately is looking for is leadership. What leadership are you taking? Is the prime minister taking to help this community deal with these absolutely atrocious situations where you've got children with STDs?
>> There's a couple of areas there that you've raised, Senator O Sullivan. immediately. If you know any reports about pedophilia, you need to report that as well to the local police. This has to be investigated. Uh I think there are some very practical steps that people can take as soon as they're aware of any of these issues. In terms of the uh rise in drugs, again, the same thing. Uh that is something that should be directed directly to uh policing and law and order. We have in terms of uh uh the First Nations Children's Commissioner a rapid review underway right now as we speak and our government is looking to that leadership with Commissioner Hunter to provide that guidance to us. That is why we created this position of a national commission for children for ainal tourist rate islander children in this country and we do look forward to commissioner hunter's work on this her rapid review as she's reassured us is going to be done very very swiftly and so we expect to be guided by that on
Final question for me. Roger Cook, Premier of Western Australia, said that he's going to go there. It's reported in the Australian Today that he's not meeting with uh community people. Um is is the prime minister going to go to Port Hedland to hear these firsthand accounts uh from people that are dealing with the ravages of so many issues within this community that you encountered >> when you were there a few weeks ago.
Look, Senator O Solomon, it's really important if the premier of WA is going to Port Headland. Uh if he's going there, that is good. It's good to hear.
>> Should he meet with local people?
>> Uh I expect that he will he should >> who he should meet with and I'm sure you can have that direct conversation with him. In terms of the Commonwealth though, Senator O. Sullivan, I must stress that the importance of this position of our national children's commissioner to do her job, to do what we want her to do. That's why we established this position. The prime minister, all ministers will be guided by what the children's commissioner uh provides in her rapid review.
>> It's not important enough for the prime minister to witness it for himself as our national leader.
>> Senator O. Sullivan, you're looking for a really nice grab here. Can I say that we are waiting for the children's commissioners rapid review.
>> Well, the children are looking for leadership, Minister. Thank you,
>> Senator Roberts.