Reconciliation South Australia Inc
"a united Australia which respects this land of ours; values the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander heritage; and provides justice and equity for all"
Be the change; I am the change.
National Reconciliation Week: 27 May to 3 June
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Pre-election public forum |
WHO DESERVES YOUR VOTE IN 2010?
At a free public forum held at the Town Hall on Tuesday 23 February 2010 candidates for the State Election answered tough questions on Aboriginal affairs and reconciliation. Audio files and transcripts of the forum will be available from this website by Friday 26 February 2010.
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 Hosted by Lillian Holt |
Questions and answers
The speaking order was determined by pulling names out of the bowl at the beginning of the forum.
- Hon Robert Brokenshire
- Hon Jay Weatherill
- Tammy Jennings
- Dr Duncan McFetridge
The first two questions were put to and answered by all four candidates present at the forum.
Q1. Are you confident that, across South Australia, the situation of Aboriginal people will significantly improve over the next four years? What do you believe is the most significant part of your election platform for Aboriginal people and how will you work to ensure it is realised?
Q2. When politicians speak about Aboriginal people - and issues affecting them - they often use a language of deficit. Why do you think this is so and is language important?
Answers
(you may need to save the file to your computer in order to hear it)The following questions were submitted by the public prior to the forum and drawn out of a glass bowl. They were put to and answered by only one of the candidates, according to the speaking order.
Q1. What do you believe are the biggest challenges to reconciliation between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people in South Australia and what additional resources need to be allocated to address these challenges? (Hon Robert Brokenshire, Family First Party)
Q2. A relatively small proportion of Aboriginal people own their own homes. What can be done to increase Aboriginal home ownership in urban and regional centres, as well as on communally-held lands? (Hon Jay Weatherill, Labor Party)
Q3. How will your party ensure Aboriginal people living in remote parts of South Australia have access to training & skills development? We have a long way to go in this regard. What do you propose to do? (Tammy Jennings, Greens SA)
Q4. The Tasmanian Government has created a fund and put in place a tribunal for compensating those members of the Stolen Generations who choose to access the tribunal system. What is your view on dealing with the issue of compensation for South Australia's Stolen Generations? (Dr Duncan McFetridge, Liberal Party)
Q5. Political parties often talk about the need for reconciliation. What does your party understand by 'reconciliation' and does your party think it can be achieved when Aboriginal rates of incarceration continue to go through the roof? (Hon Robert Brokenshire, Family First Party)
Q6. Aboriginal people are often reluctant to use existing complaints' mechanisms to make a formal complaint about poor treatment because of fear of reprisals or lack of trust in the process. What can be done to empower Aboriginal people to use existing complaints mechanisms to voice their concerns? (Hon Jay Weatherill, Labor Party)
Q7. Aboriginal people often have difficulty accessing legal assistance and legal representation. This is of serious concern given their overrepresentation in the criminal justice system. What specific things will your party do to improve Aboriginal people's access to legal representation? (Tammy Jennings, Greens SA)
Q8. What does your party understand a 'sustainable' Aboriginal community to be? (Dr Duncan McFetridge, Liberal Party)
Answers
(you may need to save the file to your computer in order to hear it)
The forum then moved to the floor and members of the public were able to ask follow up questions of the candidates.
Audience questions and answers
(you may need to save the file to your computer in order to hear it)