ABORIGINAL CULTURAL CENTRE
530. Ms S.E. WINTON to the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs:
I refer to the McGowan Labor
government's commitment to delivering a world-class Aboriginal cultural
centre for Western Australia.
(1) Can the
minister outline to the house the role of the Whadjuk Aboriginal Cultural
Centre project authority in choosing the site of the new Aboriginal cultural
centre?
(2) Can the
minister advise the house whether he is aware of anyone who does not support
the involvement of Aboriginal people in choosing the site for this significant
cultural facility?
Dr A.D. BUTI replied:
(1)–(2) I
thank the member for Wanneroo for the question. She has been instrumental in
the whole process and I would like to thank her for her role in this.
Just before I get onto the question,
the Leader of the Opposition criticised the Premier for not being at a union
rally, when last week the member for Roe said that anyone who was a union
representative and ended up being a High Court judge would be barred from being
an independent monitor. So do not go on about the Premier not being at a union
rally when you do not believe in unions. I will get onto the question.
Point of Order
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER: Sorry, do not say anything just yet. Points of order are
heard in silence.
Mr R.S. LOVE: I do not understand the relevance of the answer
that has been given by the minister, and I ask that he be drawn back to
the question he was asked.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER: It seems that
about 20 people want to give me their opinion on the point of order, or maybe
they just want to give it to the opposition. I do not see that as a point of
order to be upheld; and, minister, I do ask you to address your comments to the
question that was asked.
Questions without Notice Resumed
Dr A.D. BUTI: Thank you,
Madam Speaker. The member for Wanneroo, along with the Minister for Culture and
the Arts, myself, and the federal member for Perth, joined the Premier earlier
in the week when we announced the site of the Aboriginal cultural centre. It
was an absolutely fantastic occasion, as the member will remember. The member
asked about how the site was selected. For the first time for a major state
government project, we actually engaged six cultural
representatives who were appointed as members of the steering committee to
oversee the project that the member has had great involvement with. They
are known as the Whadjuk ACC project cultural authority. They are
representatives of their community. They had a gathering of over 80 Whadjuk
elders last December, and they were elected to be the authority. As the
cultural representatives on the committee, they were asked to consider six
sites or different locations near the Swan River, or Derbarl Yerrigan. The
selection of sites went through a very extensive cultural investigation and
consultation process and was endorsed by the wider Whadjuk reference group for
the project.
As members know, Barry Winmar is
part of that cultural authority. I want to quote from his speech at the
announcement of the site. Barry Winmar thanked the Western Australian and
Australian governments for ensuring Aboriginal people had a strong voice and
were represented in the selection process. I want to quote some of the things
that he said —
the site � is very significant to
Whadjuk people. And the site selection has been a complex process. And I would
like to � congratulate my fellow members —
Of the cultural advice committee.
As members of this cultural advice
committee, we went through an election process and we were selected and
endorsed by the broader Whadjuk community � It's the first time in a long
time that Aboriginal people have got a voice
at high level of government � in a way that really exemplifies what �
Aboriginal culture is about in Western Australia � my ancestors walked
these trails in years gone by and it's a tribute to them to showcase
the location and being a host for all those Aboriginal cultures across �
Australia.
That was from Barry Winmar, which I think
is a testament to the process that was followed by this government.
Anyone would think this would be a day
of celebration, given the location and the process that we went through, but in the Legislative Council, the chief
bloviater, the pompous empty vessel that is known as Hon Neil Thomson —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER: Order, members,
particularly the member for Fremantle! Points of order are heard in silence.
Point of Order
Dr D.J.
HONEY: Madam Speaker, members in this place are not to make personal
references of that nature about members in the other place. I would ask for
your ruling on the matter.
The
SPEAKER: I did not hear anything that I thought was out of order. If
you want to draw my attention to what you particularly found offensive, you are
welcome to. Otherwise, I will ask the minister to continue.
Dr D.J. HONEY: Calling him
pompous and other insults.
The SPEAKER: I think there
are a lot of people who have called other members pompous over the years. I am
not aware of any of those points of order being upheld.
Questions without Notice Resumed
Dr A.D. BUTI: Thank you,
Madam Speaker.
The pompous Hon Neil Thomson
launched into a strikingly unsophisticated attack on the consultative process.
He labelled the decision ''cavalier adhockery'' and claimed the
centre would become ''a white elephant'' that would struggle to ''attract
visitation and activation due to its unplanned location''. Does the
member know where it is? It is behind the Perth Concert Hall, near the Swan
River, the Supreme Court Gardens and the Supreme Court.
Mr W.J. Johnston: And
Government House.
Dr A.D. BUTI: It is near
Government House. I am not sure how that will be out of the way for people to
go and visit. More importantly, it has cultural significance to the Whadjuk
people; it was chosen by them.
But
we know the Liberal Party has form. We can go back to Richard Court's
decision to instigate the Land (Titles and Traditional Usage) Act 1993, which was challenged in the High Court of
Australia. The High Court justices decided it was racially
discriminatory, 7–0. But we do not have to go that far back, because we
have Hon Tjorn Sibma. I think the Minister
for Planning talked about his auditioning for ''The Clan''. He is
always auditioning for something, trying
to get a new headline every day. He actually criticised the Dreamtime game.
Member for Roe, you would not do that, would you? You would not
criticise the Dreamtime game.
Mr P.J. Rundle: No, I wouldn't.
Dr A.D. BUTI: No. The member
for Roe was there last year with me, when we saw the great spectacle at the
Optus Stadium. It is an absolutely fantastic game that is held every year. I have
never heard anyone criticise it—except Hon Tjorn Sibma. It is
disgraceful behaviour by the Liberal Party. I am sure its alliance partners
would not agree with the comment by Hon Neil Thomson. Would you agree with
that? Silence. I will take silence as —
The SPEAKER: Minister, I counsel
you to put your argument rather than ask questions of those opposite.
Dr A.D. BUTI: Okay, I will.
Usually in politics when someone
does not agree with something that is quite disgraceful, they call it out.
There is silence from the Leader of the Opposition on Hon Neil Thomson's
disgraceful statement about the process that led to the location of the
Aboriginal cultural centre. She has an obligation. She has a challenge to come
out and criticise it or be taken to be agreeing with that disgraceful comment
by Hon Neil Thomson.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER: Order, please!