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Indigenous trailblazer Ernie Bridge will be sadly missed
Australia’s first Aboriginal government Minister ,Ernie Bridge AM, a trailblazer and role model for Aboriginal people and a genuinely great Australian, will be sadly missed, Shadow Indigenous Affairs Minister Senator Nigel Scullion said.
“I was saddened to hear of the death of Ernie Bridge, a former WA government Cabinet Minister and tireless worker for his people,” Senator Scullion said.
Gillard failing to close the gap in Indigenous education
The 2012 NAPLAN results show close the gap indicators for education are going backwards under the Gillard Government and the results in remote and very remote areas are a disgrace, Shadow Indigenous Affairs Minister Nigel Scullion said.
“In 14 out of the 20 NAPLAN indicators the gap has widened compared to 2011,” Senator Scullion said.
“The gap has doubled in Year 3 numeracy with 72.7% of Indigenous students meeting national standards compared with 95.1% of non-Indigenous students - a gap of 22.4%. In 2011 the gap was 12.8%.
Labor’s $150m Alice town camps disaster
Shadow Indigenous Affairs Minister Senator Nigel Scullion says Minister Jenny Macklin has not only wasted $150M meant to improve living standards in the Alice Springs town camps she has badly let down the camp’s indigenous residents.
“I have seen Macklin’s houses trashed before their time, not the fault of the residents but due to uncontrolled visitor numbers. These visitors have made residents’ lives a misery and made many of the town camps dens of alcohol, drugs, violence and murder,” Senator Scullion said after visiting the town camps yesterday.
All Australians can help Close the Gap
On National Close the Gap Day Shadow Indigenous Affairs Minister Senator Nigel Scullion called on all Australians to join those doing their bit to close the gap between Indigenous and mainstream Australia.
“This day is a reminder to re-focus the country’s efforts on Closing the Gap. With most targets not showing encouraging results there is a long, long way to go to close the gap in education, health and employment,” Senator Scullion said.
“This momentous nation building endeavour cannot be left just to governments and indigenous people - all Australians need to come on board and help.
Tennant Creek Radar – no cause for Snowdon to celebrate
Country Liberals Senator for the Northern Territory Nigel Scullion says Labor Member for Lingari Warren Snowdon has no right to join the celebrations around the Tennant Creek weather radar being switched back on today as he did nothing to help.
“Warren Snowdon said on Twitter:A win for the Barkly community & a win for common sense with the Tennant Creek weather radar back up & running today.
“Mr Snowdon showed no common sense as a member of the Gillard Government when he went along with the decision to close Tennant Creek Weather radar late last year.
Historic day with first Indigenous Head of Government
Shadow Indigenous Affairs Minister and Country Liberals Senator for the Northern Territory Nigel Scullion has welcomed Adam Giles’s appointment as Chief Minister of the Northern Territory.
“He is not only the first Indigenous Chief Minister of the Northern Territory but the first Indigenous Head of Government in this country,” Senator Scullion said.
“This is an historic move by the Country Liberals and Aboriginal people all over Australia can rightly feel proud on this day.
$100m Indigenous Smoking Fiasco
Indigenous Affairs spokesman Senator Nigel Scullion attacked Warren Snowdon and the Gillard Government for spending $100m on an Indigenous smoking program that doesn’t work.
According to an Australian Institute of Health and Welfare report released today indicated that the proportion of Indigenous women who smoked during their third trimester of pregnancy was 53.4% in 2008 and 52.4% in 2011. “Statistical error probably explains that negligible difference” Senator Scullion said.
$30m Weipa Indigenous school hostel virtually empty
Shadow Indigenous Affairs Minister Senator Nigel Scullion has revealed a $30million 120 bed hostel for Indigenous school students is only 20 per cent full a month into the school year.
“At Senate Estimates I was told 55 students were enrolled at the Weipa Hostel but I found out last Friday that well into the school year there are 24 residents – just 20% capacity,” Senator Scullion said.
“True to Labor’s form of reckless spending, Indigenous Affairs Minister Jenny Macklin has played loose with the public purse.
Remote NT Indigenous school hostels experiment in tatters
The Federal Government’s Northern Territory Indigenous hostels program is in tatters with two out of three hostels three years overdue and cost overruns, Shadow Indigenous Affairs Minister Senator Nigel Scullion said.
$50m NT Indigenous investment fails to create jobs
A $50m investment by the Federal Government's Indigenous Business Australia (IBA) in two posh Darwin hotels has not created promised jobs, Shadow Indigenous Affairs Minister Nigel Scullion said."In answer to Senate Estimates Questions IBA revealed that its 50% stake in the Medina Grand Darwin Waterfront and Vibe Hotels has resulted in zero Aboriginal employees.
"IBA said that the best they ever did was one or two Indigenous employees – now it's down to zero.
