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STATEMENT BY PRIME MINISTER
Administration of Aboriginal Affairs:
Mr Menzies' Final Report
Honourable Members will recall that; on' 11 April 1989, I
made a statement in this House reporting on the outcome of a
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series of inquiries into the administration of Aboriginal
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Affairs. Those inquiries were established in response to
allegations of s. erious shortcomings in the administration,
including financial management, of the Aboriginal
Development Commission and of the Department of Aboriginal
Affairs. i
F. i
At that time, while the bulk of the inquiries had been
completed, I advised the House. that-a further report was
expected from the Auditor-General in! relation to some
particular enterprise projects in the Aboriginal Development
Commission. I also indicated that the Government was' awaiting a final
report from Mr Andrew Menzies, . AM, OBE, on certain matters
which had not in his view otherwise been dealt with to
finality. i
I made the point that, pending Mr Menzies' final report, it
would be inappropriate to comment on. the conduct of any
individual. .1033 () 7
2.
I also made it clear that, with the bulk of the inquiries
then completed, the Government felt in a position to inform
the Parliament of its views and intentions concerning
organisational arrangements for the future, and I advised
the House of actions which the Government proposed to take,
while standing ready to-refine'our response and undertake
I aN
any further action should that be necessary when remaining
reports were received.
Madam Speaker, the final report from Mr Menzies was received
by the Government during the parliamentary recess.
That report has four arts, butlMr Menzies has recommended,
and the Government acept, ' that Part 4 not be published,
given that it contains onlyrnames and'addresses of certain
persons and one Abori inal agency who made submissions in
confidence. The report makes refe ence elsewhere to the inputs of the
persons and agency concerned but their identities are not
central to the issues discussed.'"
Copies of Part 4 of the report have been made available to
the Leader of the Oppoition ( Mr Peacock), the Leader of
the National Party MBlunt),' tlhe Leader of the Opposition
in the Senate ( Senator ' Chaney) and'the'Leader of the
Australian Democrats enator Haines).
1034 I-
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FORINCIM MEMPR= 77 3. I
For the information of Honourable' Members, I now table in
the House the final report from Mr. Menzies, other than
Part 4.
Honourable Members will find that Part of the report is an
introductory chapter, including an; overview.
Part 2 covers the inquiries into three matters involving
Mr Charles Perkins, to which I shall return shortly.
Part 3 of the report deals with a; number of miscellaneous
allegations which Mr Menzies has investigated. In the case
of two of these allegations, the report indicates that they
have been referred to police for investigation. By
agreement with Mr Menzies, the Auditor-General will be
reporting on one other case.
In none of the cases in Part 3 on which Mr Menzies himself
has reported was corruption or serious illegality
established. While Mr Menzies finds some cases of questionable practice,
he recognises that action is already in hand to respond
properly in those cases. 1035
I 7L 5
4.
In Part 3 of the report, the only'formal recommendation made
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by Mr Nenaies relates to the activities of an organisation
which is not a Commonwealth agency but is in receipt of
Commonwealth funding. The relevant department, the
Department of Commun ty' ervices and. Health, is acting on
this recommendation. . Tht Department is also following up
the recommendation that the activities of a South Australian
Aboriginal agency be reviewed.
I now turn to that p rt of the report which deals with
matters involving Mr Charles Perkins.
By way of introduction, I remind'Honourable Members that
various allegations made about Commonwealth administration
in the Aboriginal Affairs area' over the-past months have
attracted a great deal of publicity.
Many of the accusations have been extremely serious.
Some, for example, alleged patronage, favouritism, nepotism
and cronyism in the Department of Aboriginal Affairs.
Others alleged or implied: corruption.
The name of Charles. Perkins was linked with many of those
allegations and much of this publicity.
1036 i
The facts are that none of the several inquJ
for the Government, including this final; rei
Mr Henzies, supports allegations of that kir ries conducted
ort from
d.
I advised this House in April that the Public Service
Commissioner did not substantiate allegations of patronage,
favouritism, nepotism and cronyism in the Department of
Aboriginal Affairs. I
None of these reports has substantiated in any way
allegations of corruption.
It can and should be firmly said, therefore, that these
serious allegations, so prominently publicised, have been
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grossly unfair to Mr Perkins and his family.
There is nothing which emerges from any of these intensive
inquiries to suggest that Charles Perkins ever took any
action out of self-interest or self-reward.'
It is true that he has occasionally been aI cIontroversial
figure; but only, I believe, where he saw this as important
to his continuing effectiveness as. a leaderlof his people. 37
bmh J" . I HeV
6.
Honourable Members will see that this final report from
Mr Menzies brings out some, further shortcomings in
administration in the area of Aboriginal Affairs in some
cases shortcomings for which Mr Perkins, as the departmental
Secretary over much of theperiod, has to bear ultimate
responsibility. Although such shortcomings are identified, however,
Mr Menzies does not find 9at Mr Perkins' role in any of the
three issues addressed in his' final report amounts to
failure to fulfil his duty as an officer such that
disciplinary action should ! or could be taken against him.
I would add, Madam Speaker, that the bulk of the
deficiencies identified in the'various inquiries conducted
for the Government were in theiAboriginal Development
Commission and not in the Department for which Mr Perkins
carried ultimate responsiblity. And. even within the
Department, there would be ' incongruity in any attempt to
find the blame for most of these deficiencies in Charles
Perkins personally. As the Public Service Commissioner
found, there were deficienc es'in systems and procedures
going well beyond the realm of Mr Perkins' personal
responsibility.
1038 1
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7.
1988. 7 i
In the conclusions in his report, Mr Menzies-expressed
I
regret that Mr Perkins had refused to disclose to him the
souThere oisn ly one of the three issues relating to Mr
on which I wish to comment further. V
This reporlates to the source of the $ 5th0ic hMr Perkins pgaanvied
for tax" unequivoal assuransocm e thaof the pr$ 50 used fow ert1e taxi fares
did not come from any political source -at home or abroad or
frdemonstrating outside the RSL Headquarters n' 9, deiidt hterh e money
come from any official source".;
1988 In thfea conclusioMrn s ein zies was not satisfied with thised
responsgtrheta s cauMsre d Perkhiands refused todisclserso: wre toh im the
submitting further information. I now table their letter.
source of this $ 50.
The rleeptotret r notes aot paragraph 3P. e1r0kM irtnh sa't refusalritons gave andisclose
the pr" unequivocal assurance thattohfe $ w5a0sf ubnasdesd on legal fares
did not come from any political sourceat.' hi me~ or abroad or
from any corporlation a ditsop ute over Mr Menziesr jurisdimcotnityhe
come from any official source".:
The fact that Mr Menzies was not satisfied with this
response has caused Mr Perkins' advisers to; wri~ te to me
submitting further information. I now table ti eir letter.
The epttor ntsoutthat Mr Perkins' refusal to disclose
the precise source of the funds was based on leigal advice
first in relation to a dispute over Mr Menzlies'I Jurisdiction
in this matter and, secondly, on what was seen as an undue
invasion of personal privacy. .1039
8.
Given the conclusions o this matter reported by Mr Menzies,
however, and notwithsta ding their continuing concerns about
privacy, Mr Perkins and Ihis legal . advisers have now provided 20 y
dee
in their letter to me an unequivocal assurance from
Mr Perkins that he paid for the. taxis out of his own pocket. fro
I accept that assurance. He i
up t
untJ
I state again that none of these various and extensive best
inquiries commissioned by the Government has found any
I of v
evidence of misconduct or other ' actions by Mr Perkins of a
serious kind warranting disa iplinary action or censure.
1 r Cha]
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It is time this House and this Parliament put those matters ro Abor
behind it and instead expressed its recognition of the
substantial contribution Charles Perkins has made throughout pos
his working life in the interests of advancing the cause of was
the Aboriginal people. I inv peot
Mr Perkins was at the va guard ofi-Aboriginal people to have Thi.
a degree conferred on him from an Australian university, and
while at university was President of Student Action for vies
Aborigines. . admiadmi
S| whic
He became more widely known'during the period from 1965 to
1969 when he was Manager of the Foundation for Aboriginal
Affairs. I
1040
9.
He then moved into the government arena and for
years has been applying all' his energy, ' and
deeply on his commitment, to advance the cause. c
from his various positions within the Government i some raving f his people
He has been a path-breaker for his people -in': woIking his way
up through public service ranks in a competitive environment
until he reached the top the position from which he was
best able to guide the development of. policies and programs
of value to Aboriginal people.
Charles Perkins believed that one of his most important
roles was to keep in close touch with as many individual
Aboriginal people, and as many Aboriginal communities, as he
possibly could. Accordingly, he travelled extensively, and
was able to bring to this and previous ' governments an
invaluable insight into the concerns and attitudes of his
people. This is the context in which Honorable Members Ishould
view the reflections in these various inquiry reports on
administrative shortcomings in organisational areas for
which Mr Perkins has had responsibility. I, I I .1041
Madam Speaker, Charles Perkins advised me some time ago that
he wished to retire fromithe public service as soon as
possible to pursue an alternative career, and has recently
arranged to do so in the normal way through the Public
Service Commissioner. I am advised hingetirement will take
effect from today.
I express, on behalf of the Government, regret that his
services as a full-time officer will be lost to the
Government, and I hope Honourable Members will join me
in wishing him well in. h as future. career.
For the Government's part.. it will be actively seeking
appropriate opportunitie to engage Mr Perkins in
appropriate part-time. activity so, that the wealth of his
knowledge and experience is-not totally lost to the
Commonwealth. I
In conclusion, Madam Speaker,, I want to turn to the central
issue in all of these in uiries the quality of
administration in Aboriginal Affairs.
S1
I remind the House of the Government's approach set out in
my statement of 11 April: that we should draw upon the
lessons from these inquiries and look to the future,
ensuring that mechanisms are put in place and support
provided so that future administration is enhanced.
1042 i
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11.
Since then, steps have been taken in both the Aboriginal
Development Commission and the Department of Aboriginal
Affairs to respond to findings in the earlier inquiry
reports which were addressed in my statement.
In the case of the Aboriginal Development Commission, the
adequacy of the Commission's procedures, systems and
management controls has been audited by Price Waterhouse in
the light of the findings in the earlier inquiries, and the
recommendations from Price Waterhouse have now been
implemented. A Budget Management Commite and Audit
Committee consisting of senior managers have been
established in order to strengthen financial management and
accountability. The Commission has also established a
computer-based reporting system on program aid project
performance using monitoring indicators si" ilar to those
used in its reports to the Senate Estimate Committee.
Program and project performance reports ar provided
regularly to the Minister f Aboriginal Affairs.
In the case of the Department, substantial progress has been
made in the development of' program budgetig and in the
provision of training for implementation ok program
budgeting and continues to be made in the administration of
grant programs.
i1 1043
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Ways in which aboriginalisation may be advanced are under
discussion with Unions, It. h 7e Public Service Commission and
the Department of Employment, Education and Training.
New guidelines have been issued for official hospitality and
for use of consultants; travel practices have been
reviewed; and corrective action has been taken in regard to
classification matters as recommended by the Department of
Finance. I I I
Most importantly, priority has been given to staff
development and training w* hIi ch will provide the specialist
skills required for the new Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander Commission ( ATSIC).
I conclude by reminding Honourable Members of what I said in
this House about ATSIC in my statement on 11 April.
1
The Government's view then was and still is that this new
Commission is the logical and appropriate next step for the
advancement of both the great principles of self-management
and ministerial accounta ility.
1044 I.. Noth repo: of tl
repo, ATSI, supp' init of A'
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the repo Havit with as p,
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pass clea: the abor abor
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13.
Nothing in the earlier inquiry reports, nor ir this final
report from Mr Henzies, has shifted that belief on the part
of the Government. Indeed, as I said in April, the inquiry
reports give us encouragement that the. proposed structure of
ATSIC will be beneficial. As Prime Minister fully
support, and the Government as a whole fully supports, the
initiatives the Minister has taken in proposing the creation
of ATSIC.
As Honourable Members know, we have made : some amendments to
the ATSIC legislation in the light. of'these various inquiry
reports and the report of the Senate Select Committee.
Having done so, we are now firmly committed-tb proceeding
with this legislation and establishing this body as quickly
as possible.
I hope this House and this Parliament'willinow accept that
passage of this legislation an establishment of ATSIC is
clearly in the best interests both of good'government and of
the necessary advancement of the administration of
aboriginal policy and programs for the benefit of the
aboriginal people of this country. 1045