CHAIR —I will call Senator Bolkus for general questions relating to the commission.

Mr Kelly —Can I make a statement? I would like to advise that the CEO of ATSIC, Mark Sullivan, sends his apologies. He was here up until this evening but he had an appointment with the chair of the commission.

CHAIR —Thank you for letting us know that.

Senator BOLKUS —I have just a few quick questions. The Kenbi land claim: it has been hanging around for 20 years. We have been anticipating a signing off for some time now. Is it anywhere near the stage of being signed off?

Mr Kelly —The latest with the land claim is that the report from the Aboriginal Land Commissioner has gone to the minister.

Senator BOLKUS —It was dated when?

Mr Kelly —I beg your pardon?

Senator BOLKUS —When was that report dated?

Mr Kelly —I would have to take that on notice, but it was fairly recent, late last year.

Senator BOLKUS —But when did it go to the minister?

Mr Kelly —I am uncertain of the date, but I can get it for you. It has been put out to the parties, including the NT government, for comment.

Senator BOLKUS —The recommendation is to sign it off, I would presume?

Mr Kelly —I have not seen the recommendation on that.

Senator BOLKUS —But the commissioner's recommendation was for the land claim to be signed off, from my recollection, or am I wrong?

Mr Kelly —I am not certain.

Senator ROBERT RAY —Does Mr Plowman know? Does anyone else know?

Mr Plowman —We can take that on notice and get you the detail.

Senator BOLKUS —Take that on notice—what the commissioner's recommendation was—and respond to the minister. So it has gone to Mr Ruddock; it has not gone to Ms Gallus?

Mr Kelly —My understanding is that it has gone to Mr Ruddock.

Senator BOLKUS —If you could take that on notice, that would be good. Native title representative bodies—they are still unrepresented in both the south-west of Western Australia and in Brisbane. Has there been any progress made on the issue? When do we expect to finalise organising representation for them?

Mr Donnelly —The Queensland south one has been decided now. It is the Queensland south representative body Aboriginal corporation.

Senator BOLKUS —That is the Queensland south one. What about the south-west of Western Australia?

Mr Donnelly —It is not expected that that will be advertised for a third round till early this year.

Senator BOLKUS —Any dates?

Mr Donnelly —I am not sure about that.

Senator BOLKUS —Can you come back to us? Thanks. My final question goes to the response to the Bringing them home report. Essentially what I would like is information on how much money has been spent to date on a series of programs. I do not know if you have the information with you now, but I am looking at Linkup, emotional and social wellbeing, regional training centres, specialist indigenous counsellors, parenting and family wellbeing, access to records, oral history, and language and cultural maintenance. Those are the major areas. Do you have any information on how much money has been spent so far?

Mr Donnelly —I have some figures here on Linkup services, the Linkup program for the three years to date and also the language/cultural maintenance expenditures that I could provide.

Senator BOLKUS —Can you do that? Is that a table setting it out year by year or is it an overall figure?

Mr Donnelly —Yes, up until this year for those two programs.

Senator BOLKUS —You can provide that now? The secretary was to get that from you. In respect of the other six areas, can ATSIC provide that information to us?

Mr Kelly —Yes.

Senator BOLKUS —Are you in a position to do so tonight?

Mr Kelly —No, not tonight.

Senator BOLKUS —Take it on notice.

Mr Kelly —Yes, please.

Senator BOLKUS —Thank you very much.

Mr Vaughan —Can I just correct an answer I gave to an earlier question from Senator Bolkus? The amount given to the reconciliation foundation was $5.6 million in total, not $5.5 million.

Senator BOLKUS —Thank you, Mr Vaughan.

CHAIR —There being no further questions, that completes the examination of the Reconciliation and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs portfolio. For the record, I remind you again that the committee has set 23 March 2001 as the date for the submission of written answers to questions taken on notice. I would particularly like to thank Senator Hill, for being here this evening and for his assistance today, and the officers as well. Thank you very much. The Finance and Administration portfolio is next.

[9.51 p.m.]