Proposed treaty with Aboriginal nations of South Australia axed by Steven Marshall government in 2018

Steven Marshall, South Australian premier and minister for Aboriginal affairs and reconciliation, addressing the 2018 Aboriginal Leaders’ Forum.
Image courtesy South Australian government

South Australian premier Steven Marshall, also minister for Aboriginal affairs and reconciliation, confirmed at the 2018 ninth Aboriginal Leaders’ Forum that a process to negotiate treaties with the state's Aboriginal nations has been scrapped and would be replaced with policies to deliver more “measurable outcomes” for Aboriginal communities.

The Liberal Party leader said he preferred “practical outcomes” to the “symbolic action” of a treaty being furthered since 2016 by previous Labor state government that had signed an agreement with Yorke Peninsula's Narungga people as the first step.

Roger Thomas, appointed treaty commissioner, had recommended to the incoming government that it ask for expressions of interest from the Aboriginal nations to start negotiations. Aboriginal people were keen to talk about a treaty but “overwhelmingly” preferred to negotiate separately as nations than collectively. This would have slowed the process.

Instead of a treaty, Marshall said his government was developing a state-wide plan with defined outcomes for Aboriginal people across areas including education, child protection, health and jobs.

The 2018 state budget halved staff numbers working in the Aboriginal affairs and reconciliation division or premier’s department and cut more than $6 million in funding ­– $1 million from abolishing the office of the treaty commissioner. The completion of stolen generations reparations and a review of the Aboriginal Heritage Act accounted for other staff cuts.

Narungga elder Tauto Sansbury raised concerns about the apparent end the policy recognising regional Aboriginal authorities: the Adnyamathanha Traditional Lands Association, Ngarrindjeri Regional Authority and Far West Coast Aboriginal Corporation.

The Aboriginal youth homelessness service Marni Wodli also had funds cut in a restructure that was said not to impact on its operations.

The other cuts were aimed at the South Australia Native Title Services that had enabled the South Australian government to resolved 16 native title claims, more than any other jurisdiction. The service still had federal funding to continue its work.