WA ABORIGINAL AFFAIRS MINISTER ACCUSES OPPOSITION OF POLITICISING PILBARA CHILD PROTECTION
Minister Punch and Port Hedland Elders
WA Aboriginal Affairs Minister Don Punch has accused Opposition Leader Basil Zempilas of using concerns over the welfare of Aboriginal children in Port Hedland for political gain, as calls for his resignation intensify.
Mr Punch visited Port Hedland on Monday to meet Aboriginal Elders and community leaders following growing criticism of the State Government's handling of child protection concerns in the region.
The visit followed a letter from Yule River Call to Action Working Group co-chair Doris Eaton, who had raised community priorities with the minister.
Speaking to reporters in Port Hedland yesterday, Mr Punch defended his record of engagement with Pilbara communities and accused Mr Zempilas of exploiting Aboriginal people for political purposes.
"He is making a football of Aboriginal people to simply score his own political goals and it's appalling behaviour," Mr Punch said. "Aboriginal issues and Aboriginal people are beyond politics. We should be working together to get the best outcomes possible."
His comments came after the Opposition launched a parliamentary petition calling for his removal as Aboriginal Affairs Minister. Prominent Aboriginal Elder Dr Robert Isaacs is the petition's principal petitioner.
Mr Punch alleged the Opposition Leader was using the situation to strengthen his political position ahead of the next state election.
"He is clearly after me and after me means he's after my seat in Bunbury," he said. "Bunbury is a bellwether seat. And the people up here have been exploited in that process."
Mr Punch said his trip was arranged after receiving correspondence from Mrs Eaton following the Yule River On-Country meeting in July.
He said he had committed to returning within six months to discuss progress on priorities identified by Traditional Owners and community representatives.
"We've brought that meeting forward to discuss the priorities raised in that letter," he said.
During the visit, Mr Punch met representatives from the Yule River Working Group, Nyamal Aboriginal Corporation and Kariyarra Aboriginal Corporation and scheduled meetings with Kariyarra Elder Pat Mason, Mrs Eaton and Linda Doojibi.
The minister rejected suggestions he had failed to maintain contact with the region, pointing to his attendance at previous Yule River gatherings.
"I came to this area in July. I listened to a very large number of people who were talking about the issues affecting them at the Yule River Call to Action," he said.
Mr Punch has faced scrutiny over earlier comments about the responsibilities of his Aboriginal Affairs portfolio, particularly whether child protection falls within his ministerial duties.
During Monday's media conference, reporters questioned whether he was reconsidering his previous explanation of the portfolio, which included responsibilities relating to native title and land management.
Mr Punch said those functions were only part of his role.
"An important part of the Aboriginal Affairs portfolio is coordinating the government's response to Aboriginal issues in Western Australia," he said. "My job is to go out and listen to Aboriginal people, Aboriginal Elders, talk with communities and understand the issues that they're facing."
He said his discussions with communities informed advice to Cabinet colleagues responsible for housing, health, education and child protection.
"I'm lobbying for better outcomes for Aboriginal people. Whether it's in housing, whether it's in health, whether it's in education and whether it's in child protection," he said.
The comments come amid scrutiny of child protection services in South Hedland, including reports of vulnerable children living in unsafe conditions.
The State Government has also agreed to a coronial inquest into the deaths of three Aboriginal children in Port Hedland in 2022, following repeated calls from their grandmother Dorothy Papertalk.
The case has intensified questions about the response of government agencies to concerns raised about children's safety.
Mr Punch was also questioned about the timing of his visit, which required him to return to Perth for parliamentary commitments rather than spending several days in the region.
"I have given a commitment to the Elders that I met this morning that I'll be back here early next year and I will be spending a couple of days in Hedland," Mr Punch said.
Mr Punch said Elders would help determine where he travelled and who he met during the next visit and said the discussions held during Monday's visit had been constructive and community representatives had expressed appreciation for his attendance.