Price welcomes call to have advisory council in Mid West

Member for Durack Melissa Price has welcomed the call from WA Child Protection Minister Helen Morton that the Mid West will have a Strategic Regional Advisory Council (SRAC).

The State Government announced last week the establishment of the SRAC in the Kimberley and Pilbara to improve health and wellbeing, education, and employment outcomes for Aboriginal people in regional areas.

Each council will consist of four local leaders working with Government departmental heads.

Ms Price, who said in her maiden speech that she hopes this Parliament improves the lives of Aboriginal people, said a local council in the Mid West was the best way to address issues facing Aboriginal people in the Mid West.

“Each Aboriginal community in WA is vastly different, and the Mid West needs Mid West leaders steering the way forward for the region,” Ms Price said.

“Only a local advisory council can get the best outcomes for Aboriginal people in the Mid West.

“We have many great local leaders in Aboriginal communities in the Mid West, and they are one of the key ingredients to improved outcomes of the future.”

Earlier this year the Federal Government announced they were investing more than $860million under the Indigenous Advancement Strategy’s (IAS) grant funding to deliver on key priorities of getting children to school, adults into work and ensuring communities are safe.

Ms Price said the Abbott Government is committing to closing the gap and improving the outcomes of Aboriginal people.

“If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always got,” Ms Price said.

“That’s why the Abbott Government set up the Indigenous Advisory Council when we were elected to Government more than 18 months ago.

“Durack has the third-highest proportion of Aboriginal residents in Australia, and I want to ensure that future generations are educated and have equal opportunities to non-Indigenous.”