Budget to deliver better outcomes for Tasmanian Aboriginal communities

26 August 2021

Peter Gutwein MP

Premier

Roger Jaensch MP

Minister for Aboriginal Affairs

The Tasmanian Liberal Government is committed to improving outcomes for Tasmania’s Aboriginal people and the 2021-22 Budget funds a number of initiatives to support this as we roll out our plan to secure Tasmania’s future.

Tasmania’s former Governor, Professor Kate Warner AC, supported by UTAS Professor Tim McCormack, are currently engaging directly with Tasmanian Aboriginal people to find out what a pathway to reconciliation could look like, and what is important to them.

The 2021-22 Tasmanian Budget provides a commitment of $200,000 for this important work.

It complements the work being undertaken to deliver Tasmania’s first Implementation Plan under the National Agreement on Closing the Gap.

To support this work, we will provide up to an additional $4 million towards building capacity in Aboriginal Community-Controlled Organisations to better meet the needs of Tasmanian Aboriginal people, on top of the existing $1.3 million committed in last year’s Budget.

We are also committing $970,000 over two years to support major Aboriginal Policy Reform initiatives, including drafting new Aboriginal heritage legislation, and finalising the Review into the Model for Returning Land.

This follows the finalisation of our Review into the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1975 earlier this year, and our clear commitment to draft a comprehensive new Act to provide better protection of Aboriginal Heritage in Tasmania.

The 2021-22 Tasmanian Budget is securing Tasmania’s future and we will continue to work with all Tasmanian Aboriginal people to deliver better outcomes for them and their families, right across the State.