Local Centacare workers have invited Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and federal ministers to visit Port Augusta to personally inspect the local impact of the Council of Australian Government’s (COAG) and Close The Gap commitments.

Centacare Catholic Family Services Catholic Diocese of Port Pirie senior Aboriginal male suicide prevention project officer, Aaron Stuart, and team leader senior social worker, Michele Wachla were invited to meet Mr Rudd during a federal cabinet visit to Adelaide last week.

During the brief meeting the pair discussed issues facing Port Augusta and the region.

As well as discussing the work of Centacare, they used the opportunity to highlight housing, health and education issues in the region.

Mr Stuart said while he spoke about positive things, such as the Nunga court, he also brought up challenges including policing issues and the demise of infrastructure in the Davenport community.

A member on the South Australian Aboriginal Advisory Council, Mr Stuart also took the opportunity to thank Mr Rudd for the apology to the Stolen Generation.

Mr Stuart is a direct descendent of the stolen generation - his grandmother Ruth McKenzie was taken to Colebrook Home in Quorn as a young girl.

“I just walked in, shook his hand and thanked him…I thanked him twice,” Mr Stuart said.

“To meet him and thank him on behalf of my family I felt proud.

“I’m grateful that he said sorry… and that my grandmother was able to see that.”

An impromptu meeting with Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs Minister Jenny Macklin was initiated by Mr Rudd when the pair requested a federal minister visit Port Augusta.

“We requested for him or a minister to come and see the affect of the COAG agreement locally and to see if the Closing The Gap is actually working,” Ms Wachla said.

The pair said they remained hopeful the ministers would take up the invitation.

Mr Stuart said Mr Rudd expressed an interest in the rate of Aboriginal suicides and was surprised by the Aboriginal population of Port Augusta.

Early childhood education, Aboriginal education and early intervention programs through the federally funded relationship centre were also of interest.

The pair said it was a privilege to have the voices of the region heard and were hopeful their thoughts would be taken on board.

“Ten minutes, is ten minutes more than a lot of people will ever get,” Ms Wachla said. “It was good to talk about Port Augusta, and the surrounding areas…he’s been able to hear the issues.”