Empowering First Nations people at the heart of Labor's approach to Closing the Gap
Linda Burney addresses House of Representatives on Closing the Gap - Monday, 9 August 2021
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I join with Minister Wyatt in recognising himself, of course, Senator Dodson, Senator McCarthy, Senator Thorp and Senator Lambie. I acknowledge the peak organisations, including Pat Turner, and I thank particularly the Labor Party for its incredible support for this process and my leader, Anthony Albanese, for his ongoing support in closing the gap. I also recognise and thank Minister Wyatt for his acknowledgement of me towards the end of his speech. It's very touching and very heartfelt, so thank you very much, Minister Wyatt.
Years of policy stagnancy under Morrison Government
Last week, the Prime Minister delivered the latest Closing the Gap update. Sadly, and unsurprisingly, the data shows that disparity and disadvantage remain. It has been more than two years since the Prime Minister promised the new approach to closing the gap that Minister Wyatt spoke about. There were three targets—target 13, family violence; target 14, suicides; and target 17, Indigenous inclusion—that do not have any comparison data for non-Indigenous populations. Even if the adult incarceration goal were to be met, a reduction of 15 per cent by 2031—a goal that Labor has consistently argued needs to be more ambitious—the rate would still be more than 11 times higher than that for the non-Indigenous population. Even if the youth incarceration goal were to be met, a reduction of 30 per cent by 2031, the rate would still be more than 12 times higher than for the non-Indigenous population. And even if the out-of-home-care goal were to be met, a 45 per cent reduction by 2031, the rate would still be five times higher than for the non-Indigenous population. We can't allow ourselves to become desensitised to this deprivation. Hearing Minister Wyatt's story of his own family brings that home. These are not just statistics; these are people's lives.
This week Labor has sought to break this cycle of policy stagnation. Our leader charted a practical and sensible way forward for closing the gap through empowering First Nations people.
Labor’s commitment to Makarrata and fulfilling the promise of Uluru
Listening to and empowering First Nations people is at the very heart of Labor's approach to closing the gap. We remain committed to a constitutionally enshrined voice and we will put a referendum to the nation within the first term of an Albanese Labor government, but we will also make makarrata—treaty and truth telling—a priority. I say to all Australians: truth telling is not about shame or guilt. It is about moving forward. But we can't move forward by pretending that one part of the country has not been subjected to structural, industrial-scale disadvantage for centuries. If we want to understand the challenges, the disadvantage and the inequities of the present, it is crucial that we understand the roots of past trauma.
The trauma of the past does not simply stay in the past. It has transcended generations, and we all see that. This is one of the fundamental and very practical functions of truth telling. A makarrata commission will be independent and have responsibility for truth telling and treaty making. It will work with the voice to parliament when it is established. It would oversee the establishment of an effective model of local truth-telling, including the support of local communities. It would inquire into matters of overarching national significance, including the causes of inequity from colonisation to the present day. It would recall and tell positive stories of survival and culture, as well as making an official record of colonisation, massacres, discrimination and resistance.
With respect to treaty, it would recommend a framework for federal treaty making, taking into account the good work that has already been undertaken on this by the states and territories. It will consult with First Nations communities and will report within the first term of a Labor government. There can be no real progress on closing the gap and there can be no reconciliation without treaty and truth-telling. Labor's commitment to making Makarrata a priority will realise these crucial elements of the Uluru statement.
The Government’s refusal on First Nations voice
Last week we also saw the Prime Minister rule out a First Nations voice to the parliament before the next election. One of the desires expressed by First Nations people through the Uluru statement was a greater say in decisions, policies and laws that affect us—a generous and reasonable ask from a people who have survived centuries of dispossession, massacres and the destruction of families and communities—a new iteration of self-determination, not binding and certainly not a third chamber, but safe and secure from the whims of political interference from the government of the day through constitutional enshrinement. The Australian government asked First Peoples for their vision of constitutional recognition and reform, and this is it.
Labor’s commitment to Stolen Generations compensation
In the few remaining minutes that I have, I want to quickly touch on the fact that Labor welcomes the establishment of a stolen generations compensation scheme. It was Labor that took stolen generations reparations to the last election: $75,000 in compensation plus $7,000 in auxiliary payments. We welcome the government coming onboard with this, never forgetting that there are members of this chamber today who walked out on the National Apology to the Stolen Generations 13½ years ago. We know that the Rudd Labor government's commencement of the national effort to close the gap as part of the National Apology to the Stolen Generations was in recognition of the issue of stolen generations. It recognises that the disparities and inequities we see today are inexplicably linked to the deprivation that arose from those paternalistic and misguided policies that the minister has outlined with his own family.
Labor will chart a practical and sensible way forward on Closing the Gap
We will charter a practical and sensible way on closing the gap. This is why in the past week Labor has committed to a national process of treaty making and truth-telling. A clear and accurate telling of Australia's story is essential to helping us better understand and explain the causes of inequity and injustice. We have committed to strengthen economic and job opportunities for First Nations people, particularly through the Indigenous rangers program. Economic equality is absolutely fundamental. We can't have an addressing of structural disadvantage more broadly otherwise. Listening to and empowering First Nations people is clearly reflected in Labor's approach to closing the gap. I recognise my party, I recognise the minister in the chair, and I also commit on behalf of Anthony Albanese to the many issues he raised in closing the gap last week.
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LINDA BURNEY
SPEECH - MONDAY, 9 AUGUST 2021