Ken Wyatt (Hasluck, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the Leader of the Opposition for this debate today, because there are many elements of Closing the Gap in constitutional recognition. It is progressing, but there are many gaps in the whole process. I listened to the Leader of the Opposition talk about the notion of both he and the Prime Minister meeting with Indigenous leaders, and that is important. But on eight occasions in this parliament I have challenged every member to get out through their electorates, including senators, and meet with every Aboriginal organisation, every Aboriginal community, to look at what the gap is that exists, because it will bring about closure of the gap more than any other initiative if members of both chambers get to understand what their constituents experience, what their constituents are troubled with, and then come back and advocate for the reforms and changes that are needed.

I have been around for a while in Aboriginal affairs, in education, health and 99-year leases of land. And the thing that comes out every time is that the elders say: 'We are consulted with, we are talked to, but nothing changes. What we want is real change on the ground. The other part of the equation, if we talk about just constitutional recognition, is that I would also want the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition talking to non-Indigenous Australians. They hold the majority. That is where we also have to convince—that the strategy of our thinking must be inclusive of a society but at the same time be inclusive of the reforms that are needed across every facet of the lives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who live across this great nation of ours.

I once spoke to a group and said to them, 'Nothing will change until we understand the community and the problem, what the problem is and why we need to change, what the level of buy-in is by both parties'—in other words, the community and the government agencies that often come—and then clarify it by finding out what is really going on, what is happening on the ground that is not working, and what is working. If incarceration rates are having a significant impact on a particular community, then let's look at the issue and see what it is that we have to resolve and change. And then how do you ensure that a community voice is heard in that process?—because that is an important element. And who can prevent change from being successful?—because there are people who are gatekeepers, and we have not tackled that issue in Aboriginal affairs. On constitutional recognition, the constitutional conservatives are the gatekeepers of any change to the Constitution. So, again, we need to engage in the discussions, because I know that in the hearts of many Australians there is strong goodwill, and I know that the Prime Minister is committed to ensuring that the Constitution has some substance in it—not the minimalist approach. We need to build the best possible solutions in bipartisan approaches. I have said previously that it would be great to have a 10-year plan to commit governments and oppositions to a strategic approach in which communities know what is occurring, and know that the change that is emerging is going to be real.

And then we have to make it happen, because if change is to happen we need to negotiate and have an agreement with both parties. Everywhere across this country, what I see littered under all governments is the consultations, the discussions and the negotiations with little change occurring. With responsibility from governments there is also an obligation. There is also an obligation to sit with people and to work through and nut out what the desire that they seek is. There will be issues around land. I ask every member, if we are going to close the gap and achieve constitutional change: get out into your seats and electorates. Go and have the discussions with every key leader, both Indigenous and non-Indigenous, because if we want these changes to be successful, then bring people with us.

That is why the committee has suggested that we have both chambers of this parliament concurrently debate the issue of constitutional change. The people we represent will hear our voices and know our stance. They will know our level of commitment to the changes that are needed. I commend all of those, over the years—and, in particular, those in the Abbott government—who are working to effect change that will bring about what is needed within Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

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