Sharon Claydon (Newcastle, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

It drives me and my Labor colleagues on this side of the House to in fact double-down on our efforts to recalibrate the relationship between government and First Nations as a matter of priority. We can't afford to keep treading down the same path of failed policy responses to what are longstanding historical structural inequalities, and that means saying no to lazy policymaking. It's that lazy policymaking that has undermined or indeed removed the capacity for self-determination from First Nations peoples and communities. From where I stand, that means saying no to blunt interventionist policies that have no effective exit strategy, have no pathway for First Nations peoples to regain control of their own lives and destinies and have no capacity anymore to build healthy, safe, sustainable and prosperous communities for First Nations peoples now and for their future generations.

It's time for governments to be bold. It's time for governments to think seriously about that relationship with First Nations people, to now invest in First Nations communities and community-controlled organisations and to support those terrific community led successful programs on the ground. That's what this government needs to do. That's what a future Labor government will be doing. I cannot bear to spend another year standing in this House reporting on the failure of government to in any way, shape or form close this gap. Enough is enough.

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