Ken Wyatt (Hasluck, Liberal Party, Minister for Indigenous Australians) Share this | Hansard source

I thank you, Member for Reid, for your question and I also want to acknowledge the contribution you've made in respect of matters associated with social and emotional wellbeing, mental health and youth suicide. I appreciate the opportunity the Prime Minister and I had today to announce all of the significant elements of the Closing the Gap Implementation Plan after 12 months of signing this agreement with state and territory first ministers.

What's important is the elements that are within the Closing the Gap strategy, including the stolen generation, were based on us listening to what community said to us and working with the peak organisations. What's important about this one is: at the beginning of the year Maisie Austin, along with Fiona Cornforth, came to see us and met with the Prime Minister and I, and they talked about the impact of our policies and the lingering legacy of the pain they were still feeling. So we worked this through to seek a resolution, to give them hope and aspiration, to give them an opportunity to be in a position in which they can make some solid decisions about the remainder of their time, because most of them are now well aged, and the impact of those policies has had its mark. This will provide an opportunity for them to make decisions about entering aged care or finding an alternative to aged care. It helps in the process of the healing that we all talk about on both sides of the chamber. But what's important is that we'll provide support and interventions that will assist them individually. It is part of telling the truth of this nation. They will tell their stories. We will provide individual apologies to them because of the work that has been done.

The reaction from members of the stolen generation to our announcement this morning has been overwhelming in appreciation for the recognition that they have a special place in our history and that we as a government have been able to create an opportunity for them to be acknowledged. What I want to do is make sure, as we progress the rollout of the scheme, that they're informed of what our agency will provide. We'll provide access to social and emotional wellbeing programs, mental health support, financial counselling and any other support they need in order for them to live a quality life as an outcome of this. They have waited for a long time. It's a privilege, today, making that advice and providing legal advice to them as well. I want to thank all my colleagues in cabinet who overwhelmingly supported this initiative.

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