Pat Conaghan (Cowper, National Party) Share this | Hansard source

Firstly, I would like to acknowledge the traditional custodians, the Ngunawal and Ngambri people, and their elders past, present and emerging. I was very pleased last week to see the Prime Minister announce this government's latest Closing the Gap implementation plan, along with the redress scheme. It was extremely pleasing to see that language was specifically recognised as part of the rich inheritance of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples—it's something I have been working with Indigenous people in my communities to expand—an inheritance that Closing the Gap, in that respect, specifically seeks to protect. There are 123 languages across our country, but only 14 of those are considered to be strong. This government's target, between now and 2031, is a steady increase in the number and strength of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community languages being spoken.

I was also pleased to see, having spent 12 years enforcing the law and 18 years defending the law, a new focus on justice with new targets set so that, by 2031, we will reduce the rate of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults in custody by 15 per cent and juveniles by 30 per cent. There are far too many young Indigenous people in custody, and the low-hanging fruit here is to look at those offences that send people to jail that don't involve public safety, such as traffic offences that involve an administrative component. There are people in custody right now serving terms of imprisonment for driving whilst disqualified. That potentially could have started because that young Indigenous man or that young Indigenous woman didn't have a birth certificate, so therefore they couldn't get a licence and, therefore, they drove without a licence on multiple occasions. It's not so much a public safety offence as an administrative offence, which can see them in prison for up to two years.

I was also very pleased to speak with former Aboriginal affairs minister Robert Tickner, who is now serving as the chair of the Justice Reform Initiative. I know that he has done a lot of work, both in his past life and since leaving this place, for the advancement of Indigenous people and their culture. If he requires any assistance, I look forward to offering him that assistance.

I recognise the Commonwealth doesn't manage those justice systems, but where we can make a difference is in bringing people together and the provision of additional funding for support, such as the $9.3 million for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander legal services to better manage complex cases and coronial inquiries. I have seen how stretched that they are in their funding, so it was pleasing to see that. A further $8.2 million in funding is for family dispute resolution programs for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families.

Importantly, this Closing the Gap implementation plan is a commitment by the government to work in partnership with and to listen to Indigenous peoples. Quite clearly the key two words in my last sentence were 'partnership' and 'listen', because that is exactly what this government—all governments at all levels—must do: that is, partner with our Indigenous people and listen, really listen, to our Indigenous people.

In my own electorate of Cowper, we have a significant number of Indigenous people through Coffs Harbour, Kempsey, Bowraville and the wider Nambucca area. I acknowledge the Birrbay people and the Dhanggati-Thangatti and Gumbaynggirr nations.

Earlier this month the government announced $126 million to help improve education for thousands of Indigenous students. Education is a key part of our government's plan to close the gap. I accept that there is still that massive chasm. NAPLAN data shows that Indigenous students are, on average, more than two years behind their non-Indigenous peers in year 3. And that gap continues to grow over time. So this significant financial boost will hopefully help focus on scaling up programs that we know lift outcomes for our Indigenous students. The primary focus will be on important areas such as reading, maths, attendance at school and school completion.

In Coffs Harbour, in my own electorate, Gumbaynggirr Giingana Freedom School is looking to open in early 2022. I was very pleased to bring Minister Wyatt down and speak to him about that project. That project aims to establish the Gumbaynggirr Giingana school, an Aboriginal bilingual independent primary school, for Aboriginal students on the Coffs Coast. Clark Webb, the CEO, is a remarkable young man. He established the Bularri Muurlay Nyanggan Aboriginal Corporation, and he is the driving force behind this plan. 'Bularri muurlay nyanggan' translates to 'two paths strong' in the Gumbaynggirr language. Their footprint extends from the Nambucca Valley all the way up to Grafton, and they're currently engaged with over 200 people in cultural and educational programs each year. The organisation was formed 10 years ago, and it now includes three Goori learning centres, a Nyanggan tutoring program, Gumbaynggirr language and cultural revitalisation programs, the Wajaarr Ngaarlu dance troupe, cultural camps, the Nyanggan Gapi Cafe and a cultural experience tourism venture. Clark is a very proud First Nations man who was raised to never allow anyone to make him believe the Goori people are any less than anyone else. That great strength in his heritage shows that, when Indigenous children are strong in their identity, they engage much better in learning. Once operational, the school will provide a culturally strong, safe and thriving learning environment where the Gumbaynggirr world view and language drive and enrich the entire learning experience.

The Closing the Gap Implementation Plan sets out the actions this government is taking to drive and embed real and positive change. Each relevant stakeholder must be part of a collaborative effort to achieve this desired outcome during this process. Importantly, the programs and policies to achieve our goals will be the responsibility of all involved—everyone. This is being achieved through the partnership with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, a true partnership. This relationship is central to the design and monitoring of specific actions under the implementation plan, evolving the way we work together to better deliver the desired outcomes for the Indigenous community and Australians as a whole. The implementation plan will require significant change in how all governments work on all levels. Like previous efforts in closing the gap, socioeconomic targets have been set to measure whether efforts are being made to make a difference.

As the Minister for Indigenous Australians, Ken Wyatt, said last week, this announcement reflects the government's commitment to recognising and acknowledging the wrongs of the past as part of a nation's journey to reconciliation, and this scheme represents a major step forward towards healing. This is a journey for all Australians.

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