Zaneta Mascarenhas (Swan, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Many millennia ago, a child played on a vast land as the warm sun kissed their skin. Eucalyptus danced on the breeze as a lorikeet sang its melodic song. The ochre earth embraced the child's bare feet as they explored the sacred grounds. In the distance, the rhythmic chant of elders resonated, carrying ancient stories and wisdom that mingled with the scent of burning wood. In this place, a child's senses intertwined with the land, sacredly connecting them to their ancestors, their culture and the timeless spirit of Aboriginal Australia.

Today, I'd like to acknowledge that this debate occurs on the lands of the Ngunnawal and Ngambri people. And I pay my respects to the custodians of this land, who have played, laughed and loved upon these lands for millennia.

Historians and scientists remind us of the importance of understanding the past. And what a rich past First Nations Australians have had. You should not underestimate the importance of the tight connections of the Aboriginal people to our earth. The Yolngu people knew about the links between the tides and the phases of the moon before Galileo.

I know that keto diets are all the rage—low carbohydrates and high protein. Interestingly, traditional Aboriginal diets are the same: berries, bush nuts, roos and shellfish. They're low-GI, too.

Maggie Dent, our beloved parenting expert, stresses the importance of outdoor play for children's holistic development. Outdoor play provides opportunities for exploration, physical activity and connection with earth. First Nations Australians have known this for thousands of years.

One of the risk factors for postnatal depression is a limited social network. There's a reason we say that it takes a village to raise a child. This is why the kinship system extends to aunts, uncles and cousins and is a key part of Aboriginal culture. This support network sustains and nurtures.

The rich tapestry of Aboriginal culture is something that should be a source of pride for all Australians. Recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders in our Constitution will help Australia become a more mature country.

I'd be naive to think that Australia's First Nations history is all rosy. Intergenerational trauma is real. Imagine being ripped away from a land that nurtures both your body and your spirit. For me that would be like being kicked out of my weatherboard home in Kambalda whilst simultaneously my local Catholic church is knocked down—yes, sacrilegious.

Forced assimilation policies included the eradication of language and culture. My parents did not teach me their mother tongue. I can cook curry, but I've missed out on a whole chapter of my cultural history. When I went to India earlier this year I felt lost not knowing Hindi.

Of course, there's the removal of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children from their families. Felicity and Lincoln are my world. If someone took them away from me, I would be heartbroken and a shell of myself. Nothing could fix this. Who would know how my son and daughter would grow up? They would not know how deeply I care about them. Of course, the trauma would repeat itself.

Let's talk about closing the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. In March this year a whopping 11 metrics were not on track and only four were on track. In a country that is as developed as ours some of these results are shameful. Increasing the birth weight of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander babies is not on track. Only 47 per cent of First Nations Australians have completed a certificate III or above. This is not on track. Employment outcomes are not on track, but they are improving. Appropriate housing is also not on track. Suicide rates are worsening for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. We are going backwards and people are dying.

Part of the Uluru statement says:

Proportionally, we are the most incarcerated people on the planet. We are not an innately criminal people. Our children are aliened from their families at unprecedented rates. This cannot be because we have no love for them. And our youth languish in detention in obscene numbers. They should be our hope for the future.

Many of these metrics are shocking. Waiting for a royal commission or a Four Corners episode to expose one of these metrics is not efficient. We have a simple systematic solution and it's called a voice to parliament. As a scientist I know that the definition of 'insanity' is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. Voting yes is very easy. It costs voters very little, but there is so much to gain for First Nations Australians.

I recognise that statistically Australians know more queer people than they do First Nations Australians, so they don't necessarily have the experience of having an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander mate. But the principle of a fair go is something that resonates strongly with all Australians. I was so proud when Australians voted yes in the marriage equality plebiscite, including in my electorate of Swan.

I was recently speaking with a dear older gay friend. She explained to me that after the 'yes' vote for marriage equality something inside her fundamentally shifted. She felt a greater sense of belonging in our community. She had a good upbringing and was an amazing teacher. Do you know what? She had a loving childhood and adulthood. Now I imagine the positivity that will come from a 'yes' outcome on the Voice and how Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders will feel—they will walk a bit higher, feel a greater sense of belonging and walk in both worlds.

During crises like bushfires, average Australians step up and help each other. There is an outpouring of donations, people call up and volunteer and they have a lot of love to give. We step up because we want our community to succeed. Right now we have a crisis in Australia: Australia is systematically failing our First Nations people. Australia: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders would like to know that you have their back and that you want them to achieve their fullest potential. This is an opportunity to write history by voting yes. The Australia that I know is deeply generous. My parents experienced this generosity from day one when they arrived in Kalgoorlie. I'm confident that Australia will continue to show its generous spirit and its belief in a fair go for all. For 200 years First Nations people have been asking to be the masters of their own destiny. In 1967 they were counted, and today they seek to be heard. This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reconcile the past with the present to build a better future.

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