Cathy O'Toole (Herbert, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I stand in this place today proud to represent the Bwgcolman people of Palm Island as their share journey in this, their centenary year of the first forced placement of people on Palm Island. The centenary commemorations provide an opportunity for the people of Palm and visitors alike to reflect on the hundred years past, to celebrate the present and to invest in a new future.

Between 9 and 11 March this year, the island commemorated becoming Bwgcolman, focusing on the past. The commemoration reflected on the island's past 100 years, and the Bwgcolman people shared their stories of endurance and, certainly, resilience. 'Bwgcolman' translates to 'many tribes, one mob'—people who have lived and died on Palm Island and whose ancestors were deported there from all over Queensland following its inception as a penitentiary. The dates of commemoration marked a cyclone that hit the Hull River Aboriginal settlement on 10 March 1918, triggering the first forced placement of people on Great Palm Island.

The Deadly Didge N Dance Festival, which celebrated the present, was held between 20 and 22 April. The island's present was celebrated with music and cultural festivities. The festival also included a symbolic burning of the bell. People's lives were dictated by the bell. They awoke to the bell, they went to bed by the bell, they ate by the bell, they went to work and came home by the bell, and they were punished severely with jail time if they failed to obey the bell. This was both a meaningful and a deeply emotional experience, especially for the elders. The Palm Island residents and visitors came together to attempt to also break a Guinness world record for the longest corroboree. I was both honoured and privileged to be in traditional dress and painted up to participate in this corroboree. We unofficially broke the record, with just over 250 people dancing nonstop for five minutes.

On 7 June and 8 this year, the Deadly Futures event will be held. This will be focused on the next hundred years for Palm. Deadly Futures will focus on the young people and include conversations with inspiring Indigenous and non-indigenous people, a health focused sports carnival and a careers expo.

However, I must say I am beyond disgusted that the Turnbull government has completely walked away from the National Partnership Agreement on Remote Indigenous Housing, especially at a time when Palm Island is looking to its future, because this means seven apprenticeships will be lost on Palm, not to mention the risk of increased homelessness and health issues that are related to further overcrowding. If this government is fair dinkum about closing the gap, it would certainly not be cutting $245 million over two years from the National Partnership Agreement on Remote Indigenous Housing, which has been a huge success in Queensland. This means jobs for remote communities and, more importantly, jobs for Indigenous people.