Malarndirri McCarthy (NT, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Minister for Indigenous Australians) Share this | Hansard source

There are good, decent, hardworking Australians across this country who know that First Nations people want to achieve the best not only for themselves but for their families and their communities. To hear this Senate and the previous speaker paint in one swipe the degrading attitude towards First Nations people in this country is an absolute slur on this parliament.

First Nations people in this country want to live better lives. They want to live longer lives. They want to live lives without being incarcerated. They want to live lives that give their children a future felt with love, compassion, warmth, security, a home and a house to live in. That's no different to any other Australian in this country. But the reason why we stand here every year in February is to remind the country that inequality still exists; that is why we do this in this parliament. No political party is to blame for the complete disadvantage and poverty that exists out there, but all parties have to take responsibility for improving it.

The attacks on the referendum are completely unfounded. It is part of our democracy to have referendums in this country. We had one on the republic, and we have had them on numerous pieces of legislation that have impacted this Senate. That's what referendums are. Again, it lessens the integrity of this chamber to attack the fact that we had a referendum. We took it to the people because the people who asked us to put the question to the rest of Australia had worked on it for decades, and they do not deserve to be treated in such a fashion by this chamber. They are people who have worked hard to rise above their circumstances to achieve their educational degrees. Call them what you like, but they have a right to put to this parliament a better way forward for the people they live with and think they have an answer to. The country didn't accept that; the country said no. We on this side accept that response, but for some reason there still seems to be this conversation and dialogue. They have to keep burying down the very people who wanted to find a solution for, and give a solution to, this parliament for a way forward. They are now treated so badly, and they do not have to be. This parliament, this chamber, should not do that. We stand here because we still have problems with trying to achieve equality in the First Nations space.

The Prime Minister has announced 3,000 jobs as a way forward, especially with the Community Development Program, which we know has not worked. I certainly hope members opposite will work with us very strongly to achieve the economic goals and aims that we want to see to improve equality for First Nations people. This should actually be above politics. Inequality, disadvantage and poverty should not be something we should all think we're better at trying to improve. We should all work together on that, and that's what this opportunity is all about. So I'm hoping, with the next 12 months, we look at all the things that we want to achieve. The jobs initiatives, the $30.2 million for remote training hubs in up to seven remote locations, the $10.7 million to continue funding for the Justice Policy Partnership, the $20 million for community wi-fi services across 20 remote communities, and the $24 million to expand the Junior Ranger programs, will be supported here.

I thank SNAICC, the peak body, the national voice for our children, which has been calling for an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children's commissioner for many years. I thank them for their advocacy. We are now going to appoint a National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children's Commissioner to work with our families, very aware of the issues of our youth across the country. But let's not lower the standards of this Senate, this chamber, in running into the ground the very people who want to put solutions to the parliament on a way forward for their families.