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

I thank Senator Cox for the question—my very first question as the Minister for Indigenous Australians. I'm sure there'll be plenty more to come. Yes, Garma was an important weekend not only for the Prime Minister but also the previous minister for Indigenous Australians, Linda Burney, who I also would like to commend for her work and her energy in improving the lives for Indigenous people. It was good to attend Garma with both her and the Prime Minister, and our commitment to the Uluru Statement from the Heart is very much a strong commitment. We remain firm, Senator Cox, in terms of the principles. We remain committed to the principles of the Uluru Statement from the Heart—voice, treaty, truth. We were the ones, under our Prime Minister, who kept that commitment and went to the referendum.

Going to Garma was the opportunity to be with the people—unlike members opposite, who were certainly invited to be a part of that—and to come together not only with the Yolngu people but also First Nations people who did travel there for the weekend. We saw that as an opportunity to reset, regroup and regather, and that's precisely what we were doing. We were listening to First Nations people, unlike those opposite. People were really hurt by the outcome of the referendum—