Jana Stewart (Victoria, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the new Minister for Indigenous Australians, Senator McCarthy. Can the minister explain what this government is doing to improve the life outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians and Closing the Gap outcomes? Can the new minister outline the government's key priorities?

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

Thank you, Senator Stewart, for your question. I certainly am, as I said previously, deeply honoured to be the new Minister for Indigenous Australians, taking the baton from the Hon. Linda Burney MP. It has been certainly wonderful to walk beside her, throughout our eight years together, with her as our shadow minister in opposition but then as the minister in the last couple of years, and also with former senator Pat Dodson—a terrific duo to have worked with.

It was at Garma that Denise Bowden from the Yothu Yindi Foundation used the words 'soul crushing' for the people who'd worked so hard in the referendum campaign. We know the Gumatj leaders commended the Prime Minister for his courage in taking forward the referendum, and they gave him the sacred ganiny. It is a source of strength and power. That ceremony that took place at Gulkula was the first time it had been publicly shown, in terms of the Prime Minister, and it was about the strength and power that he had to take this forward. He had made a commitment, and they thanked him for that. As Djawa Yunupingu said at Garma, we do 'look forward and not back'. That's what I will be doing: working hard to move forward together. We will work in partnership with First Nations communities and organisations and state and territory governments to ensure Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians have the same opportunities and life outcomes as our fellow Australians.

While in Garma, the PM outlined economic development as a key priority because it's through being able to participate in the economy that we will create better futures. We signed a new partnership agreement with the Northern Territory government and the Yothu Yindi Foundation, investing $20 million from the Aboriginal Benefits Account to build the Garma Institute, a new tertiary and vocational education centre owned and run by the Yolngu. This builds on our new school-funding commitment to the NT signed by Minister Clare.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Stewart, first supplementary?

Jana Stewart (Victoria, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Work across the parliament on closing the gap, to address the disparity between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians across health, education, jobs, housing, justice and so many more areas, is so important. What steps has the minister taken in her first few weeks as minister to ensure that this happens?

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

Thank you, Senator Stewart. I certainly reached out to First Nations organisations across the country. It did all happen very quickly, so there was a fair bit of work—and there is still ongoing work, obviously. But one of the most key important aspects for me is this parliament and reaching out across parties, in both the Senate and the House, to close the gap. Regarding those targets, certainly the data that came out last Friday showed again that we are not reducing the incarceration rates, we are not reducing the out-of-home care rates and we are not able to see the slowdown of suicide. In fact, we're seeing way too many suicides. I do thank the members and senators who met with me this morning to, as my first task in this parliament, speak about closing the gap. We had senators and members from across the aisle, and I do thank those who were unable to appear this morning, but I will be in touch with them over the coming days.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Stewart, second supplementary?

Jana Stewart (Victoria, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The government has said it's committed to the principles of makarrata and truth-telling. Can the minister provide an update on the government's approach?

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

Thank you, Senator Stewart. I know that you're incredibly passionate about all of these issues, and we do remain firmly committed to the principles of the Uluru Statement from the Heart. There are a variety of views on how to move forward, and it is important that the next steps bring people together. We saw what happens when people do not walk together in the issue and the area of First Nations people.

Already, important treaty and truth-telling work is underway at the state and territory level. In Victoria we're seeing the progress being made by the First Peoples' Assembly and the important work of the Yoorrook Justice Commission. In South Australia, work of the historic South Australian voice to parliament is well underway. As I travel this country and talk to First Nations people, I am humbled that, despite everything we've been through, both historically and more recently, there is a great determination and resilience to keep going. We are a resilient people. We are strong and determined to keep going, but we want to do it together.