Minister for Indigenous Australians
Thank you Aunty Violet for your warm Welcome.
I acknowledge country and pay my respects to Elders past and present.
I acknowledge the Close the Gap Co-Chairs June Oscar and Karl Briscoe
Selwyn Button – Chair of the Lowitja Institute
And all the members of the Close the Gap Campaign Alliance
Thank you for inviting me to speak this morning
Congratulations on the 2024 Close the Gap report
Celebrating Indigenous excellence and innovation.
And focussing on strengths and successes
Shining a light on examples of work in communities that are making a difference.
This report also acknowledges the pain of last year’s referendum defeat.
I know it was extraordinarily tough
But I want to thank you for all the work you did.
And I know you are as disappointed as we are about the outcome.
But, we have to hold on the positives –
6.2 million Australians voted yes
And they continue to walk with us
We have seen a new generation of young leaders emerge
And such a strong ‘Yes’ vote in remote communities:
- Wadeye, with a 92% ‘Yes’ vote.
- The Tiwi Islands an 84% ‘Yes’ vote
- And Maningrida an 88% ‘Yes’ vote.
Every one of us is determined to see better outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians.
And I want to tell you today that the Albanese government is fully committed to Closing the Gap.
To addressing the entrenched inequality between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians.
And our commitment to working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people is unwavering.
We are committed to the National Agreement on Closing the Gap
To fixing the broken CDP program –
Working with communities to create real jobs in remote Australia.
To building up to 2,700 homes in remote Northern Territory communities.
Because we know more than 25,000 First Nations people are living in overcrowded houses in the NT.
And we know overcrowding is the root cause of so many health problems and inequalities, that our people face.
To properly funding public schools in the Northern Territory – because every child deserves the best start in life, no matter where they are born.
On July 1 this year, every Australian taxpayer will get a tax cut
Because we know a lot of people are doing it tough.
This builds on our targeted relief for
- Electricity bills
- Making medicines cheaper
- Making it easier and cheaper to see a doctor
- Cheaper child care and expanding parental leave
- And fee-free TAFE
We are committed to making progress on the Priority Reforms
- Formal partnerships and shared decision making
- Building the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Controlled sector
- Systemic and structural transformation of mainstream government organisations
- Shared access to data and information
We believe in listening
We believe in working together in partnership
And we believe in self-determination
We are putting communities in the driver’s seat
Because as this report shows, communities have the solutions to so many challenges that face us
More broadly, we are taking the time needed to get Makarrata and truth-telling right.
As your report indicates – the work of treaty goes on at a state and territory level
- The Yoorrook Justice Commission in Victoria
- The Queensland Path to Treaty
- And the First Nations Voice in South Australia, where elections were held on the weekend
There will be a diversity of processes, reflecting the diversity of First Nations people across Australia.
We will work with the community to get this right.
Lowitja O’Donoghue
Finally, I want to acknowledge the late Lowitja O’Donoghue
A trailblazer and staunch advocate for our people
I’m so pleased we are announcing today that the Albanese Government will contribute $3.5 million to support the Lowitja O’Donoghue Foundation.
This funding will support up to 10 scholarships a year for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
This funding commitment honours a remarkable legacy
And will support the next generation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander nurses.
I want to conclude by borrowing a quote from your report
“The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice.”
This famous Martin Luther King quote echoes through the ages.
History does not always move in a straight line.
There is progress and setbacks.
But our history always bends towards justice – and we should remember that.
Thank you for inviting me today and congratulations on your report.
