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ABC News
29-04-2025
- Politics
- ABC News
Traditional owners want greater focus on Indigenous issues after failed Voice referendum
At Mungalla Station in north Queensland, the rich history of the Nywaigi people and the impact of the early days of colonialism are ingrained in the lush landscape. For two decades traditional owner Jacob Cassady has run tours on the working cattle station — telling visitors from around the world about the colonial history of the region. The station was run by white settlers and was historically significant with Nywaigi people working the land until their displacement in the 20th century. It was also home to South Sea Islanders, taken from their homes as part of the black birding trade from the Pacific islands. Jacob Cassady runs cultural tours at Mungalla Station in north Queensland. ( ABC News: Baz Ruddick ) Concerns grow after referendum Far from the halls of parliament house, traditional owners and Indigenous elders from north Queensland are keenly watching on as the election campaign plays out. Mr Cassady believes the country is at a crossroad in the wake of the failed Voice to Parliament vote of 2023. Wetlands at Mungalla Station. ( ABC News: Lily Nothling ) "Aboriginal people have been used as a political football for many, many years," he says. "I just have a feeling that those embers of racism that were evident in that colonisation period — the fans are blowing those winds of racism across this country again. "For me, personally, it's concerning for my children and their children." Mungalla Station is located east of Ingham. ( ABC News: Lily Nothling ) He says he is worried about how conversations around Indigenous issues are playing out in Australian society as a whole. "I think it's an opportunity for all Australians to be proud of their Indigenous cultures," he says. "It's not just for Indigenous people. We should take the view that we're all Australians and we have an amazing Indigenous history, and we've got an amazing European history here … that whole story should be an Australian story that we're all proud of." Jacob Cassady is concerned about a resurgence of racism in Australia. ( ABC News: Baz Ruddick ) Mr Cassady says a new government needs to focus on improving the outcomes for Indigenous people — beginning with education — by looking at where money is being spent and better focusing it. "Our literacy and numeracy in our communities are horrendous. We've got to really start putting effort into programs that work," he says. "An area we have to look at is governance [in indigenous organisations] and making sure that taxpayers' money is being spent where it's supposed to go." Stay updated: Catch the latest interviews and in-depth coverage on Indigenous issues placed on backburner Dr Bartholomew Stanford is a senior lecturer in Indigenous studies at James Cook University and says recently there has been a global trend toward conservatism when it comes to Indigenous issues. When Anthony Albanese came to power in 2022, Indigenous recognition was front and centre, but the referendum result became a "barometer" for the government to measure the public's attitude towards improving it. Dr Bartholomew Standford says Indigenous communities feel like they've been "left in the dark" politically. ( Supplied ) "The government has basically no appetite for Indigenous rights recognition at the moment and there's been a strong pivot to economic initiatives," he says. He believes Indigenous communities are feeling like they have been "left in the dark" politically. "The Labor government under Anthony Albanese committed to recognising the Uluru Statement from the Heart in full, but post referendum, they have seemingly walked away from the other two principles, which is truth telling and treaty making," he says. He says while for the government, the "tone on Indigenous policy" has remained static since the referendum result, Peter Dutton as opposition leader has "sown seeds of division." "He has said that he's unwilling to stand in front of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags at official government press conferences and there seems to be a willingness from the Coalition as well to bring the Indigenous affairs portfolio under much closer scrutiny," he says. Peter Dutton with Jacinta Nampijinpa Price campaigning against a Voice to Parliament. ( ABC News: Andrew O'Connor ) In Queensland, the newly elected Liberal National Party state government scrapped the truth-telling inquiry and Path to Treaty process. Both were established by the previous Labor government, and the public hearings involving community members had already started. Calls for 'transformative change' as election looms Catherine Liddle says governments have shirked their responsibility to close the gap. ( ABC News: Ian Redfearn ) Catherine Liddle is the chief executive at SNAICC, the national peak body for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander child and family services, and says commitments from the campaigning parties have been lacking. "Any election campaign is an opportunity to do something fantastic," she says. " The government knows that transformative change is needed. " Photo shows Selwyn is wearing a light blue button up shirt and is sitting at a boardroom table. He is wearing reading glasses The Productivity Commission says governments are shirking "meaningful action" to close the gap. Earlier this year the Productivity Commission made a statement that governments were shirking "meaningful action" to close the gap, with only four of the 19 Closing the Gap targets on track to be met nationally. Ms Liddle says the report is a "wake-up call". "This is the point where we say all governments lean into that report, all governments invest in those priority reforms that say work differently with your communities. "Share responsibility, respond to what is actually needed, invest in strengthening communities, invest in children and we'll see very different outcomes." Palm Island Aboriginal Shire Council Mayor Alf Lacey. ( ABC News: Baz Ruddick ) Palm Island, in Queensland's north, is Australia's largest discreet Indigenous community in Australia with a population of about 4,000 people. Palm Island Aboriginal Shire Council Mayor Alf Lacey says he would like governments to look at his community and help facilitate change on the island by helping them achieve economic empowerment. "We still have more work to do, particularly for livability, cost of living in our communities, better freight subsidies, certainly better grocery prices in our communities, and more importantly, continuing to advocate with the government in terms of housing," Mr Lacey says. He says overcrowding is a real issue as well as economic empowerment. "My message to the Albanese government, the opposition, other parties and independent members is to concentrate more on economic opportunities in our communities," he says. "When you have the butcher, baker and the candlestick maker it makes a town work and that's a no brainer." Read more about the federal election: Want even more? Here's where you can find all our 2025
ABC News
25-04-2025
- General
- ABC News
How Cyclone Yasi helped Kenn Parker build his home among the cassowaries
It's a birdwatcher's paradise, a 10-acre plot of tranquillity that Kenn Parker calls home. In this isolated patch of rainforest on the doorstep of the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area in northern Queensland, he lives a quiet life observing the natural world around him. Kenn Parker says he is endlessly fascinated by the natural environment around him. ( ABC News: Baz Ruddick ) "There's never a dull moment. There is always something happening," Mr Parker says, as he sits on the verandah of a purposefully built bird-watching hut. "One minute it might be a cassowary or a bandicoot, or a wallaby or a snake. They just keep coming and I love them." Kenn Parker's house includes a small, three-sided bird-watching shelter where he welcomes visitors. ( ABC News: Baz Ruddick ) But of all his forest neighbours, the most intriguing are the cassowaries — often deemed the most dangerous birds in the world due to their razor sharp claws and powerful legs. "I didn't think I was going to be living this close to cassowaries. But they just arrived one day and they haven't gone," he said. Since purchasing the property in 2000, Mr Parker estimates he has seen 42 chicks grow up, some of whom have returned as proud fathers with their own offspring to show him. Mr Parker loves the quietude of the rainforest. ( ABC News: Baz Ruddick ) His fascination with these extraordinary birds, which are raised by the male parent, has led Mr Parker to document their behaviour. "I videoed them all from tiny little chicks — three days old and four days old. They've just grown up around me," he said. " The dad will bring the chicks back and go, 'Hey, look what I've got'. They're very good dads. " Cassowaries often visit Mr Parker's house as they move through the forest scratching for food. ( ABC News: Baz Ruddick ) While he has affectionately given nicknames to some of the more frequent visiting birds — Duchess and Danger — Mr Parker maintains a safe distance and never approaches them. He believes that when the cassowaries are close to his house, they don't find his presence threatening and are therefore less of a danger to him. "When I get out and go into the forest it's a different story. You have to be careful. You are a human. You are a problem," he said. Mr Parker exercises caution around the cassowaries. ( ABC News: Baz Ruddick ) The night the wind howled Mr Parker is accustomed to solitary life, having spent many decades living at sea and travelling on sailboats. In 2000, he decided to put down roots among the trees. He purchased the 10-acre block at Bilyana, north of Cardwell, for just under $50,000 using a compensation payment he was awarded after a workplace accident. "As I started to walk through [the forest] there was a little pink native hibiscus and I knew from that moment this property was going to be mine," he said. Mr Parker's small house was built in 16 days using timber from trees felled by Cyclone Yasi in 2011 for the frames. ( ABC News: Baz Ruddick ) When he began living on the block, his home was an old campervan with a pop-top roof, which was perfectly serviceable until Tropical Cyclone Yasi unleashed its fury on North Queensland in February 2011. The Category 5 storm remains one of the most devastating to ever cross the Australian coast. As Mr Parker sheltered in his van, he could hear trees and huge branches falling all around him as gale-force winds tore through the rainforest. Damaged boats are stacked on top of one another at Port Hinchinbrook boat harbour in Cardwell, Thursday, Feb. 3, 2011, as a result of category 5 tropical cyclone Yasi. ( AAP: Dave Hunt ) "I had the roof tied down and I can see it starting to lift so I'm hanging on. It's roped but the wind is picking it up, dropping it, picking it up, dropping it," he recalled. "Then this wattle tree just came down and went 'bop' and kept the roof down all night." Downed trees and signs litter the foreshore at Cardwell, days after Cyclone Yasi. ( Audience submitted: ) He felt safer with the tree anchoring his fragile abode, but was afraid for the animals who called this part of the forest home. At first light, he climbed out of his battered van and was shocked by the destruction around him. The view, normally obscured by trees, opened up and he could see Dunk Island 30 kilometres to the north-east and Tully to the north. The frame and roof trusses were cut using a portable mill loaned to Mr Parker by a friend. ( ABC News: Baz Ruddick ) "The first little bird I saw was a little blue wren. It made my heart sing. I nearly cried because I thought if that little bird can survive then the cassowaries and all these other little animals, they're going to be alright," he said. The house that Yasi built Mr Parker never planned to build a permanent structure on his property. "I wasn't going to build here because there was no way in the world I was going to cut these trees down. I wasn't even going to build a track," he said. But with his campervan ruined, he decided to put all the fallen timber around him to good use. Friends whose properties had also been hit brought him extra wood, and with their help and the use of a portable mill, Mr Parker set to work using the timber to build the frames and trusses of a small house. Mr Parker spends time repairing electronics at his kitchen table. ( ABC News: Baz Ruddick ) "Two or three big blue gums came down so we cut them up," he said. "It all came from here except the pine … I cut this [timber] really fresh within two or three weeks of it coming down and it cut dead straight — perfect," he said. In just 16 days, Mr Parker had a small but liveable home. The kitchen and bathroom are still makeshift and the place is run on five deep-cycle batteries — recharged by the sun. Mr Parker says one day cassowaries arrived at his property and now they visit him regularly. ( ABC News: Baz Ruddick ) Adapting to life in the rainforest has come with its challenges. "There is no water but there is a spring, so I invented a pump that pumps water up the hill and puts 5,000 litres of water in those tanks there a day," he said. "I wouldn't want to live anywhere else. "[I love] the quiet at night. You might hear an owl or a scrub fowl, you hear frogs — but it's so quiet. And the stillness."
