Latest news with #truthTelling
ABC News
4 days ago
- General
- ABC News
First Nations leaders hope Labor will use big majority to pursue national truth telling
Prominent Indigenous Australians are hopeful the federal government will use its significant majority in parliament to progress a national truth telling process. After declaring he would implement the Uluru Statement from the Heart in full — which includes establishing a Makarrata Commission to oversee truth telling — Prime Minister Anthony Albanese backed down from the commitment, after the decisive rejection of a Voice to Parliament. But this week, Minister for Indigenous Australians Malarndirri McCarthy indicated she was still open to the concept, following a call from the so-called father of reconciliation, Pat Dodson. "We have an opportunity now to have a look, with our new parliament, with our second term of government, to see what we can do moving forward," Minister McCarthy said. "One of the things the prime minister and I have said with regards to the Uluru Statement from the Heart was that we supported the three principles: voice, treaty, truth, and we've never shied away from that." While she acknowledged truth telling can happen in various ways — such as at schools — she was "ready to listen to what possibilities there could be in going forward." First Nations leader and prominent Voice campaigner Thomas Mayo said that was a positive sign. Mr Mayo partly blamed the prime minister's decision to retreat on Makarrata on the opposition. "It was under some duress from an opposition party that were invigorated somewhat from their successful nastiness during the referendum campaign and…were feral anytime anything positive in Indigenous affairs was mentioned," he said. He also urged Labor to be "courageous" after its resounding win. "That majority was somewhat a repudiation on the Coalition's punching down on Indigenous Australians throughout their election campaign," he said. Liberal senator Kerrynne Liddle, who is now the Shadow Indigenous Australians Minister, has dismissed the idea the vote was a rejection by a large part of the electorate of so-called culture war issues. "I think most of the Australian public would think that it was pretty silly to suggest that it is a single issue that has resulted in the outcome that we've seen, " she told the ABC earlier this month. Mr Mayo also argued that the federal government should be encouraged by the Liberal government in Tasmania promising to set up truth telling commissioners. Former Labor senator Pat Dodson said he too felt hopeful that Labor seemed open to a national truth telling process. "I'm encouraged by the fact that the commitment that the Labor Party gave some time back, before this election, is still on the agenda," he said. "Obviously it's got to be committed to and then they've got to set up a process to enact it. "But it's a great thing because we've got to start listening to the different stories," he said. Mr Dodson said there were leaders across the country willing to be involved. "I'd encourage the minister to reach out to all these people and bring them together and start to map out a course in this term so that we can get on with it."
ABC News
27-05-2025
- General
- ABC News
Tasmanian government to fund truth-telling commissioners but drop treaty process
The Tasmanian government will no longer pursue a treaty with Tasmanian Aboriginal people, instead funding the establishment of truth-telling and healing commissioners. The decision came four years after former premier Peter Gutwein announced the commencement of a truth-telling and treaty process. It led to the 2021 government-commissioned report, Pathway to Truth-Telling and Treaty, which made 24 recommendations, including that truth-telling and treaty work be done concurrently. However, Aboriginal Affairs Minister Jacquie Petrusma said the government would now focus solely on the truth-telling process. "Truth-telling is a necessary step which must run its course, so accordingly, the government will no longer progress treaty," Ms Petrusma said in a statement on Tuesday. This week's budget will include $880,000 over two years for the appointment of independent commissioners to guide an Aboriginal-led truth-telling and healing process. Ms Petrusma described it as a historic moment of recognition, respect and self-determination for Tasmanian Aboriginal people. "It is a critical and necessary step towards recognising past injustices, gaining a greater understanding of the contemporary challenges being faced by Tasmanian Aboriginal people, and making real progress in healing the wounds of the past," she said. She said the government would now work with Tasmanian Aboriginal people to appoint the commissioners, and on the process beyond that. The funding announcement has been welcomed by some Aboriginal organisations, but the decision to not progress with a treaty has disappointed others. Rodney Dillon, who is on the Tasmanian Aboriginal Advisory Group for Truth-telling and Treaty, said the move to appoint Tasmanian Aboriginal commissioners was the right approach. "We've had 200 and something years of colonisation and this is the first time we've taken that step, so that's how big and how significant it is," Mr Dillon told the ABC. "I think it's a good step for Aboriginal people." He said it was important to go through the truth-telling process before moving to a treaty. "Some people will want a treaty first and I can understand that," he said. "But I don't think you can have a treaty without some truth-telling first and the reason why you need a treaty. "And I think that you can take a look around the country, and perhaps around the world where we've had treaties and never put anything in front of them, a lot of them have fallen over. "So I think this is a good foundation to go ahead in the future." The funding for truth-telling commissioners was supported by the Tasmanian Regional Aboriginal Communities Alliance (TRACA). The Aboriginal Land Council of Tasmania (ALCT) also expressed its support for the funding. "For more than 200 years, Tasmanian Aboriginal people have endured and resisted policies of dispossession, forced removal and cultural suppression," ALCT chair Greg Brown said in a statement. However, Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre chief executive Heather Sculthorpe said she was disappointed the government would no longer follow through with a treaty. She accused the government of "playing tricks". "I cannot see any way our community is going to buy that," she said. The government's budget includes a total of $4.4 million over four years for Closing the Gap commitments, including continued funding for peak Aboriginal organisations, as well as additional funding for the ALCT.
ABC News
13-05-2025
- Politics
- ABC News
First Nations leaders urge 'bold' reforms on truth, treaty and closing the gap
The Albanese government must use its historic mandate and standing with the electorate to deliver the remaining reforms of the Uluru Statement, namely treaty and truth-telling, Indigenous leaders say. Greens senator from Western Australia, Dorinda Cox, will reintroduce her bill for a Truth and Justice Commission later in the year. She said she hoped federal Labor would support it. "Labor do have the ability, it's only going to take courage," Senator Cox told the ABC's Indigenous Affairs Team. "The failed Voice referendum meant that we needed to pivot into a new chapter, and truth-telling and treaty are the new chapter. "If Labor is really serious about supporting First Nations rights … they will deliver on those issues. "I hope they would be brave enough." The 2017 Uluru Statement from the Heart asked for an Indigenous Voice to Parliament enshrined in the constitution but also urged government to establish a Makarrata Commission for the purpose of truth-telling and treaty. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese committed to the Uluru Statement in full during his 2022 election victory speech, but after the failed Voice referendum said his government would go in "another direction". Senator Cox said his government had "turned away" from those reforms. "They should have that courage and leadership to complete that by backing our bill," she said. The bill would establish a national body to investigate and put on the record historical and ongoing injustices against First Nations Australians. With the Greens expected to hold the sole balance of power in the Senate, Ms Cox said Labor could not be "hiding behind the couch anymore and blaming crossbenchers and blaming the opposition for not being able to pass legislation that is progressive and delivers First Nations justice." She said the proposed commission would seek a pathway for a federal treaty, something she said was more urgent since several states and territories abandoned treaty legislation. On Friday, Marion Scrymgour, Labor's newly appointed special envoy for remote communities, told the ABC she was looking forward to speaking with the prime minister about progressing the remaining elements of the Uluru Statement. While she "accepted" the prime minister had said he was "not going to go down that way", the Lingiari MP said she had heard calls for progress "loud and clear" from constituents in her large NT electorate. "Our communities want healing," she said. "They want to heal with this country and move forward," "And you know, if it means those two elements, particularly Makarrata, which came from the Yolŋu word in eastern Arnhem Land, we do need to heal this country and we do need to move forward. "So I'm looking forward to having those conversations. "I don't think we should shy away from them." Australian National University Professor Peter Yu said the government's reluctance to recommit to the Uluru Statement had caused trust issues among the First Nations population. "There's a vacuous situation, as it relates to the fundamental understanding and trust relationship between governments and Aboriginal people, given that the government has not made any commitments, in fact, has moved away from the remaining part of the Uluru Statement," he said. "There is a great desire in the Aboriginal community for truth-telling and to move towards a more formal settlement of this, so that's a question of [being] bold, and I suppose courage and trust." Professor Yu said Labor's historic win was an opportunity to "revamp the whole system" in Indigenous affairs. "We should open ourselves up to the nature of possibilities." Healing Foundation chief executive Shannan Dodson called for Labor to make a "concerted effort" to help Stolen Generations survivors. "I hope that we can see some boldness in the decisions that are made," she said. "Survivors are dying … we don't have time to waste." The Yawuru woman said she was confident Minister for Indigenous Australians Malarndirri McCarthy understood the needs of Stolen Generations survivors, but she said "urgency" was key. AIHW research shows Stolen Generations survivors' social and health outcomes are worse than the rest of the Aboriginal population, described as a "gap within a gap". Ms Dodson's father, former social justice commissioner Mick Dodson, produced the Bringing Them Home report into stolen Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children. The majority of those recommendations are yet to be fulfilled. They include better access to records, culturally-safe aged care and redress schemes in the states that are yet to sign up, Queensland and Western Australia. Ms Dodson said truth-telling ensured survivors' stories were not forgotten and aided healing. "I think whatever that process might look like, truth-telling definitely is something is something we need to consider," she said. Pat Turner, who has spent decades working with governments to improve the lives of First Nations people, said the returning Albanese government "can't rest on their laurels". The lead convenor for the Coalition of Peaks and National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation chief executive was scathing about the Coalition's approach to Indigenous affairs. "I'm really pleased that the Labor government has been returned," she told Bridget Brennan on ABC News Breakfast on Tuesday. "The alternative was unthinkable for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people." But as one of the architects of the Closing the Gap national agreement, she said she was putting the government on notice because "there is so much to be done". Ms Turner said she wanted the federal government to take a stronger role in lifting the age of criminal responsibility, deliver needs-based funding to the community-controlled sector and finalise the Coalition of Peaks's economic development partnership with Treasury. "Closing the Gap is every minister's responsibility, not just Malarndirri McCarthy's, it belongs to every minister in the federal cabinet," she said.
