Cathy O'Toole (Herbert, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Today marks the 10th anniversary since the former Labor Prime Minister Kevin Rudd apologised unreservedly to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people of Australia. This was a watershed moment for our country. It was a step in the right direction towards achieving reconciliation and an opportunity to begin genuine truth-telling and healing that would benefit our whole nation. This was the day when we said 'sorry' for the mistreatment, injustices and hurts that the stolen generations experienced. They carry the scars to this very day. It was a day when all Australians embraced one another and a day when we committed to working together to genuinely create equal opportunities. To use Senator McCarthy's words, the day of the apology was a day where our nation's heart beat as one.

Ten years ago today, we aspired to do better for our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander brothers and sisters in communities across the nation. We set out what were perceived to be ambitious targets to close the gap, to improve the lives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. These targets included closing the gap in life expectancy within a generation; halving the gap in mortality rates for Indigenous children under five within a decade; having 95 per cent of all Indigenous four-year-olds enrolled in early childhood education by 2025; closing the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous school attendance in five years, by 2018; halving the gap for Indigenous children in reading, writing and numeracy achievements within a decade, by 2018; halving the gap for Indigenous Australians aged 20 to 24 in year 12 attainment or equivalent attainment rates by 2020; and halving the gap in employment outcomes between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians within a decade, by 2018.

The 2018 Closing the gap report finds that, for the first time since 2011, three of the seven closing the gap targets are on track to be met. Sadly, however, this demonstrates that we are behind on four of the seven targets that we aim to achieve. This then begs the question: are we succeeding in achieving our objectives to close the gap? Are our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander brothers and sisters getting better lives in rural and remote communities?

Today especially I reflect on whether the lives of all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have been made better since the apology. We must read the Closing the gap report in its entirety and acknowledge the fact that we have not succeeded and that we can, and must, do better. If the lives of our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people had improved, then we would not see the life expectancy for Aboriginal people at approximately 10 years less than that of non-Indigenous people. The suicide rate for Aboriginal people is six times higher than that of the non-Aboriginal population. Countrywide, rates of imprisonment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are worse per capita than they were for coloured people in South Africa during apartheid! Clearly, governments aren't doing anywhere near enough.

I am proud to be the member for Herbert, which includes the largest discrete Aboriginal community in Australia, on Palm Island. Against all odds, the Palm Island people have survived and launched their centenary anniversary this year. The men came to this island in chains. The dormitories have left a lasting impact on the people of Palm Island. Palm Island has a rich history, but it is a history rich in pain. But they are a resilient community, with some unique challenges that the Turnbull government is completely ignoring.

Palm Island's unemployment rate is almost 27 per cent. The Palm Island Shire Council, led by Mayor Alf Lacey, are doing remarkable work to address these issues, and I will continue to work with them to secure recognition, equality and a better life. The biggest threat that the Palm Island community has now is the Turnbull government's cuts to the National Partnership Agreement on Remote Indigenous Housing. Instead of working with the community to address unemployment, the Turnbull government is cutting the national partnership on remote Indigenous housing, a 10-year, $5.4 billion program which expires on 30 June this year. For the Palm Island community this means job losses. Let me reiterate: it has a 27 per cent unemployment rate. Because of the Turnbull government's cuts, seven apprentices on Palm Island will lose their jobs. Last week during question time I asked the Prime Minister why he was cutting the program. He couldn't answer the question and instead referred the question to the Minister for Indigenous Health, the member for Hasluck, the Hon. Ken Wyatt.

Labor is prepared to work with the government, but rest assured that we will not wait for them when it comes to bettering the lives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Yesterday, the Leader of the Opposition, Bill Shorten, announced a few policies that Labor will take to the next election. A Labor government will provide $10 million to programs that assist with the healing of stolen generation members and their descendants nationwide. These are to be administered by the Healing Foundation. It will implement a program that will look at intergenerational healing, family reunion and return to country. Labor will work with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to set justice targets, reduce incarceration rates and improve community safety. In its first 100 days, a new Labor government will convene a national summit for first nation children.

Further to this, Labor has already started working on legislating an Indigenous voice to parliament, without government support, because bipartisan issues of constitutional change do not mean doing nothing. Labor will work to enshrine a voice in the Constitution; a declaration to be passed by all parliaments—Commonwealth and state—acknowledging the unique place of the first nations people in our history, and of their culture and their connection. There will also be a makarrata commission to oversee a process of agreement-making and truth-telling.

Serious action needs to be taken to address closing the gap, and it needs to start today. It's a national shame that must be addressed urgently, and it certainly doesn't start with the Turnbull government cutting seven apprenticeship jobs on Palm Island. My message to the Turnbull government is simple: falling short of our targets does not mean that we should begin lowering those targets. We need to identify why the targets are not being met.

We do have to have the courage to acknowledge that a one-size-fits-all solution is totally unacceptable. We have to accept that we do not have the answers ourselves. We need the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to have self-determination, and when we see that happen we will see the gap closed. If governments are failing to meet the current targets then we must ask why, and continue to ask why. This is about doing what is right. Labor will work with the government on Indigenous affairs, but we certainly will not wait for them.

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