Katie Allen (Higgins, Liberal Party) | Hansard source

I rise to speak about an issue that's very important to the people of Higgins, and that is the recognition of our Indigenous Australians and their wonderful culture, which stretches back more than 60,000 years—the longest living culture on this planet. As Australians, we know that Indigenous Australians, unfortunately, have poorer outcomes than we would hope for, and that is across a whole range of different areas. These include poor outcomes in terms of health, education, housing, jobs, the number of youths in detention—the list goes on.

It's not easy to tackle these problems, but the Morrison government is doing this by allowing Indigenous voices to work with government. It's an essential part of the way the government has decided to work in a co-designed process. For too long, governments have done things to Indigenous Australians, not with Indigenous Australians. This government has taken a grassroots approach, in which we have made numerous practical changes by collaborating with Indigenous leaders. This is so that meaningful and practical changes can be made that symbolise the fundamental importance of Indigenous culture to Australia and its history and that, more importantly, help close the gap on the inequities that Indigenous Australians have faced for decades.

The Morrison government last year released the first Closing the Gap Implementation Plan, along with $1 billion in new measures to help achieve the outcomes. This includes $378 million for a new redress scheme for stolen generations survivors from the Northern Territory, the Australian Capital Territory and the Jervis Bay Territory. I'm proud to be a member of the Joint Select Committee on Implementation of the National Redress Scheme, which helps oversee this redress scheme, and I note that Mr Deputy Speaker Dick is also a member. These schemes are so important to the long and ongoing healing process. We have to recognise the injustices of the past. We have to deal with the ongoing injustices. This is a small step forward, but it is an important step.

In addition, the government has announced $254 million towards infrastructure to better support Aboriginal community controlled health organisations, affectionately known as ACCHOs. This government is also investing $160 million in new funding to ensure the best start in life for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, through initiatives such as the Healthy Mums, Healthy Bubs program, the Community Child Care Fund, the Connected Beginnings program and the Early Years Education Program. Many decades ago now, when I was a medical student, I spent time in Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory, and it is so great to hear that the early pilot programs that were started in those days are now properly and federally funded to make sure that the best services can be provided to our newest and youngest Indigenous Australians.

This government is also providing increased investment in the Indigenous Languages and Arts program and in funding for additional language centres to protect the most at-risk Indigenous languages. Anybody who's been to rural and remote parts of Australia understands that these languages are at risk of being lost. There are many hundreds of Indigenous languages, and to maintain and support them is incredibly important to upholding the richness and diversity of Indigenous Australian culture.

Supporting the establishment of a joint policy partnership on justice to agree on focus areas of action to drive outcomes on reducing Indigenous incarceration is another important area, which I know the Attorney-General, the Hon. Michaelia Cash, in particular, has at the heart of some of the things she is doing.

We will continue to work to close the gap, and I know that this is a bipartisan wish of this parliament. But, in my first speech, I said that a strong country is one that is at peace with its past. Non-Indigenous Australians do care deeply about how we show respect to our Indigenous Australians, and this is why the Morrison government has enacted a number of different changes in the last few years which are symbolic and partner with the practical aspects of the Closing the Gap investments that have been made.

One of those is the recent change, a year ago now, to our national anthem—from 'young and free', which doesn't reflect the multicultural and Indigenous Australian cultural aspects of our country, to 'one and free', which is much more inclusive of the fact that we can partner with an Indigenous culture that goes back so many thousands—tens of thousands—of years. As the Prime Minister has said, it takes nothing away, but it adds so much. It recognises the distance we have travelled as a nation and that we still have a place to go. It recognises that our national story is drawn from more than 300 national ancestries and language groups. We are the most successful multicultural nation on Earth and we must continue to strive to do better to ensure that we are all inclusive of our diverse multicultural heritage. It reaffirms our resolve as one of the world's oldest democracies, while honouring the foundations upon which our nation has been built and the aspirations we share for the future.

For the last 25 years, the Australian Aboriginal flag has been troubled by copyright claims, effectively rendering the flag private property. As such, the flag could not be used without permission being granted and royalties being paid—not least to foster the sense of pride and love that is required for us to embrace the Indigenous flag for all Australians. In light of this, the Australian government has moved to set free the Aboriginal flag, and the Commonwealth now holds the copyright, and the flag belongs to everyone, and no-one can take that away. The Aboriginal flag will now be managed in a similar manner to the Australian national flag, where its use is free but it must be presented in a respectful and dignified way. This means all Australians can now put the Aboriginal flag on apparel such as sports jerseys and shirts without having to ask for permission or pay a fee.

The third aspect I'd like to talk about is Ngurra, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultural Precinct, which has just been funded by the federal government and which is to be built in the Parliamentary Triangle. This will be an important, meaningful place, where learning and knowledge can centre around a national resting place to care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ancestral remains, and it is a new home for the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies.

I was honoured to have the Minister for Indigenous Australians—in fact, the first Indigenous Australian to be a minister for Indigenous Australians—the Hon. Ken Wyatt visit Higgins just last week. His approach to his portfolio, which is gentle, reflective and respectful, brought to us the understanding that all Australians are on the journey of healing and peace with regard to Indigenous Australians, and the concept of yarning, which is walking together and talking together.

We made many visits. One was to the King David School, where we viewed the federally funded Indigenous mural painted by senior school students and a First Nations artist together, and we discussed the school's reconciliation action plan and the importance of closing the gap, with their very impressive community school leaders—Alex Cowen, the granddaughter of the great Australian Sir Zelman Cowen; and Ari Epstein, along with principal Marc Light. The King David School has developed a vision statement in conjunction with parents and students, and they are to be congratulated on the work they are doing on Indigenous recognition.

The minister also came to visit Herring Island, where we received an impromptu and knowledgeable guided tour from Rodolfo, from Parks Victoria, who shared his in-depth knowledge about the Indigenous sculptures across the island.

Lastly, we visited Ama House, where we finished the tour, and we were greatly warmed by the welcoming ceremony from Uncle Steve. We shared a coffee while hearing stories, and we spoke in a yarning circle with CEO Marg about initiatives for change and their commitment to teaching about our long and rich Indigenous history and culture.

At every visit, Minister Wyatt listened and shared insightful learnings from his time as Minister for Indigenous Australians. We are very fortunate to have such a rockstar minister working in a very important portfolio.

Lastly, I would like to mention the federal government delivering on its commitment to co-design an Indigenous voice to parliament that would provide a way for Indigenous Australians to provide advice on matters that are important to improving their lives. The government allocated funding to the co-design process, and, following extensive co-design consultation led by 52 members and involving more than 9,400 people and organisations, the Indigenous voice co-design final report to the Australian government was delivered in December 2021.

These are very important initiatives, and I welcome the changes that have been made in recognition of the importance of Indigenous Australians to all of Australia. There is so much more that we have to do, but Australians have a strong sense of pride in our country, and this needs to include embracing, understanding and caring about our Indigenous Australians. We will work every day to make our country more united and more inclusive.

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