Linda Burney (Barton, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Indigenous Australians) Share this | Hansard source

This is a landmark budget for Indigenous Australians. At the election, we said we would renew Australia's commitment to reconciliation and work in genuine partnership with First Nations for better practical outcomes. This budget honours those commitments. We are working to implement the Uluru statement in full. We will ask all Australians to support the recognition for our First Peoples in our Constitution by enshrining in the Constitution a voice for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

The referendum will be a once-in-a-generation opportunity to create practical, lasting change that improves lives and builds a better future for all Australians. Importantly, it will give Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people a say on matters that affect them. We have committed $50.2 million to the AEC to prepare for this referendum. We are also investing $5.8 million to commence work on establishing an independent makarrata commission as part of the government's $27.7 million election commitment.

Quality of life for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people can and should be better. That's why closing the gap is a top priority for the Albanese government. We are investing more than $300 million to improve access to culturally safe and responsible health services, including in the electorate of the member opposite. This response is a fundamental change to the delivery of First Nations health. It will grow the Aboriginal community controlled health services sector in urban, regional, rural and remote communities of Australia. We will build a dedicated birthing on country centre of excellence at Waminda in Nowra in New South Wales, and we will boost the First Nations health workforce by training 500 health workers. This training will be designed and implemented in genuine partnership with First Nations people.

Solid foundations are vital. That's why we are investing more than $164.3 million in 17 critical First Nations health infrastructure projects across the country. The projects will provide modern, high-quality health clinics in areas of large and growing First Nations populations. They will also build capacity to target chronic disease treatment and rehabilitation.

We know that getting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children into early education will benefit them for the rest of their lives. As part of the government's plan for cheaper child care, all Indigenous children will be able to access 36 hours of subsidised child care a fortnight from July 2023. This is a practical measure directed at closing the gap in an area where we are going backwards. It will make a difference to Indigenous children across the country.

More than 30 years after the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody, rates of incarceration are a national shame. The Albanese Labor government's First Nations Justice package will see a record $99 million invested in this issue. This includes $81.5 million to establish up to 30 community led justice reinvestment initiatives across Australia and an independent national justice reinvestment unit. This is the largest funding package in justice reinvestment ever committed by the Commonwealth. These are only a few of the measures we are funding to deliver a better future for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians. In other portfolios, like the environment portfolio, we're investing in Aboriginal rangers and Aboriginal protected areas, as an example. I am very proud of this commitment, all based on the notion of self-determination.

Proposed expenditure agreed to.

Remainder of bill—by leave—taken as a whole and agreed to.

Bill agreed to.

Ordered that this bill be reported to the House without amendment.

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