Sally Sitou (Reid, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

SITOU () (): I am so grateful to be able to stand in this place to talk about the Constitution Alteration (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice) 2023 bill in front of these flags here: the Australian flag and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags. I think it is important that we recognise that these flags symbolise the entirety of the Australian story. This is a message I often start my citizenship ceremonies with, when I have the privilege of going. That is a story to those new citizens who have just been sworn in—that they are now stepping into their Australian citizenship and that they are part of this Australian story. They are newer, and they may be adding more chapters, but they are part of an Australian story—not one that began 200 years ago; they are part of an Australian story that stretches back 60,000 years. When they stand up at their citizenship ceremonies they do it in front of those three flags, and it's important that they do. But, unfortunately, our Constitution is a truncated story. It doesn't fully express who we are as a country. It doesn't fully express who those individuals were who made up this country 60,000 years ago. I think it's time we tell the full Australian story.

The Uluru Statement from the Heart is an incredible document, one which I hope becomes part of Australia's historical treasures. There were two parts in that document that I found particularly poignant. The first, at the very beginning of the document, is where it references the connection First Nations people have to this land. They call it 'a spiritual connection'. I was struck by those lines because whilst my connection to this country is deep, personal and emotional, and I'm thankful every day for my Australian citizenship, I don't however feel a spiritual connection to this land. Maybe it's because my family are migrants, maybe it's because I'm a city dweller, but I don't have that spiritual connection with our land, waters and skies. First Nations people do. Their connection to this continent is spiritual, profound and enduring, and there is much for us to learn from them.

That we are home to the oldest continuing culture in the world is truly remarkable. That the culture, traditions, knowledge and storytelling of Australia's First Nations people has endured for more than 60,000 years is something we ought to celebrate. Yet, for too long, we haven't. We have denied First Nations people their identity, land and kin. The consequences of that have been long-lasting, the extent of which is captured in the Uluru Statement from the Heart:

Proportionally, we are the most incarcerated people on the planet. We are not an innately criminal people. Our children are aliened from their families at unprecedented rates. This cannot be because we have no love for them.

That, to me, answers the 'why'. Just think on that: proportionally First Nations people are the most incarcerated people on the planet. I've also heard the Minister for Indigenous Australians say in this place that there are communities in Australia that do not have access to clean drinking water. Just think on that: in modern Australia there are people who do not have access to clean drinking water. It should hurt us in our souls that there are communities in Australia who are so disadvantaged.

The answer to why we need a voice to parliament is so clear. It's time to get this done. It's time we recognise and celebrate First Nations people in the Constitution. It's time we listened to First Nations people and gave them a greater say over the policies and decisions that impact them. It's time we demonstrate we are a big-hearted and compassionate country. It's time we as Australians rise to meet this moment.

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