Angie Bell (Moncrieff, Liberal National Party, Shadow Minister for Youth) Share this | Hansard source

Yes, for those listening from home, you've got me again. I'm here to represent Senator Kerrynne Liddle, a South Australian senator and an Indigenous senator from Adelaide and, actually, from the Northern Territory as well. Today I rise to speak on the National Commission for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People Bill 2026 and the associated National Commission for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People (Transitional Provisions) Bill 2026. At the outset, I acknowledge the seriousness of the issues facing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children today, issues that demand practical action, accountability and relentless focus on outcomes on the front line. That is key. I acknowledge the upcoming anniversary of the National Apology to the Stolen Generations and the members of the Stolen Generations that will be present in the chamber this week for that very sad anniversary.

The bill empowers the national commissioner to promote, improve and support the rights, safety and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children while driving greater accountability for policies impacting this group. The associated transitional provisions bill ensures the continuity of the national commission as it transfers from an executive agency to a statutory authority. But this empowerment will do little. Indigenous Australians deserve more than symbolism. They deserve more than Canberra-centric bureaucracy. They do not need more talk. They do not need more consultation. They need resources and focus to be on the front line.

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