House debates

Monday, 22 March 2021

Questions without Notice

Indigenous Australians

2:28 pm

Photo of Bob KatterBob Katter (Kennedy, Katter's Australian Party) Share this | | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Indigenous Australians. First Australians on traditional lands have the lowest life expectancy of any identifiable group on earth, the highest incarceration rates and the highest stolen children rates. Minister, is this surprising when they have no ownership rights over quarrying, minerals, timber, water or the land itself? Therefore, will you recognise Australia's biggest First Australian community when they consider proposals inter alia for proper inalienable fee simple title and recognise their authority, not that of a whitefella bureaucracy in Brisbane and Canberra?

Hon. Members:

Honourable members interjecting

Photo of Tony SmithTony Smith (Speaker) Share this | | Hansard source

The member for Kennedy will resume his seat. The member for Kennedy has asked a question and he can now listen to the answer. The members for Fenner and Moreton can cease interjecting. The Minister for Indigenous Australians has the call.

2:30 pm

Photo of Ken WyattKen Wyatt (Hasluck, Liberal Party, Minister for Indigenous Australians) Share this | | Hansard source

I thank the member for Kennedy for his question. The question goes to a number of complex issues that have been a challenge for this country for a long time. However, what we are working on is the whole issue around land title and the various titles. This morning I had a discussion with the chair of the IBA and the Indigenous Land and Sea Corporation about optimising land assets to give Indigenous Australians an economic base, wealth creation opportunities, jobs, and also industries and businesses. If we consider landholdings of Indigenous Australians, they vary across state and territory jurisdictions. Whilst native title is a significant factor and 40 per cent of Australia is under native title, there are other agreements that prevail. For example, I've been having detailed discussions with the Northern Territory land councils about the economic realisation of land assets that they hold, so that there is a wealth creation opportunity, and also for the provision of market gardens in Queensland, as you and I have discussed in December last year, member for Kennedy. So, in the work that we're doing, including through the Closing the Gap strategy, we are tackling those very challenging issues of lower life expectancy, the out-of-home care challenges that prevail across this nation, and, more importantly, the way in which we have Indigenous Australians now co-designing their future so that it's not left to bureaucracies. We will continue to do that work to make sure there is a difference. In my discussions with the mayors of the councils in Queensland, we're looking at opportunities to create a better future.