Lidia Thorpe (Victoria, Independent) Share this | Hansard source

Minister, I'd like to talk about racism and the impacts on health. Racism is not just another social determinant of health; it is part of a system of power and oppression that inflicts real harm and takes lives. The Lancet journal declared racism a global public health emergency. It shapes who gets sick, who gets care and who survives. It is a toxin that creates disease and distress in the body, and it is a root cause of inequity that shortens lives, worsens disease and drives mental distress globally.

Research from the Mayi Kuwayu study led by Indigenous scholars was one of the first of its kind to quantify how racism harms the health of First Peoples. The study found that almost half of First Nations adults experience high psychological distress linked to everyday racism and that racism alone accounts for nearly half the mental health gap between First Peoples and non-Indigenous peoples. The Lancet commentary Rights-seeking, racism, and retribution shows that when First Peoples assert our rights, racism intensifies. We saw that during the Voice. We are seeing the same with treaty in Victoria, with the 13YARN crisis support line being swarmed due to increases in racism.

You have a number of Aboriginal members of your government, yet racism is not part of this bill. I know you've done a deal with the Greens already, but you've excluded racism, Minister. My people, and I am sure the Aboriginal members of your government's people want to know why racism has been excluded.