Malarndirri McCarthy (NT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Indigenous Australians) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the senator for his question. He's covered quite a lot in it. In fact, if he'd listened to the previous responses I've made in the Senate on employment, he would know that we are trying to grow our own, especially in our remote regions with First Nations people. In fact, we tried to roll out at least 3,000 jobs across remote Australia. We are looking at 3,000 rangers, with 1,000 of them women. So when we talk about growing our own, in terms of employment across Australia, we are certainly doing it.

In terms of your premise around migration to Australia, we're very proud to have people call this place home, along with our oldest culture in the country—in the world. We are very proud to welcome visitors from overseas who call this place home. But I will say this too: each time our government moves to try and improve the workforce across Australia, it's not just building the Australian economy and local people in this country and those who call it home; we also need to build houses. But when we have the other side opposing the opportunity to do that, especially One Nation, who oppose everything that we're trying to do, to develop and grow this country, then I would say to the senator: I'm more than happy to provide those details to you about how, on this side of the parliament, we welcome all people who call Australia home, and we are doing our best to ensure that there is employment and growth.