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

I table the annual report on Closing the Gap together with accompanying ministerial statements and documents. I move:

That the Senate take note of the documents.

I stand today to affirm the Prime Minister's statement in the House of Representatives on 12 February, where he made it clear that we must continue the work of Closing the Gap with honesty, courage and partnership. Everywhere I go, I see the strength of First Nations people. It's in the way communities come together to celebrate culture, protect country and create opportunities for the next generation. I see communities standing strong in moments that challenge us, like after the shocking alleged terror attack in Boorloo, Perth. Our people show up for each other and stand together with resilience, love and unity.

I make particular mention of my colleagues Senator Dorinda Cox and you, President, and also Patrick Gorman MP for being very present with the Noongar families in Perth. As the Prime Minister said, the danger of that alleged attack was real and so were the racism and hatred behind it, motivated by a white supremacy ideology. Violent racism and hatred are faced far too often by First Nations Australians. We must continue to raise our voices against all forms of racism and hate.

As a government, our task is to ensure no-one is held back and no-one is left behind. That means confronting the challenges while also recognising the strength, innovation and leadership in communities. This year's Commonwealth Closing the Gap annual report and implementation plan reflects progress. It reflects the lived experiences and aspirations of our families, elders and communities. It reflects our shared commitment to lasting change. We are determined to keep building on what is working. I want to acknowledge the Special Envoy for Remote Communities, Marion Scrymgour, who walks alongside me as we deliver for First Nations people. I also want to acknowledge my First Nations caucus colleagues—Senator Jana Stewart in particular—for their support and commitment to improving the lives of First Nations people.

One year ago, I committed to focusing on what communities tell me matters most: improving health outcomes, reducing overcrowding, improving food security, keeping First Nations women and children safe and, crucially, supporting economic empowerment and employment. Employment and economic empowerment are central to self-determination. That's why my focus has been steadfast on jobs, jobs, jobs. Having a job is a critical foundation, creating pathways that support dignity, security and generational change. That's why we are doubling our successful Remote Jobs and Economic Development program, RJED, from 3,000 jobs to 6,000 new jobs. This is about the dignity of work with proper pay and conditions for people like Marcus, who I met at Wanilla Forrest in Port Lincoln who weeks ago, who said, 'It means a lot for community for us to be out there and doing the things we do,' and Alex, who I also met in Port Lincoln, who told me his family is so stoked to see him working.

I know it sounds really simple, but sometimes we just have to go back to the simplicity of decency in people's lives, to feel good about what they are doing so they wake up each morning proud of getting to work—people who travel an hour and a half to get to their jobs and then travel back home in the Port Lincoln area. This is the real-life impact of our work as politicians. It strengthens individuals and families, lifts local economies and creates long-term pathways.

I'm so proud of our Indigenous Rangers Program, which we continue to expand. We are on track to meet our commitment to double the number of rangers across Australia from 1,900 to 3,800 by 2030. These are crucial roles that protect and care for land and sea country, like the work being done on the Great Barrier Reef by Gavin Singleton and the Yirrganydji Land and Sea Rangers, where I know Senator Green is very much involved. They operate between Cairns and Port Douglas. They're carrying out restoration work on the reef and looking at different ways to save coral. We also have our junior rangers program, which we've expanded to more than 60 new locations right around Australia so students like Chayse-John Shepherd from the South Coast of New South Wales can learn about caring for country and connect with and stand tall in culture. It's these stories that I get the privilege of hearing firsthand.

As the Prime Minister said, our approach to Closing the Gap is driven by economic empowerment. Later this year the new First Nations economic partnership will deliver an economic policy to drive economic empowerment right across Australia. We know Australians are doing it tough, especially in remote communities, where essential goods cost much more than in cities. A hundred and thirteen stores have already signed up to our low-cost essential subsidy scheme on 30 essential items. That's 113 stores in four jurisdictions—Queensland, Northern Territory, South Australia and Western Australia. And now it's going to be available to all 225 remote stores right around Australia, providing more cost-of-living relief to families in our remote regions. A few weeks ago I visited the Outback Stores Adelaide warehouse, when the 4,000th pallet of goods was dispatched to remote communities in the APY Lands and Northern Territory. The demand from communities has been enormous, and now we can meet more of it. We're expanding the Store Efficiency and Resilience Package to 75 additional remote stores to support upgrades that will help keep stock fresh during the wet season and extreme weather events, which we're actually seeing right now across Northern Australia. And we're getting feed back from those stores on that resilience package. They now feel far better prepared because they are stocked up as a result of the resilience package we provided over the last few years. We've seen how important it is during the recent floods in Central Australia. Communities have been better prepared to cope with being out of any goods thanks to our investments. In places like Lajamanu, for example, they've been able to install more dry and cold storage so that it can hold an additional 13 weeks of stock to get through the wet season. Our funding has gone to really simple and effective policies to assist our communities.

Across the country we've expanded access to culturally safe health care, increased the number of First Nations specialists in training and upgraded essential healthcare infrastructure so services are fit for purpose and comparable to those in urban areas. We will continue our investment in 10 birthing-on-country units across Australia, led by First Nations women, to deliver culturally safe care that keeps our mothers and babies strong. Programs like Birthing in Our Community in Brisbane and Waminda's Birthing On Country in Nowra are reducing preterm births and improving antenatal visits and breastfeeding rates. We know that our health is more than physical; it includes strong minds and spirits. Where support is needed, it must be immediate and culturally safe. That's why we're investing $13.9 million in 13YARN, to ensure more First Nations people can access community led help when they need it.

The Albanese government understands the importance of having a roof over your head and access to safe and affordable housing. We know that homeownership remains a challenge for many people. The Indigenous Business Australia homeownership program saw 583 concessional home loans approved, supporting more First Nations families, particularly single-income households, to achieve homeownership and financial independence. In many parts of Australia it's not just about financing a home; too few homes are available, which can often mean severe overcrowding. That's why, between 1 July 2024 and 30 November 2025, we built 300 houses in 34 remote Northern Territory communities and two Alice Springs town camps. This was part of our historic agreement with the NT government, all four land councils and Aboriginal Housing NT. Over the next 12 months, we will continue to support First Nations people to secure appropriate housing. Round 3 of the Housing Australia Future Fund will include dedicated funding to support more than 21,000 new social and affordable homes, with a First Nations tenancy target of 10 per cent and delivered through the First Nations community controlled sector.

On 10 February, I was proud to stand beside the Minister for Social Services to launch 'Our Way—Strong Ways—Our Voices'—