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

I thank the Senate today for this opportunity on behalf of the families, the Warlpiri families and the Gurindji families, and I acknowledge the deep loss for a fellow senator, Senator Nampijinpa Price, and her families.

As a Yanyuwa Garrwa woman, as senator for the Northern Territory and as Minister for Indigenous Australians, I rise today to share my heartbreak and extend my deepest condolences to Kumanjayi Little Baby's mum, brother and family, who loved this little girl so much. I reach out to the people of Alice Springs and to every single person involved in the search. Hundreds and hundreds of people from right around came together from all walks of life, and to each and every one of you involved: thank you for the days and the hours that you put into looking for this little baby girl. I reach out to my constituents in Alice Springs/Mparntwe and across the Northern Territory, who are devastated that this could happen in their community; to First Nations people across the country, who feel this loss so intensely; and to the whole Australian community, who have been shattered by news of the loss.

This nationwide sorrow was demonstrated by the sea of pink that swept the country on Thursday night—gatherings of reflection and remembrance for the loss of this little girl. It was heartening to see hundreds of Australians take part in these vigils, standing together and supporting each other. It has enabled the families who have come together to know that they are not alone, whether it be in the Centre or where Special Envoy Scrymgour, Senator Price and the member for Berowra were in Alice Springs; whether it was in Perth, in the west where I know you, President, Senator Cox and the member for Perth gathered with the community; whether it was in Melbourne in the south-east, where I know Senator Stewart was with the member for Cooper, Assistant Minister Kearney; or whether it was in the desert in Yuendumu, where Warlpiri families put together a beautiful pink shrine to this beautiful girl. In Darwin an enormous crowd gathered on the grounds outside parliament in quiet reflection. I attended with my girls, who are only a few years older than Kumanjayi Little Baby was, bringing the loss of this young life into gut-wrenching reality.

In this grief it's also heartening to remember the search and, as I said, the community of volunteers. Right across Australia people reached out. I thank all those Australians who reached out both to my office and to that of Marion Scrymgour. I pay tribute to them—hundreds of people, volunteers and police and people from all walks of life. The search ended in heartbreak, but it does not diminish the determination of those who dropped everything to assist in the search. I want to use this opportunity to thank them again.

That community effort helps us all to remember that this little baby girl isn't just a headline or a statistic. She was a little girl, as important as any other, and she was so loved. In the words of her mum, whom I spent time with and whose words were read at the vigil in Alice: 'I want you all to know that my heart is broken into a million pieces and I want you to know that I'm having trouble knowing how I can repair it and how I can live without my baby girl. She loved cuddling puppies. She loved watching Blueyand Masha and the Bear. She was my little princess—my princess who loved the colour pink. She also loved the colours of the rainbow. For all these reasons, I ask that her short life not be used by any politician for reasons that do not honour and respect my baby girl.'

These are difficult days, but I do thank the Senate. I thank my colleagues who've reached out. We all send our strength to the families in Central Australia, and we all know that we have work in front of us.