Malarndirri McCarthy (NT, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to speak tonight about an important event that occurred this month, called NAIDOC Week. I hope that senators here were able to take part in NAIDOC ceremonies, whether it was in there respective states or electorates or cities or towns, because it's an important week certainly to First Nations people across the country but also I think for our country. NAIDOC has been celebrated for a very long time, but this year the important theme that came from the National NAIDOC Committee was 'Voice. Treaty. Truth'. The reason why the National NAIDOC committee chose that was, simply:

We invite you to walk with us in a movement of the Australian people for a better future—

For a better future—to walk with us in a movement for a better future.

I was able to be on the lands of the Yanyuwa and Garrwa people for NAIDOC Week. They are the lands of my people in Borroloola in the Gulf of Carpentaria. Whilst there are so many issues still facing First Nations people across the country, there is no doubt that this week is an opportunity to celebrate and feel proud of the resilience and strength and ongoing culture of First Nations people. From Borraloola across to Katherine and the Barkly region of Tennant Creek up to Larrakia country and then of course around Arrernte country in central Australia in Alice Springs and beyond, NAIDOC week was celebrated across the Northern Territory in a very strong and proud way. In Alice Springs we had the Tangentyere Women's Group, who led and were very much a part of the celebrations that took place in Alice Springs. One of the big things I think at the end of that week was the announcement of where national NAIDOC is going to take place next year.

I am very pleased to inform the Senate that national NAIDOC will be held in Alice Springs next year on Mbantua country. Mbantua is the name by the Arrernte people—the language name of Alice Springs. And, speaking of languages, that is a critical part of this year's NAIDOC in the celebration which we all know to be recognised at the United Nations this year with the celebration of languages. And certainly, just in the Northern Territory alone, we have over 100 Aboriginal languages. So of course, that was a very strong theme, again, as part of Voice. Treaty. Truth.: the celebration of language and the celebration of having language, being heard, being able to speak and also being able to maintain and retain languages that are so desperately needed to keep languages strong here in this country. And we should be proud, as all Australians, to know these different First Nations languages are critical to the ongoing future of First Nations people here but also our country in walking together.

Voice. Treaty. Truth. resonated right across the country in the marches that took place, mostly on the Friday of that week, in Darwin on Larrakia country. It was perhaps one of the biggest marches that we've seen in quite a long time. I certainly commend the Top End NAIDOC committee and the Larrakia Nation, on whose land the march took place. Once the march was completed, a family day was held out on the Darwin Esplanade, and it was fantastic. It was fantastic not only for the families who had marched and come together but for all people who wanted to come along and actually learn about Voice. Treaty. Truth., to listen to some of the talks, to ask questions—which is what it's all about: an inclusive process, an opportunity to be more informed and, hopefully, better informed in terms of the movement that is growing very, very strongly as a result of people gathering at Uluru in 2017.

As for, the Uluru Statement from the Heart for which so many hundreds of First Nations people gathered around Uluru in May 2017, since then, that movement has grown, and the movement needs to be more of the people's movement, because we here in both the Senate and the House are still struggling with the fact that the Statement from the Heart came from the heart, from people who want the parliament to listen to the calls for a voice to the parliament. It is not a third chamber to the parliament. It is most definitely not a third chamber. And I do acknowledge that Barnaby Joyce, the member in the other house, has now said that he apologises for having called it a third chamber of the parliament. I accept that. I take that. I think that, the more informed people can be, hopefully, this debate can rise to a particular level that enables First Nations people to, feel like they're being heard and know they are being heard and, most importantly, being respected in the fact this has been a journey that began with First Nations people asking all Australians to walk with us.

Sure, there's a fair bit to navigate through, and I know that the Minister for Indigenous Australians made a statement during the week in relation to this in terms of a voice to the parliament and constitutional conversations. I know too that Linda Burney, as our shadow Indigenous affairs minister, and certainly the Labor Party have consistently stayed strong behind the fact that the voice is something that the First Nations people have asked for since 2017. We remain committed to that, but we're also committed to the fact that we have to do that together here in the parliament. I do commend the work of Ken Wyatt in trying to bring about greater understanding amongst his own colleagues, because that's what we're going to need more of: the conversations and the discussions. But, as I said, it must be in a way that enables First Nations people to lead that so that there can be respectful debate.

When I read articles that make references to the fact that this isn't what people wanted, a voice isn't the way to go, I would say to them: 'Just take a deep breath and have a really good look around you.' This is a journey that may have started with the Uluru Statement in 2017 but it goes way beyond that. In the last sitting of parliament we paid our condolences to former Prime Minister Bob Hawke. We know that the treaty statement at Barunga in 1988 began that journey for the parliament but, for First Nations people, it began way before then. In fact, you could go back, certainly to the bark petition in the sixties. We know the bark petition was an important petition brought here to the parliament by the Yolngu people.

NAIDOC week is not just a week to march; it's a week that says, from First Nations people to all Australians, we've got a way to go but we still need to do this together and we still need to have our voices heard to be empowered. These are the people who have come to Uluru, the people who still stand and call on the parliament to have a voice, to be included. As a parliamentarian, I look forward to this parliament being able to do that with First Nations people in this country.