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

My question is to the Minister for Indigenous Australians. In the Northern Territory, data shows only 17.5 per cent of First Nations children being removed are placed with an Aboriginal family under the Aboriginal child placement principle. Despite this, the Northern Territory government today introduced legislation to further weaken that principle. The national and Northern Territory Indigenous children's commissioners have said these laws should be paused until an inquiry into the system is complete. Do you agree with the commissioners that this legislation should be stopped?

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

I thank Senator Thorpe for the question. There are two elements to this that I think are really important for the Senate to be aware of. One is that, clearly, the Northern Territory government have embarked on a piece of legislation that they already had in place prior to what we saw—and this Senate gave a condolence motion yesterday in regard to what has happened in Alice Springs. And, with the decision by the NT Children's Commissioner and the Australian First Nations commissioner for children, those decisions came about, Senator Thorpe, as a result of the concerns that were coming through what was happening in Central Australia. I have certainly reached out to the Minister for Child Protection in the Northern Territory, expressing my concerns that unless the minister is working with the First Nations—

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order!

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

No, actually, Senator Price, that is absolutely not true. No, it's not true. Please have some respect, Senator Price.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! You will listen in silence or leave the chamber.

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

As I saying, what I've asked certainly the Northern Territory government to do in this instance—in reference to Senator Thorpe's question—is to ensure that they do meet with the Aboriginal organisations and both the Aboriginal children's commissioner at the Northern Territory level and the national children's commissioner, which we put in place here because we are concerned about our First Nations children right across Australia. And that is important. This parliament supported that and endorsed that because we know that, by having that position in place, that commissioner at the national level could look out for our children.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Thorpe, first supplementary?

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

The two commissioners, Aboriginal women and child wellbeing experts offered to lead an inquiry into the system; instead, the Northern Territory appointed a former police officer in this role. What do you think—should this inquiry about Aboriginal families be led by a cop or by Aboriginal experts?

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

I think what is important here is that there is a coronial investigation underway. There is a police investigation underway. We want to make sure that the words we use do not jeopardise, certainly, that legal investigation that's underway. In terms of the roles of the NT Children's Commissioner and—

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

On a point of order on relevance, this isn't about the coronial inquest or anything else; this is about the child placement principles.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The minister is being relevant to your question, and I will continue to listen carefully.

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

Senator Thorpe, what's important here is that the NT Children's Commissioner and the National Children's Commissioner are heard in terms of what they are requesting of the Northern Territory government.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Thorpe, second supplementary?

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

The Commonwealth has power under the Constitution to override Northern Territory legislation, which has been done in the past with euthanasia. We are hearing calls for another intervention against our people in the Northern Territory, but, with so many laws attacking us in the Northern Territory, isn't it time for an intervention against the racist Northern Territory government instead?

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

We've heard and seen what an intervention in the Northern Territory has done to the families of the Northern Territory. It hasn't been good. We know that there are members opposite who are also calling for an intervention into the Northern Territory, and we know—

Hon. Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Thorpe and Senator Nampijinpa Price, come to order!

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

These calls that I'm getting, and this parliament hears, for an intervention in the Northern Territory—to go to the question of power of the Commonwealth. We know the Commonwealth has the power to intervene at any time, for any law, into the Northern Territory, but what we must do here as legislators is be responsible about the power that we have. Just because we have the power to do that doesn't mean we should be using it.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Nampijinpa Price, I have called you about four times. I expect you to come to order when I request it!