TRANSCRIPT
Sixteen years since the national apology to members of the Stolen Generation, survivors and their families gathered at Parliament House to remember a dark chapter of Australian history and mark a promise by the then government to improve the lives of First Nations people.
Ngunnawal elder Dr Aunty Caroline Hughes shared her family's experience.
"I stand here with you today on behalf on my 87 year old mother Senior Ngunnawal elder Loretta Bell. Mum was forcibly removed at 10 years of age along with her 11 year old sister, from the loving arms of her parents My mother has said she is a survivor and what happened is a result of practices designed to obliterate her Aboriginality from her and not just from her, from her children and grandchildren and so on."
The national apology by then Prime Minister Kevin Rudd recognised the suffering of generations of Indigenous people, taken from their families as children under a government policy which ran until the 1970s.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese attended the breakfast.
"I can tell you, there are many moments that I'm proud of as a Parliamentarian. That extraordinary day sixteen years ago, remains my proudest."
Also recognised, the ongoing trauma and challenges still faced by Indigenous people, as evidenced in the latest Closing the Gap report.
The report tracks the progress of government efforts to improve Indigenous health and wellbeing across 19 socio-economic indicators such as life expectancy, employment and education.
The latest release shows only four of the targets are on track to be met.
Improvement has been seen in 11 other areas.
But outcomes have worsened for four of the targets - children's early development, rates of children out of home care, adult rates of imprisonment and suicide.
In delivering the report , the government announced a new national commissioner for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children to begin later this year.
Minister for Indigenous Australians Linda Burney says the new role will help improve outcomes for children.
" Indigenous children are almost 11 times more likely to be in out of home care than non-Indigenous children and of course all children, no matter who they are deserve to be safe. The new commissioner will work with communities and state and territory commissioners, to strengthen families and achieve better outcomes for First Nations children."
The government also announced a program to create 3000 jobs in remote areas over the next three years.
$707 million will be invested in the scheme, the first step in replacing a controversial work-for-the-dole program, established by the Coalition.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the program aims to build skills and deliver services that communities want.
“This new program will focus squarely on economic development that strengthens community and crucially, lays the foundation for long-term positive change. The key agreement is engagement with community organisations and communities to identify and develop local opportunities so we make those organisations will also identify the right person to do those jobs and be the employer."
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton said the government needed to deliver on its promises.
“It's an admirable aim. Prime Minister's successively made similar announcements provided additional funding, about opportunities to grow jobs. to build houses to address health needs education needs in many communities but in many situations, the aspiration has just not been achieved."
He also repeated calls for a royal commission into child sexual abuse in remote communities and an audit of Indigenous spending.
Meanwhile, the Greens have called for immediate action to address Indigenous disadvantage in the criminal justice system, by increasing the age of criminal responsibility and introducing medicare into prisons.
Last week, a scathing report by the Productivity Commission warned Closing the Gap targets were destined to fail without a fundamental shift in approach to ensure shared decision making.
Today, the Prime Minister acknowledged the need for change.
" Decades of insisting that government knows best has made things worse. We must find a better way and we must find it together. That focus was a fundamental reason why our government sought to full fill the gracious and generous request from aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people for a voice enshrined in our nation's constitution."
Prominent Voice to Parliament campaigner Tom Calma is also appealing for unity.
“Now is the time for all members of parliament in all jurisdictions to set aside party politics and to work with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders peoples to close the inequality gap within the next decade. Hear what the majority of Aboriginal people and Torres Strait Islander people told you through the referendum process - the status quo and piecemeal and uncoordinated approach are not enough. Hear us and work with us."
