Linda Burney has condemned Jacinta Nampijinpa Price's recent comments on the impacts of colonisation.
at the National Press Club, Senator Price said colonisation had "positive impacts" and claimed there were no "ongoing negative impacts" of colonisation on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
"There is no ongoing negative impacts of colonisation ... A positive impact? Absolutely. I mean, now we've got running water," she said.
"We've got readily available food ... if we keep telling Aboriginal people that they are victims, we are effectively removing their agency and then giving them the expectation that someone else is responsible for their lives.
"That is the worst possible thing you can do to any human being, to tell them that they are a victim without agency. And that is what I refuse to do."
Opposition leader, Peter Dutton backed Ms Price's comments on Nine's Today on Friday, saying she was "brave".
He said Burney had a "capital city view" as opposed to Ms Price who grew up in Alice Springs.
"I'd start listening to people like Senator Price so that we can get practical support and assistance to Indigenous people on the ground.
'Completely offensive'
Not long after Price's speech Minister Burney hit back.
"That is completely offensive," she said.
"A statement like that denies what has been recognised academically, scientifically, medically.
"It denies the experience of so many First Nations families."
Burney said to deny the negatigve impacts of colonisation and frame them as positive, was a "betrayal" of people directly affected by policies introduced post-colonisation, such as the Stolen Generations.
"We only have to look at the Stolen Generations and the impacts that has had down the generations," she said.
"There are people from the Stolen Generations that are still alive that can tell you about what it means and I think it is a betrayal of those people."
The Minister offered her solidarity to those who may have been hurt by Price's comments.
"Your experience is real, your experience is believed and it is, particularly the Stolen Generations, one of the most shameful chapters in Australia’s history."
