TIME TO TACKLE DISADVANTAGE TOGETHER
Yesterday, and during pre-polling, the voices of the Riverina and Central West were heard.
The result is not for celebrating – this referendum result should be seen as a springboard, a line in the sand, to develop effective policies which will make a tangible difference for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who need it most.
The people of the Riverina electorate have voted in line with the majority of the nation to reject the proposed amendment to the Constitution. All but three booths in the electorate – Cowra pre-poll, Parkes East and Parkes West – were supportive for No. This does not mean those who voted No are racist. It does not mean they are not committed to helping those less fortunate.
I thank my colleague, Shadow Minister for Indigenous Australians Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price, for her tireless work standing up for the No campaign, often facing personal attacks and abuse from those who did not share her view.
I acknowledge, too, there were things said and done against the leading advocates for Yes, including Minister Linda Burney, a Wiradjuri woman, which were unAustralian. This is indeed unfortunate and unacceptable.
We all want to achieve better results for our most vulnerable people, regardless of their ethnicity or heritage. Our focus is on practical action, driven by local communities. A non-partisan approach is essential to ensure the best outcomes. The Voice proposal was not the solution and the majority of Australians saw it this way.
Bureaucrats need to get out of the Canberra bubble and go out to communities to listen to Elders who can offer unique solutions for their individual communities.
We need to take notice the many success stories among our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and deliver positive policies to build on things that actually work.
We must prioritise the practical action that gets children to school, adults into work, and communities safe – exactly what we want for the rest of the country being true for Indigenous Australians, too, wherever they may live.
Over the coming weeks and months, The Nationals as part of the Coalition will be working with other concerned Australians on a new approach to tackling Indigenous disadvantage that will form part of the Coalition’s platform at the next election.
The three things that I think need to happen are:
The Cashless Welfare Debit Card needs to be reinstated forthwith. Women in communities, particularly remote centres where it was in place reported less domestic violence, reduced alcohol and drug consumption and better outcomes, particularly for children and families. Labor abolished this measure which was making such a difference to people’s lives without any consideration or thought and the referendum result shows it is needed more than ever.
I agree with Opposition Leader Peter Dutton’s call for a Royal Commission into child sexual abuse in Indigenous communities; and
Looking into how and where the more than $33 billion of Federal funding into Indigenous Affairs has been allocated and spent.
The important thing to remember is that we as a nation now needs to push forward as one to ensure unity, equality and pragmatism is held above ideology and tokenism.