You can’t say they haven’t been given the chance.
I’ve been speaking up for months now about the mismanagement of land councils.
Some of these bodies that are meant to support and develop the lives of Aboriginal communities are categorically failing.
The evidence is clear that there are massive issues.
I’ve stood in the Parliament, stood up in press conferences, given speeches, written articles.
And the Albanese Labor government is not listening or, worse, do not care.
This week I once again gave them the chance to support an Inquiry into land councils with a vote in the Senate.
They failed the test.
Not just them, but the Greens and independent senators Tammy Tyrrell, Fatima Payman and David Pocock too.
This is simply an Inquiry about ensuring Indigenous traditional owners have fair and transparent bodies to represent their interests in land.
By voting against this motion, Anthony Albanese and his government are refusing to listen to the widespread frustration and desperation of Indigenous Australians who are living with the realities of a painfully broken native title system.
We know that these bodies are not functioning the way they could be, and the Albanese government is shutting down any attempt to get them back on course.
The excuse they gave is that the Law Reform Commission’s review into Native Title will do the job.
But that review is doing a completely different thing. An examination of the statutory bodies that oversee the management of land is not part of that review.
Anthony Albanese says he wants economic independence for Indigenous Australians, but he won’t support a motion that would give them the best chance of that happening.
It’s not just frustrating to me to have these efforts for accountability to be rejected.
It’s damaging to these communities who wait for a do-nothing government and a weak Prime Minister to listen.
The long accountability is delayed, the longer these communities suffer.
And the responsibility for that suffering lies on Anthony Albanese’s head.
Yours for REAL solutions,
Jacinta Nampijinpa Price
Senator for the Northern Territory
Shadow Minister for Indigenous Australians
About
Jacinta Nampijinpa Price is your Senator for the Northern Territory, and the former deputy mayor of Alice Springs.
Contact
Jacinta Nampijinpa Price
Country Liberal Party (NT)
1.229 McMillans Road, Jingili
NT 0810
Authorised by Jacinta Nampijinpa Price, Country Liberal Party (NT)
1.229 McMillans Road, Jingili NT 0810.
