2 years ago
GOVERNMENT REMAINS SILENT ON OTHER ELEMENTS OF ULURU STATEMENT
LINDA BURNEY MP
Labor is piling on pressure on the Morrison Government to not neglect the remaining two elements of the Uluru Statement, Treaty-making and Truth-telling.
Using the budget’s consideration in detail process, Warren Snowdon, the Shadow Assistant Minister for Indigenous Australians, last night questioned whether the Government had planned to act on the second and third elements of the Uluru Statement.
The nation marked four years since the delivery of the Uluru Statement from the Heart in May, which outlined the desires of First Nations leaders and communities for a constitutionally enshrined Indigenous voice to the parliament, as well as a national process for agreement-making and Truth-Telling.
Since then, Labor has been the only political party to support the statement in full.
We have long called on the Government to join Labor to support a constitutionally enshrined voice in the constitution.
However, the Government has consistently rejected this aspiration, and instead opted to consult on a legislated First Nations voice to government.
But Labor has reiterated that the Uluru Statement contains a further two elements, namely the processes of agreement or Treaty-making, as well as for Truth-Telling, to be overseen by a Makarrata commission.
And it is pressing the Government to act to realise those elements, and to not let them fall by the wayside.
In February, Labor senator Patrick Dodson moved a motion in the Senate for the establishment of a parliamentary inquiry to explore options for a national Truth-Telling and Treaty-making process. But the Government voted this down.
“Truth-telling is crucial to understanding how the events and trauma of the past are inextricably linked to the challenges of the present,” said Warren Snowdon.
“There can be no true Reconciliation without Truth-Telling.”
“Labor is the only party to support the Uluru Statement in full – and committed to realising the statement in its entirety,” said Linda Burney.
“It’s bad enough the Government refuses to even consider constitutional enshrinement of a First Nations voice to parliament.
“It mustn’t neglect the other two elements of Treaty-making and Truth-Telling, which are of equal importance.”
Warren Snowdon also put questions to the government on why new funding for Closing the Gap had not been included in the budget; when the government would deliver on its pledge to hold a referendum on constitutional recognition in this term of parliament; and when it would release its proposed model on a voice to government.
Using the budget’s consideration in detail process, Warren Snowdon, the Shadow Assistant Minister for Indigenous Australians, last night questioned whether the Government had planned to act on the second and third elements of the Uluru Statement.
The nation marked four years since the delivery of the Uluru Statement from the Heart in May, which outlined the desires of First Nations leaders and communities for a constitutionally enshrined Indigenous voice to the parliament, as well as a national process for agreement-making and Truth-Telling.
Since then, Labor has been the only political party to support the statement in full.
We have long called on the Government to join Labor to support a constitutionally enshrined voice in the constitution.
However, the Government has consistently rejected this aspiration, and instead opted to consult on a legislated First Nations voice to government.
But Labor has reiterated that the Uluru Statement contains a further two elements, namely the processes of agreement or Treaty-making, as well as for Truth-Telling, to be overseen by a Makarrata commission.
And it is pressing the Government to act to realise those elements, and to not let them fall by the wayside.
In February, Labor senator Patrick Dodson moved a motion in the Senate for the establishment of a parliamentary inquiry to explore options for a national Truth-Telling and Treaty-making process. But the Government voted this down.
“Truth-telling is crucial to understanding how the events and trauma of the past are inextricably linked to the challenges of the present,” said Warren Snowdon.
“There can be no true Reconciliation without Truth-Telling.”
“Labor is the only party to support the Uluru Statement in full – and committed to realising the statement in its entirety,” said Linda Burney.
“It’s bad enough the Government refuses to even consider constitutional enshrinement of a First Nations voice to parliament.
“It mustn’t neglect the other two elements of Treaty-making and Truth-Telling, which are of equal importance.”
Warren Snowdon also put questions to the government on why new funding for Closing the Gap had not been included in the budget; when the government would deliver on its pledge to hold a referendum on constitutional recognition in this term of parliament; and when it would release its proposed model on a voice to government.