A busy year but I'm looking forward to continuing the fight for Federal truth telling, transition to renewable energy, and supporting Australians that are doing it tough
As the Greens Federal spokesperson for First Nations, Northern Australia, Trade, Tourism, and Resources, the last two months of 2024 were especially busy as we neared the holiday period and finished the last weeks of Federal parliamentary sitting.
Federal Truth and Justice Commission Bill - Second Hearing
After the historic first federal Truth and Justice Commission Hearing in October, the second hearing took place in Boorloo (Perth) in November.
The hearings saw key Perth stakeholders and community members speak to the bill regarding amendments required, lessons learnt from state truth telling and what would be needed from a federal Truth and Justice telling Commission.
The next public hearing will take place in February, in Queensland and I'm looking forward to hearing from community members and stakeholders as we move closer to Australia's collective healing and a pathway to collective healing and Treaty.
Select Committee on Measuring Outcomes for First Nations Communities
In early December the Greens put forward a motion to establish a Senate Select Committee, Measuring Outcomes for First Nations Communities. The focus of this committee is to consider, report and evaluate certain Closing the Gap targets, including how they are funded and to ensure that they capture and reflect the strengths of First Nations culture and communities including opportunities for expanding the current Closing the Gap framework, to record and measure mental, physical, and spiritual health and wellbeing.
The targets being reviewed are those that are declining or not progressing. Those selected were First Nation rates of suicide, the number of children in out-of-home care, adult incarceration and the number of children commencing school who are developmentally on track.
This inquiry can pave the way for Federal accountability and a more effective First Nations framework that sees targets progressing, rather than heading backwards.
Submissions are being accepted until the 28th of February 2025 and the committee will present their final report by 30 May 2025.
Community Engagement
The last two months have been busy with community and stakeholder meetings.
At the end of November, I headed onto the lawns of Parliament House with a number of Greens colleagues to join Rising Tide Canberra's Wave to show solidarity with the People's Blockade that occurred in NSW the week prior, and continue fighting for an end to new fossil fuels in Australia.
I was humbled to host the launch of the ground breaking report 'Doing Time for Men's Crimes' at the end of November. The volunteer group, Justice Map, has given a voice to women and their lived experience in the justice system, allowing them to truth tell their solutions.
In late November I also hosted 'Real Talk: Violence Against First Nations Women and Children' alongside ANROWS and Our Watch to discuss the attitudes surrounding violence against First Nations women and children and the way forward. It was invaluable to hear from ANROWS on the findings of the 2021 National Community Attitudes towards Violence against Women Survey and the Head of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Strategy from Our Watch.
In December, I joined community members from Go Beyond Gas in front of the Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister's office to raise concerns and ask him to lobby his colleague Tanya Plibersek to stop the extension of the Woodside's North West shelf Project until 2070. The approval came after years of community objection and concerns around climate wrecking projects.
I also had the opportunity to meet the incredible team at Foodbank WA. Sadly, they confirmed what my office is hearing every day, that it is a struggle for Australians to pay their bills and put food on the table, especially if you are in regional or remote Australia. I will continue to work with Foodbank to support their education and outreach projects.
It's been a busy year and I'm looking forward to continuing the fight for Federal truth telling, transition to renewable energy, supporting Australians that are doing it tough.
Header photo: Senator Cox with Green's colleagues at Rising Tide Canberra's Wave out the front of Parliament House
