Minister for Indigenous Australians
RHIANNA PATRICK: Minister, it's been a year since the Voice referendum. What do you think the impact has been on Indigenous policy across all levels of government, and not just federally?
MALARNDIRRI McCARTHY, MINISTER FOR INDIGENOUS AUSTRALIANS: The referendum was clearly disappointing for people who voted Yes and certainly disappointing for us as a government. It was also a time where many communities, many families were almost deeply traumatised by the loss, but also the weaponisation, Rhianna, of the debate. It saw vehement conversations, texts, social media, in ways that really did hurt First Nations people and ordinary Australians, who reject that kind of low form of debate.
PATRICK: Your opinion piece talks about the politicisation of Indigenous affairs and I guess, not going back to where we were a year ago, you now want the focus to be on Closing the Gap. How do we make this everybody's business?
MCCARTHY: One of the things I certainly took from the loss of the referendum is that the status quo was what the referendum really was about, in terms of the result. And I looked at the National Agreement and the fact that the National Agreement on Closing the Gap is an agreement at every state and territory level, where it was agreed to under the former Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Ken Wyatt, as then Indigenous Australians Minister, with the Coalition of Peaks. And it was an important agreement, which I'm wanting to see us get on track, especially with the jurisdictions, to reduce the rates of high incarceration and also the high out-of-home care rates of the removal of First Nations children.
PATRICK: Do you think this is the best way, I guess, to change where the narrative has been for the last twelve months and to really put that focus back onto the work that needs to be done in Indigenous affairs?
MCCARTHY: It's important to continue the work in terms of lowering those statistics in Closing the Gap, but also embarking on the systemic change that's required, and in some respects, that does mirror what was being called about a Voice to the parliament. It was about systemic change, so that First Nations people could have a say to the Parliament of Australia. What the Closing the Gap National Agreement about is also structural change, that departments in state and territory jurisdictions need to engage with First Nations organisations and the Peaks across the country, in terms of trying to find solutions. And that's what I'm doing, is working with Indigenous Affairs Ministers of each state and territory, but also the Peaks on the Closing the Gap Joint Council.
PATRICK: Minister, if I shift that focus to, I guess, the recommendations that came down recently, from the inquiry into murdered and missing First Nations women and children. Do you have any idea when the Federal Government plans to respond to that inquiry and those recommendations?
MCCARTHY: The Federal Government certainly will respond to the Senate inquiry into missing and murdered First Nations women and children. It is an incredibly important report. I've certainly been reading through that report. I will be one of the Ministers, along with some of my cabinet colleagues like Katy Gallagher, Amanda Rishworth, and also Mark Dreyfus as Attorney-General, who need to have input into the response to those recommendations, and we will certainly provide that to the Senate.
PATRICK: It's not just, I guess, missing and murdered Indigenous women and children. But the Greens have also been calling for federal intervention into why the AFP hasn't picked up on these community concerns in northern Western Australia about missing Aboriginal men. Seven men reported missing, I think five in the last two years. Do you think that also is an area that needs to be looked at, considering Canada has just recently also had a march to acknowledge those missing men who are also going missing from Indigenous communities over there?
MCCARTHY: For any family to have someone missing or murdered is obviously, you know, deeply, deeply concerning, especially when they don't know where they may be. It's a time of deep emotional grief. I would certainly encourage families to ensure that they are working with the police of any state and territory jurisdiction. And of course, let's hope that these families can be found or can be supported in that the men are found. But I am very aware of these issues, but I also know that we have to create changes, and one of the recommendations in the Senate report into murdered and missing women is the culture within police forces across the country and the way they work with First Nations families. And I do encourage each state and territory jurisdiction to ensure they have read the report and also look at what they can do in their jurisdictions.
PATRICK: Minister, you spent many years at the ABC prior to joining the government, and I'm wondering, what did you make of the ABC's racism review and its response?
MCCARTHY: Racism anywhere is appalling, intolerable, it is reprehensible, and whether it happens at the Australian broadcaster or any other organisation in this country, it must be stamped out. And there must be strategies to ensure the safety of staff who work in organisations, especially the ABC, but also a way of handling all sorts of racism that's directed to people who work, whether they're in the media, or in other organisations. It is reprehensible.
PATRICK: Minister, do you think real change can come from this review?
MCCARTHY: There has to be. There has to be change. There's no point having a review as serious as this one for there not to be any change, and I certainly urge the broadcaster to ensure that there are moves to provide safety to staff and a mechanism for staff to be able to follow through on any particular complaints around racism.
PATRICK: And Minister, I mean, you know, the NIRS is based here in Queensland, and we're heading towards a Queensland election at the moment. I mean, what do you make about the current Queensland election campaign where neither party seems to be outlining their Indigenous policies, despite this state having the second largest population of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders?
MCCARTHY: Well, there's still a way to go in every election. There's a lot that goes on, Rhianna, and I have no doubt that First Nations issues will certainly be in the spotlight at some point. But I would point out that one of the important elements I believe in Queensland is the Truth-telling and Healing Inquiry, and it was great to meet with the Commissioner Josh Creamer in just recent weeks and also the members of that Commission, and I commend them for the work they're doing. It is incredibly difficult. But I believe they've got off to a terrific start and I'd certainly like to see them supported going forward.
PATRICK: Ms McCarthy, that's all my questions.
MCCARTHY: No worries. Thanks, Rhianna.
