Anthony Albanese’s government not closing the door on commitment to Uluru Statement – which calls for treaty along with a voice – despite failed referendum
Truth-telling remains on the government’s agenda along with local and regional voices, despite the failed referendum earlier this year.
Minister for Indigenous Australians Linda Burney will attend a Closing the Gap meeting on Friday, along with Aboriginal affairs ministers from across the country and representatives from top bodies.
Just a month after the failed Indigenous vote referendum, Ms Burney acknowledged that how the community can move forward from the setback would be top of the agenda.
She said specific discussions would take place on housing, education and inland waters objectives.
Minister Linda Burney (pictured with Anthony Albanese)
But she does not want to close the door on the government’s commitment to the Uluru Declaration, which calls for a truth-telling process and a treaty with one voice.
“What I’m hearing across the country is mainly: ‘What does this mean for the rest of the Uluru statement?'” Ms Burney told ABC Radio.
‘I especially hear the importance of telling the truth. I’m not saying I have a model in mind, but I am saying that what I hear very clearly from Aboriginal communities is the importance of telling the truth.”
The voting proposal included a number of local and regional dialogues that would contribute to a national body.
The minister said a similar consultation framework at a local level remains a “very lively discussion”, pointing to voting models operating in Australian states and territories.
The minister said a similar consultation framework at a local level remains a “very lively discussion”, pointing to voting models operating in Australian states and territories.
“There are structures across Australia and they need to be self-determined. It’s not up to the government to say ‘this is the way you do things,'” she said.
“But our job is to make sure we deliver on the things promised at the last election. What is most crucial, in my view, is to ensure that we come up with a considered path forward, not a grab bag.”
Of Closing the Gap’s 19 national socio-economic targets, only four were on track, according to data released earlier this year.
“We also have a number of targets in Closing the Gap that are actually going backwards, and that is completely unacceptable,” Ms Burney said.