In an inquiry into Aboriginal businesses, three Indigenous senators are demanding that billions of tax dollars be spent in a way that actually benefits vulnerable communities.
Jacinta Nampijinpa Price, Minister for Shadow Indigenous Australians, has launched an effort with South Australian Senator Kerrynne Liddle to investigate government funding of First Nations organisations.
The proposal was bolstered by the support of Independent Senator Lidia Thorpe, who delivered an impassioned speech criticizing the government for “whitesplaining.”
“Don’t talk to me, Labor, with your whitesplaining speeches, about what you think is best for us, and what your experience has been,” she said during a heated two-hour debate in the chamber on Wednesday night.
Ms Thorpe said there needs to be a thorough investigation into Aboriginal Land Councils and similar organisations, noting that she has seen everyone but the traditional owners benefit from deals made within high levels of the bodies.
“The people of the Latrobe Valley are so poor that young people are stealing food from our old people, and we have a deadly native title company down the street that’s raking in millions,” she noted.
Jacinta Nampijinpa Price, Minister for Shadow Indigenous Australians, has sensationally launched a bid to investigate the allocation of funds to First Nations bodies
‘The traditional owners on the land get nothing. This is ongoing and will continue unless we hold these companies accountable.”
Ms. Thorpe supported the motion by Senators Nampijinpa Price and Liddle with minor amendments.
The proposal calls for an investigation into ‘the scope of Australian government-funded services… for Aboriginal organisations’.
The study is expected to provide findings in a number of key areas by June 30, 2024.
Shortly after the packed Senate session, a government source denounced the motion, telling Daily Mali Australia that it is nothing more than a “Trojan horse to get rhetoric against votes in parliament.”
“Land councils are already subject to a high level of scrutiny and accountability. They are elected bodies that are accountable to the members.’
The 2023 Labor Budget, submitted in May, earmarked $1.9 billion for initiatives to improve the lives of First Nations people, including $364.6 million for holding the referendum on the vote of the Indigenous population in parliament.
This builds on the $1.2 billion allocated in the October 2022 mini-budget.
Ms Liddle presented the motion on Wednesday and demanded that more ‘transparency, accountability and results’ are desperately needed.
“These three words, by the way, should be the way taxpayers’ money is spent…for too long we have turned a blind eye to a lack of reporting, a lack of accountability and, without question, a lack of results,” she said. said.
Ms Liddle presented the motion on Wednesday, calling for ‘transparency, accountability and results’
“It’s time to take a serious look at those organizations and find out what’s really going on — the good, the bad, the ugly, and the very ugly.
No referendum, no vote can solve the problems plaguing Indigenous Australia. The solution starts with looking at yourself, not at others.’
Ms Liddle said she had heard numerous stories implying that leadership structures should be scrutinized in the hopes of ‘ending the selfish power games, corruption and conspiracy’, noting that organizations ‘doing the right thing do nothing to have fear’. .
Her comments were backed up soon after by Ms Thorpe, who said she is often approached by board members, traditional owners and her community advocating “some sort of investigation or forensic audit into companies that don’t care about the people they say they represent”. ‘.
“We have companies making deals with mining companies, construction companies. They make an absolute fortune, which is great, but only the board members benefit… or the board members’ families.
‘Disgusting behaviour. Disgusting, Labour. And you know it.’
Ms Thorpe said there needs to be a thorough investigation into Aboriginal Land Councils and similar organisations, noting that she has seen everyone but the traditional owners benefit from deals made within high levels of the bodies.
Western Australian Senator Louise Pratt formally rejected the motion on behalf of the Labor Party, accusing the senators of ‘playing politics’ and using it as a means to divert attention from the Voice to Parliament, which is due for a referendum this year will be held.
“This is a distraction. It diverts resources from civil society organizations. They need free air and space to do that work and participate in the referendum,” she said.
Ms Pratt said audits of Aboriginal Land Councils have been carried out over the years, arguing that ‘these organizations were not expected to be perfect’ but that a more productive solution is one that ‘enables them to deal with their members and their standards’.
She said a Constitution-enshrined Voice to Parliament could have the power to oversee the kind of things Ms Nampijinpa Price and Ms Liddle are asking for.
“Maybe we can give them powers so that they can directly oversee these organizations,” she said. “We need to find out what other powers we can give it, to collect evidence to present to this place.”
In the meantime, Ms. Pratt said, these bodies are regulated by the Office of the Registrar of Indigenous Corporations.
Ms Thorpe particularly objected to insinuations that she was catching up on a gimmick from the No campaign
“I’ve seen the work they do to support organizations to operate well, according to their own rules and culture, while remaining consistent with both state and Commonwealth laws.
‘Not an easy thing when it comes to how to incorporate the cultural laws and practices of individual gangs into the principles of an organization. This motion is no more than yet another distraction from the ‘no’ campaign in the referendum.’
Ms. Pratt urged all senators to report any organizational concerns to the relevant authority for investigation.
But Ms Thorpe particularly objected to insinuations that she was copying a trick from the No campaign.
She said she’s “not doing this for the wrong reasons,” citing a petition she created before she even became a politician calling for an investigation into the issue.
At that time, Mrs. Thorpe collected about 250 signatures.
“This has gone on for far too long,” she said.
The proposal was bolstered by the support of Independent Senator Lidia Thorpe, who delivered an impassioned speech criticizing the government for “whitesplaining” against her
“Do you think we’d have half the problems we have now if we could just get a piece of the pie of what these companies are bringing in on our behalf?
“We just want them to share. But we can’t even get in.’
One of Ms Nampijinpa Price’s main concerns is ‘the role, governance and accountability requirements of Aboriginal Land Councils and/or similar governing bodies across Australia, their respective members and how they are maintained’.
Ms Nampijinpa Price hopes the research will shed light on ‘how Aboriginal Land Councils or similar governing bodies… affect the communities for which they serve’.
She also mentioned a study on “how traditional owners are consulted when making decisions that affect the entire community.”
The inquiry, which will be held by the Finance and Public Administration Reference Committee if the motion passes, would be asked to consider whether there are other options to “provide more community-led benefits.”
Ms Pratt said audits of Aboriginal Land Councils have been carried out over the years, arguing that ‘these organizations were not expected to be perfect’ but that a more productive solution is one that ‘enables them to interact with their members and their standards’
Ms. Nampijinpa Price is against the Voice in part because she believes there are more tangible ways to support underprivileged communities.
Aboriginal Land Councils have been established to represent First Nations people in certain regions and have traditionally advocated for the recognition of traditional land rights.
These organizations can also negotiate with governments and stakeholders about the preservation of Aboriginal land.
Ms Nampijinpa Price has previously said that if she were in government and working as Indigenous Affairs minister, she would carry out a ‘forensic audit’ of all expenses for First Nations people, to ensure that every dollar is allocated wisely .
She said such a task would pinpoint where money is being used effectively and give the government an option to reallocate money that doesn’t deliver results to grassroots projects that need funding.
Indigenous Australians Minister Linda Burney claims she has received suggestions for practical solutions to help disadvantaged communities. Ms. Nampijinpa Price wondered if she was “waiting for a Voice committee” to carry out these plans.