Voice bodies representing regional and remote communities would be a more effective solution to tackling Indigenous issues than the singular national Indigenous body that’s being offered in a referendum by the Albanese government, Indigenous Australian Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price said.
She argues that the problems and situations facing regional communities are very different to what’s seen in other places. For example, Indigenous voices from somewhere like Balgo in Western Australia are “very different from Indigenous voices from suburban Sydney or Brisbane, or even Alice Springs.”
“The Voice” is an initiative to embed an advisory body into the Constitution that will have the power to make “representations” to Parliament on issues the body deems important for Indigenous Australians. The government stated that members of the advisory body would be chosen based on the wish of local Indigenous communities.
“I don’t believe in separating us along the lines of race within our Constitution. What I have always advocated for is the voices of people in remote and regional communities to be amplified,” she said.
Child Sexual Abuse Wreaking Suffering in Remote Communities
During a recent two-day visit to Alice Springs, Dutton also pointed to the widespread child sexual abuse in regional Indigenous communities, saying the issue is being neglected by both the territory and federal governments.The Northern Territory government claimed that Dutton used Alice Springs as a “political football” and urged him to report to the police if such situations take place.
But Price, who’s an Alice Springs local, said she’s “acutely aware” of vulnerable Indigenous children being sexually abused at home and then returned to their abuser due to the government’s kinship rule.
“For example, there might be a child being put into the care of a foster family who then take care of that child, meet that child’s need,” she said. “And then by the time they turn six or seven, there might be somebody who says, I’m the kin of this child, I will take responsibility for this child. But that person is living out back out in a community that doesn’t have the services available.”
“And those children have been re-traumatised, put back in those circumstances, and in fact, yes, sexually abused again.”
She argued the main problem isn’t about reporting to the police but it’s “the way in which the system is failing these children,” while also supporting the opposition leader in forthrightly addressing the issue.
“We’re seeing SNAICC—who was supposed to be the national representative body—trying to downplay this issue, instead of recognising the sorts of things that are certainly been brought to my attention to tackle it from that particular direction,” she added. “I’m interested in people who are interested in the truth as to what’s going on.”
SNAICC is a national non-governmental peak body for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders.
While child sexual abuse has been an ongoing issue, it will continue to go under the radar unless there is a royal commission, Price said.
“Because the fact [is] that foster parents, their stories cannot be heard publicly, it’s about protecting their identity.”
According to the latest 2020-21 Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) figures, incidences of child protection notifications or investigations in the Northern Territory are up to five times higher than the national average, with the majority of incidences relating to child neglect.
Coalition Needs New Shadow Minister for Indigenous Australians
Meanwhile, Dutton is likely to select Price or Liberal senator Kerryne Liddle to become the Coalition’s representative for Indigenous Australians after MP Julian Leeser quit the shadow cabinet over his party’s non-support for “The Voice” over its inserting of race-based criteria into the Constitution.On Tuesday, addressing a press after his resignation, Leeser said his decision was not about personality but about trying to “keep faith” with his beliefs.
“With a referendum due later this year, I believe the time for ‘The Voice’ has come,” Leeser told reporters.
“I believe in a national voice, drawn from local and regional bodies, and support the referendum being put this year.
“I believe the voice can help move the dial on Indigenous education, health, housing, safety and economic development.”
Meanwhile, Liddle was clear about her intention to vote “No” in the referendum, citing the lack of detail from the Albanese government over how Indigenous would be defined, while also bringing focus to a need for regional and local voices of all opinions.
