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Long walk to treaty resumes in a fractured federation

Long walk to treaty resumes in a fractured federation

The Albanese government has backed away from a promise to strike a treaty with indigenous Australians. In a federal policy vacuum, some states are picking up the baton.

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In the distinctive opening lyric to the Yothu Yindi hit Treaty, singer Mandawuy Yunupingu talks of hearing former prime minister Bob Hawke “on the radio”, making an empty promise about a treaty with Aboriginals.

But if Yunupingu, who died a decade ago, had been listening to Melbourne Indigenous radio station 3KND last year, he would have heard a different conversation about treaty.

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Peter Ker
Peter KerResources reporterPeter Ker covers resource companies for The Australian Financial Review, based in Melbourne. Connect with Peter on Twitter. Email Peter at pker@afr.com
Tom McIlroy
Tom McIlroyPolitical correspondentTom McIlroy is the Financial Review's political correspondent, reporting from the federal press gallery at Parliament House. Connect with Tom on Twitter. Email Tom at thomas.mcilroy@afr.com

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Original URL: https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/long-walk-to-treaty-resumes-in-a-fractured-federation-20240219-p5f670