Anthony Albanese under fire after apparent backflip on Makarrata Commission election commitment

Anthony Albanese has broken another election promise after backflipping on plans to create a body to oversee future ‘truth-telling’ and ‘treaty’ agreements, in a move condemned as ‘heartbreaking’.

Anthony Albanese has broken another election promise after walking back plans to create a body to oversee future “truth-telling” and “treaty” agreements, in a move condemned as a “heartbreaking” breach of faith with Indigenous Australians.

The Prime Minister has revealed Labor does not intend to create a Makarrata Commission and attempted to suggest it was never under consideration despite previously allocating $5.8 million in the federal budget to explore its establishment.

The Coalition has accused Mr Albanese of “talking out both sides of his mouth” questioning how the government could fund something it now denies backing, while the Greens demanded the PM clarify his support for a Commission in line with Labor’s 2022 election commitment.

Mr Albanese on Sunday suggested his support for “Makarrata” – a word from the Yolgnu people in East Arnhem Land meaning “coming together after struggle” – only related to ongoing engagement and consultation with Indigenous Australians rather than establishing a specific new body.

But the 2017 Uluru Statement from the Heart, which Mr Albanese pledged to implement “in full” on election night two years ago, explicitly called for the creation of a Makarrata Commission to “supervise a process of agreement-making between governments and First Nations and truth-telling about our history”.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese attended The Garma Festival of Traditional Cultures this week. Picture: Yothu Yindi Foundation/Nina Franova via NewsWire

Greens First Nations spokeswoman Senator Dorinda Cox has unleashed on the PM, telling News Corp she was “disgusted” by Mr Albanese’s “deceit” and accusing him of “whitewashing and watering down” the concept of Makarrata.

“He has lied to the Australian public by saying that he would implement the Uluru Statement from the Heart in full,” she said.

“We can’t trust this Prime Minister with First Nations justice after his display.”

Senator Dorinda Cox has accused the PM of lying to Australians about his commitment to Makarrata. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

Ms Cox said Mr Albanese’s backflip was “heartbreaking” for Indigenous Australians who had “accepted” the referendum result, but had hoped Makarrata could separately progress reforms and justice.

“The PM’s trying to rebadge this as ‘we’re still doing it business as usual’, no you’ve walked away from an election commitment,” Ms Cox said.

Uluru Dialogue co-chair Pat Anderson says the PM’s comments are confusing. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

Uluru Dialogue co-chair Pat Anderson, a key architect of the statement, said Mr Albanese’s comments were “confusing”.

“Is he rolling back on the Labor election commitment to the Makaratta Commission?,” she said.

Ms Anderson said she understood the Voice referendum failed, but Australians “didn’t vote on truth or treaty”.

“Makarrata is not a vague vibe or a series of casual conversations,” she said.

“The Makarrata called for in the Uluru Statement is a bricks and mortar body and it was a clear election promise.”

Opposition leader Peter Dutton said Mr Albanese “can’t be trusted” on Indigenous policy given how much his meaning changed depending on where he was speaking.

“He goes up to Garma and tells people that there’s going to be a whole panacea and a whole rollout of new policy,” Mr Dutton said.

“He comes to Canberra or comes to WA and tells people there’s nothing to see.”

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says Makarrata is about ongoing engagement with Indigenous communities. Picture: Yothu Yindi Foundation/Leicolhn McKellar via NewsWire

Mr Albanese said Makarrata was about “coming together of people through engagement,” but when later asked directly if he was “redefining” his commitment, he answered: “no”.

But the PM’s declaration sent shockwaves among Indigenous leaders, who have privately hit out at Mr Albanese’s attempt to redefine “Makarrata” with one source describing it as “gaslighting the nation” about the clear asks of the Uluru Statement.

“There is no ambiguity in that statement,” another supporter of Uluru said.

Former Yes23 campaign director Dean Parkin said Labor’s election commitment was to implement the Uluru Statement in “full,” and while the PM’s commitment to hold a referendum had been “carried through” the task of establishing Makarrata remained “outstanding”.

“What the Uluru Statement was very clear about is that Makarrata is about a commission, a body that would be set up,” he told ABC.