‘We have to consider a fair go for indigenous Australians being recognised’: Ken Wyatt

Ken Wyatt delivered an impassioned speech at the Vincent Lingiari Memorial Lecture last night.

Minister Affairs minister Ken Wyatt has described Australia’s advancement in Aboriginal affairs as a “pendulum”.

INDIGENOUS Affairs minister Ken Wyatt has described Australia’s advancement in Aboriginal affairs as a “pendulum” in a speech in Darwin last night.

Mr Wyatt’s speech for the Vincent Lingiari Memorial Lecture at Charles Darwin University, titled Looking Forward, Looking Back explored the opportunities of constitutional recognition.

“Throughout our history, advancement in indigenous affairs have swung like a pendulum,” he said.

“This pendulum has shifted back and forth, sometimes bringing meaningful advancement for indigenous Australians.”

Before the lecture, Mr Wyatt expressed how he planned to take advantage of his position to change the course of the pendulum.

“As the first Aboriginal Minister for Indigenous Australians, I am in a position to help shift the pendulum, not just with my hand, or the hands of my family and community but with the hands of all Australians,” he said.

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In an interview with ABC Radio presenter Adam Steer, Mr Wyatt discussed the ethical importance of constitutional recognition for indigenous Australians.

“We can’t leave one group of people out, because if we take that ethos of a fair go which Australia is notoriously famous for, then we have to consider a fair go for indigenous Australians being recognised,” he said.

”We’re not going to alter the constitution that is unfavourable disposition to any group at all, it will be within the construct of the intent of the constitution but it’ll also recognise we have the oldest living culture in the nation being included.”