‘Change needed’ for Aboriginal land councils, says Jacinta Nampijinpa Price

Anthony Albanese needs to turn his attention to Aboriginal land councils and how unfit they have become for the purpose of representing disadvantaged Indigenous Australians, Jacinta Nampijinpa Price said.

NT senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Anthony Albanese needs to turn his attention to Aboriginal land councils and how unfit they have become for the purpose of representing the interests of disadvantaged Indigenous Australians, Coalition spokeswoman Jacinta Nampijinpa Price said.

The Prime Minister described at the weekend how his government was practising the principles of Makarrata – a Yolngu word for coming together after a struggle – by listening.

“This is a coming together of people through engagement … It means engaging with land councils. It means engaging with ­native title holders. It means ­engaging with First Nations people right around the country,” he said.

Senator Nampijinpa Price told The Australian: “I welcome the Prime Minister’s suggestion to do things like engage with land councils, because if he does, he will quickly realise how unfit for purpose many of these bodies have become under this leadership.

“Whether the Prime Minister has the follow-through required to actually change his government’s approach to Indigenous affairs remains to be seen.”

Mr Albanese’s characterisation of Makarrata as a style of governing has caused angst among Indigenous leaders who continue to support the Uluru Statement from the Heart.

The landmark 2017 document called for a Makarrata commission to supervise agreement making (treaties) and truth telling.

Mr Albanese said on election night in 2022 that he supported the Uluru statement in full, then his government set aside $5.8m towards the establishment of a Makarrata commission.

However, Greens senator Dorinda Cox said on Tuesday that it had become obvious that Labor had no intention of proceeding with a Makarrata commission since the defeat of the Voice referendum last October.

Senator Cox said Mr ­Albanese’s recasting of Makarrata as an idea rather than a commission was horrible for new Indigenous Australians Minister Malarndirri McCarthy.

“I respect her and he has just gutted her portfolio,” Senator Cox said.

“What he has done is he has polarised a whole lot of relationships just as she takes on the job.

“He is trying to shift himself a little more to the centre before the election.

“We have been waiting for this moment for 50 years and to just say ‘Makarrata it could be anything’ is so disappointing for Aboriginal people.”

On Monday, Uluru Dialogue co-chair Pat Anderson issued a statement questioning whether Mr Albanese was breaking his election promise on Makarrata.

“Is he rolling back on the Labor election commitment to the Makarrata commission?” Ms Anderson said.

“We understand that a ­constitutional Voice didn’t get up, but the Australian people didn’t vote on truth or treaty.

“Makarrata is not a vague vibe or a series of casual conversations.

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