Indigenous Affairs Minister Linda Burney flags path for truth telling in school curriculum

Linda Burney says she is in active discussions with cabinet to develop a model for a truth telling process, flagging that it could be included in the school curriculum.

Linda Burney in the classroom at Ernabella Anangu School. Picture: Julian Kingma

Indigenous Australians Minister Linda Burney says she was in active discussions with cabinet to develop a model for a truth telling process, flagging that it could be included in the school curriculum though she remained “very open” on the framework.

Ms Burney also sought to clarify Anthony Albanese’s commitment to pursue a Makarrata commission, saying Labor would take time to get the process that signifies a coming together after a struggle and truth telling “right”, while the work of treaty making continues at a state level.

Mr Burney said she was engaged in “discussions with the cabinet” about a model for truth telling, but would not reveal details on the government’s next steps following last year’s failure of the voice referendum.

“That’s absolutely why I’m talking to people,” she told ABC Radio National.

“There isn’t a particular model that I’ve got in mind, I am very open and the government is very open to what it might look like.”

Ms Burney said the referendum result had been “devastating” but other government initiatives could improve the lives of Indigenous people, when asked how she would bring people back to the table to address these issues.

Indigenous Australians Linda Burney at a press conference at Parliament House in Canberra. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Martin Ollman

“There is enormous hurt and in many cases dismay at the outcome of the referendum, there is no two ways about that,” she said.

“But there is also the important point that the referendum is over and done with.

“We accept the outcome, whether we like it or not, we accept the outcome, and we respect the outcome that the Australian people delivered.”

Ms Burney spruiked the Albanese government’s track record of improving the lives of Indigenous Australians, including an announcement on Tuesday that a commissioner for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children would be established along with a scheme to create 3000 jobs in remote communities.

The Prime Minister handed down a landmark Closing the Gap report this week which revealed the nation was only on track to reach four out of 19 goals, while four were going backwards.

“But that doesn’t mean it was the shot in the locker, there are many things,” she said.

“For example, the junior ranger programs, the jobs we announced yesterday, for example the Children’s Commissioner that we announced yesterday, for example Wi Fi into remote communities, things like clean water for the first time in many communities, those things will continue.

“Including the wonderful initiatives that we’re undertaking in health, including rheumatic heart disease, those things will continue.

“The referendum was devastating, but I can tell you this; as I’ve moved around the country, the resilience of Aboriginal people is inspirational.”

She also said the reason the nation was falling so far behind its Closing the Gaps targets was because “people like (Peter) Dutton use Aboriginal affairs as a political football” and focus on “short term change”.

Ms Burney also ruled out the Opposition Leader’s push for an audit of how money was spent on how funding for Indigenous Australians was spent.