NT Indigenous voice to parliament a ‘waste of time and money’, says Jacinta Nampijinpa Price

A taxpayer-funded inquiry into whether an Indigenous voice-like body should be established in the NT has been branded a ‘waste of time’ by Jacinta Price.

Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

A taxpayer-funded inquiry into whether an Indigenous voice-like body should be established to review bills in the Northern Territory has been branded a “waste of time” by NT senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price, as various legal and cultural groups push the government to set up an advisory group.

The NT government last year launched the inquiry into whether a statutory body should be established to provide advice to government about the impact of bills on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander NT residents.

The Australian Lawyers Alliance, which represents more than 1500 Australian lawyers, says the establishment of an independent NT voice is “essential” to close the gap between the living standards of Indigenous and non-Indigenous Territorians.

“The ALA supports establishing a statutory body that is composed of First Nations Terri­torians, who are elected by local First Nations communities and whose purpose is to provide advice to the Legislative Assembly of the Northern Territory on the impact bills may have on First Nations Territorians,” an ALA submission to the inquiry reads. “ALA members submit the key to successful outcomes arising from future legislation with regard to the impact on First Nations Territorians is for a body providing advice on the bills that will become law to be removed from politics, including party politics, as much as possible.

“While any statutory body would be established by the Legislative Assembly of the Northern Territory, its composition and daily operations should be independent from the Legislative Assembly and government depart­ments/agencies.”

While the NT is a small jurisdiction where a voice may overlap with existing roles held by other entities, the ALA submitted there must be some form of an Indigenous group advising the government. “ALA members are also interested in exploring establishing a governance committee, or expanding the remit of an existing governance committee, to provide advice on and review bills before the Legislative Assembly,” the submission reads.

The Northern and Central Land Councils have also backed an advisory group, saying “Aboriginal people must be empowered to have a say in policies and legislation that affect them”.

“Any review of the impacts of proposed laws on Aboriginal people must be led by Aboriginal people,” the NCLC submission reads.

“If a Legislative Assembly committee proves to be the preferred model for a review body, checks need to be put in place to ensure the body remains Aboriginal-led in the event of the assembly having minimal or no Aboriginal members.”

Civil Liberties Australia said the preferred body should be an “NT voice to the NT parliament” that would identify, document and recommend how proposed bills impacting Indigenous Territorians “could be improved for the benefit of the entire community and/or for the First Nations community of the NT without deleterious effect on non-First Nations Territorians”.

“The NT ‘voice’ as much as possible should be modelled on a similar proposed federal ‘voice’ to the Australian parliament,” the CLA submission reads., with a lower age limit of 16 years.”

But Senator Price said the NT voted an “overwhelming No” in the federal referendum, and said the inquiry was indicative of a government that does not know how to help its ­Indigenous population.

“Northern Territorians already had their say on a voice to parliament, and they gave an overwhelming No to the idea – 60.3 per cent No,” Senator Price told The Australian.

“A parliamentary inquiry is a waste of both time and taxpayers’ money, and is a clear sign of a government with no plans and no ideas to tackle the problems facing our communities.”

The NT Attorney-General’s department said if a body were to be set up, the inquiry must determine its level of independence, membership qualifications, election processes, what laws it could advise on, and whether the legislative assembly would be bound to its recommendations.