Budget 2022: Indigenous voice not the focus for First Nations
The Albanese government will spend more on initiatives to support Indigenous Australians to ‘respond to climate change in their communities’ than it will on preparations for a Voice referendum.
The Albanese government will spend more on initiatives to support Indigenous Australians to “respond to climate change in their communities” than it will on preparations for a referendum on a Voice to Parliament.
The budget includes $1.2bn for what the government describes as “practical measures to Close the Gap” between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians, and $75.1m to prepare for a referendum.
The $1.2bn includes $105.2m “to support First Nations people to respond to climate change in their communities”, including establishing “a new Torres Strait Climate Change Centre of Excellence” and a “Climate Warriors training program”.
“A First Nations Clean Energy Strategy and Community Microgrids Program will enable First Nations communities to influence and access the benefits of Australia’s renewable energy transformation,” the budget papers state. “A new Torres Strait Climate Change Centre of Excellence will empower Torres Strait communities to design and deliver local adaptation and mitigation initiatives, including through the Climate Warriors training program.”
The Voice funding includes $50.2m for the Australian Electoral Commission to prepare for a referendum to enshrine a Voice to Parliament in the Constitution, and $5.8m to commence work on establishing an “independent Makarrata Commission to oversee processes for agreement-making and truth-telling”.
There is also $16.1m over two years from 2022-23 to the AEC “to increase First Nations enrolment and participation in future electoral events”, and $6.5m for the National Indigenous Australians Agency to support the referendum, including the “establishment of a governance structure to support the special advisory groups that will engage with stakeholders and provide advice to government”.
Separately, the government will amend tax law to specifically list Australians for Indigenous Constitutional Recognition as a deductible gift recipient for donations made from July 1 this year to June 30, 2025.
A closing the gap health commitment of $314.8m over five years from 2022-23 includes $54.3m to train 500 Indigenous health workers and practitioners, and $164.3m for health infrastructure projects in areas with large and growing Indigenous populations, and to build capacity to target chronic disease treatment and rehabilitation.
A package of $190.0m over four years will be aimed at assisting Indigenous-controlled and community health organisations “to maintain quality services in light of rising costs”.
There will also be $33.7m to subsidise 36 hours of early childhood education per fortnight for Indigenous children, and $200m for the repair, maintenance and improvements of housing in remote Indigenous communities.
A $99m “First Nations Justice” package provides $81.5m for up to 30 community-led “justice reinvestment initiatives”, as recommended by the Australian Law Reform Commission.