Jenny Macklin denies policy vacuum

LABOR will turn its focus to indigenous education and economic development during its second term.

LABOR will turn its focus to indigenous education and economic development during its second term.

But it faces accusations it has allowed a policy vacuum to develop in the crucial portfolio.

Aboriginal politician Alison Anderson called on the Prime Minister yesterday to remove Jenny Macklin from the Indigenous Affairs portfolio, saying federal Labor had allowed the momentum built by the Northern Territory intervention to slip away.

Ms Anderson, a former Labor NT indigenous policy minister and now an independent MP, slammed Labor for ignoring Aboriginal issues during the recent election campaign.

"Nobody cares, nothing is happening, there's nothing on the agenda," Ms Anderson said yesterday when asked what she believed may be achieved in indigenous affairs during a second-term Labor government.

"They have got to take the portfolio away from someone like Jenny Macklin, who did nothing in the first term. They need to give it to someone who is serious about moving indigenous people forward instead of keeping them trapped in welfare and poverty."

Ms Macklin vigorously defended Labor's record yesterday, saying the government had pursued an ambitious agenda in Aboriginal affairs and had addressed chronic under-investment by successive governments in services and infrastructure, including allocating $5.75 billion to closing the gap over the next three years.

"Labor laid out ambitious targets to make inroads in closing the gap in life expectancy, opportunity and aspirations between indigenous and non-indigenous Australians," her spokeswoman said.

The government had introduced reforms to the management of remote indigenous housing, and had built 316 new houses in remote communities during the past year.

Ms Macklin has been credited with continuing the Howard government's emergency intervention to crack down on child and alcohol abuse in 73 remote indigenous communities.

And she has extended welfare quarantining into the wider community.

Ms Anderson also hit out at independent MP Rob Oakeshott, who spoke this week of his frustration at the "automatic drift" of regional indigenous policy towards the NT and Cape York.

"It is people in remote Aboriginal communities that most desperately need to be lifted out of the cycle of welfare and the culture of entrenched training," Ms Anderson said.

Former Labor national president Warren Mundine yesterday backed Ms Macklin's performance in the portfolio.

"I am a staunch supporter of Jenny Macklin, I think she's done a great job," Mr Mundine said.

As the NSW government introduced a bill to parliament acknowledging Aboriginal people as tradition custodians of the land, the Gillard government confirmed yesterday that a referendum would be held during its second term on indigenous constitutional recognition.

But it remained unclear whether the referendum would take place at the next election, or some time before the poll.