The words of Mutthi Mutthi woman Alice Kelly still ring in the ears of her descendants. “There is power in the pen,” she would say. “You’ve got to learn the white man’s way to fight for your people.”
For Jana Stewart, one of Kelly’s great-grandchildren, that advice meant attaining quality education and occupying spaces that Aboriginal people have not traditionally occupied.
Jana Stewart hopes the Labor Party can rally behind her and end the infighting.Credit: Scott McNaughton
On Wednesday she made history by becoming Labor’s first Victorian Aboriginal senator, confirmed at a joint sitting of the State Parliament at 6pm.
The Mutthi Mutthi Wamba Wamba woman will now occupy a space in the Federal Parliament, which has had only 10 Aboriginal parliamentarians in 121 years.
“I feel incredibly privileged to have this opportunity when lots of other Aboriginal community members don’t have the same opportunities,” Senator Stewart said.
“I don’t think the opportunity can be wasted and I certainly don’t take it for granted. All the things I’ve done in my life have brought me to this point and it would seem like a waste if I said no.”
However, the circumstances surrounding Senator Stewart’s appointment to the Senate are tragic. She is filling a vacancy left by the death of Kimberley Kitching, whose parliamentary career was potentially under threat from opposing groups in Labor’s Right faction.
Senator Kitching was close to former opposition leader Bill Shorten and aligned to the Australian Workers’ Union, which has been sidelined from a stability pact that has realigned the Victorian Right faction and shifted alliances following former Labor MP Adem Somyurek’s downfall.
Labor has been in internal turmoil since Senator Kitching’s death from a heart attack on March 10, with her supporters blaming a “cantankerous cabal” over its treatment of the late senator and demanding they choose her replacement.
Ms Stewart, aligned to the Transport Workers’ Union that is part of the stability pact, now hopes the Labor Party can rally behind her and end the infighting.
Kimberley Kitching died on March 10. Credit: AUSPIC
“The opportunity comes under really sad circumstances with the passing of Senator Kitching, so that was certainly not lost on me,” the 34-year-old said.
“One of the things that everybody can agree on is how important it is to have Aboriginal people step into positions like this. So I think it’s something we can all unite over – it’s a history-making opportunity that I think everyone can be proud of.”
While she is proud of Labor’s affirmative action policy that has resulted in a 50-50 gender split in caucus, she says the party needs to take greater action on increasing cultural diversity within its ranks.
For far too long, Ms Stewart says, the halls of power have been dominated by similar people from similar backgrounds.
“Certainly, having quotas for women have been really successful, but that hasn’t meant an increase in [cultural] diversity across the party ... and I do want to be responsible for helping increase the number of Aboriginal people in the party, [including] people from minority and diversity groups,” she said.
Ms Stewart grew up between Swan Hill and Melbourne, moving back and forth, attending 13 different primary schools as she navigated a difficult childhood.
She has worked as a family therapist, including with Aboriginal children, for more than a decade. Her interest in politics was piqued when the Andrews government introduced its first treaty laws into the Victorian Parliament in 2018. She ran as the Labor candidate for the federal seat of Kooyong in 2019 and had been preselected to run in the safe state seat of Pascoe Vale at this year’s election.
“I’m the oldest of six kids and I come from a long line of incredible Aboriginal women who are matriarchs and the backbones of our family and communities,” said the mother of one, who is 20 weeks pregnant. “When I was in grade five or six, my mum sat me down and said, ‘Jana, you’re the eldest, you’ve got a big task, you’ve got to lead the way, you’ve got to let all the sticks and stones hit you to clear a path for your brothers and sisters.’ And that was the role that I played in my family.”
Ms Sewart will not be sworn in as a senator until the Senate next sits which is now not likely to be until after the federal election.
The Morning Edition newsletter is our guide to the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up here.
clarification
An earlier version of this story said Ms Stewart had been sworn in as a senator. Ms Stewart was confirmed as a replacement for the late Kimberley Kitching at a joint sitting of the Victorian Parliament. She will not be sworn in as a senator until the Senate next sits.