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Indigenous Australians get a national voice

KLC media staement. November 23, 2009

The Kimberley Land Council has welcomed the Federal Government’s commitment to fund a new national representative body for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

KLC Deputy Director Nolan Hunter said the formation of a national Indigenous body was a step in the right direction towards closing the gap and would work to fill an urgent need for a national Indigenous voice.

“The commitment from the Federal Government to provide almost $30 million in funding across four years is a good indication of its willingness to support this new representative body and to work with Indigenous people,’’ Mr Hunter said.

“This is an opportunity for Aboriginal people to have a voice and be represented at a higher political level but the question that needs to be asked is: how will this body work to shape national Indigenous policy issues?

“Nothing will change for Aboriginal people until we are given a voice and that voice is used to create change. Aboriginal people want to take charge of their own lives and make decisions for themselves, so we can shape our future and provide opportunities for our children.’’

Mr Hunter said the new national representative body would provide a platform for Aboriginal people to raise issues with the Federal Government in relation to Indigenous Affairs.

“Any opportunity for Indigenous people to have a voice, a national voice, has got to be a good thing,’’ he said.

 “But we need to ensure that this body is truly representative, so that even the smallest of voices in the most remote places in Australia can be heard.’’

For further information on the new National Indigenous Representative Body visit the Australian Human Rights Commission website: http://www.hreoc.gov.au/Social_Justice/repbody/index.html