Kate Reynolds: Australian Democrats in the SA Parliament

Hon. Kate Reynolds MLC

ATSIC Self Determination Rally

10^th May 2004

I acknowledge the Kaurna people as the traditional owners of this land and, on behalf of the Australian Democrats I pay my respect to the elders, all the Kaurna people and to all first nation peoples gathered here today.

I acknowledge too the members of the regional councils, the members of reconciliation groups and supporters of indigenous struggle, including those who are employed by the federal and state bodies now under siege and thank you too for coming here today.

And it is with enormous pride that I bring you greetings from Australian Democrat Senator Aden Ridgeway, currently the only indigenous member of the Federal Parliament, and only the second ever.

The Australian Democrats have been working inside and outside the parliament for indigenous peoples in this country for 27 years. No other party’s record withstands scrutiny of its work on indigenous affairs like the Australian Democrats – we stand here today with you and for you and we stand by our record with pride and a determination to continue speaking out and fighting for the right of indigenous people to determine their own futures.

So after 27 years of work, we know, all too well, that Australian Governments are guilty of serial under-achievement when it comes to Indigenous affairs.

ATSIC and ATSIS had total control of only 15% of the Commonwealth indigenous money yet they are being saddled with 100% of the blame.

How can anyone seriously believe that this federal Government will make mainstreaming work?

When John Howard came to power one of his first acts was to slash the ATSIC budget. The three Ministers who have had the portfolio under his leadership have done little but focus on destabilising ATSIC and its leaders.

This has resulted in a situation where everyone thinks of ATSIC as nothing more than Geoff Clark and Ray Robinson; as a big central body remote from the realities of indigenous people.

Nothing could be further from the truth. ATSIC's real strength is in its network of regional councils and the 900 community organisations ATSIC and ATSIS fund.

Governments and Oppositions have been using indigenous affairs as a political football for years.

The Democrats will not be a part of John Howard's plan to demolish national elected indigenous representation. We have repeatedly urged the Federal ALP to join us.

It is hard to imagine now, but there was a time when Indigenous Australians had very limited engagement with the rest of their communities, when you didn't see Aboriginal organisations in the main street, when the community didn't get together for NAIDOC Week, when black voices were not a part of the national dialogue, and there was not even black person in the Federal Parliament.

However, it is this kind of "back to the future" scenario to which John Howard will to drag us all if the Senate passes his proposal on ATSIC.

And now, we have the same scenario playing out here on the watch of the Rann Labor Government.

The deterioration in the lives of Indigenous South Australians has been perpetuated by the state government since it came to power.

Most recently, in its dealings with the AP Executive, the Rann Labor Government has revealed its own true colours, and sadly, they are not red, black and yellow. It has insulted all the organisations and individuals who have been doing their best to address many complex issues for all Indigenous people, despite Mike Rann’s government continually changing the rules of engagement.

The APY Land Council had total control of very little State or Commonwealth indigenous money yet they too are being saddled with 100% of the blame. This begs the question - which Aboriginal organisation is next?

What is lacking most in Indigenous affairs right now is trust. The relationship between Indigenous people and both the Federal and State Governments has deteriorated to an all-time low. What we need now is strengthening and trust building, not abolition of trust.

The Australian Democrats call on the Howard Government and the Rann Government to work in a genuine way to build trust and goodwill.

What we need now is firm and resolute commitment from government and community leaders. Government needs to pay more than just lip service to the issues facing urban, rural and remote Indigenous people.

The Howard Government has announced a wholesale annihilation of national Indigenous leadership along with the destruction of the network of regional councils. This has thrown into doubt the existence of over 900 hundred Aboriginal organisations, the jobs of 35,000 Indigenous people employed under CDEP and 1200 staff in ATSIS regional offices around the nation.

And here in South Australia the first report on the AP Lands by the Rann Government’s Administrator Bob Collins reinforces the fact that if governments continue their historical hit-and-miss approach to Indigenous Affairs, the future contains little more than wasted taxpayers money and no guaranteed health, education or employment outcomes for Indigenous people, let alone any move forward in the way of reconciliation and self determination.

Indigenous people do not suffer from a lack of policy but rather a lack of respect from governments, a lack of honesty from governments and a long and shameful list of broken promises.

The Australian Democrats call on both the Howard Liberal Government and the Rann Labor Government to change tack from the divisive and destructive course they are both on, and to strengthen, not diminish the role of bodies elected by and for indigenous people.