Marion Scrymgour
Lingiari · Australian Labor Party · Australia
“I want to say thank you and congratulations to the CEO of Mala'la, Ray Matthews, and the manager of primary health services, Jessica Gatti, who've fought so hard for this facility on behalf of their community.”
“I rise today to speak on the opening of the Manayingkarirra public health centre in Maningrida in my electorate. It was great to be there last week for the official opening of what is an amazing facility.”
“Mala'la delivers so many important services in the Top End, particularly in Maningrida, and their work with rheumatic heart disease and tuberculosis is essential in keeping that community healthy and safe.”
“I'm looking forward to seeing this facility serve the Maningrida region in coming years and help our locals go from strength to strength. I thank everyone involved, because there are increasing numbers of rheumatic heart disease and also tuberculosis, which we thought had been eradicated but which has come back, and we've seen recently, i…”
“Players, coaches and umpires of all ages and at every level of the game came together, and it's easy to see why it has become one of the best events on the Territory netball calendar. We know the importance of engaging with young people through sport. It helps boost mental, social and physical health.”
“I was so grateful to attend the Sitzler First Nations netball competition last weekend at the Territory Netball Stadium on Larrakia country in Darwin.”
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“My question is to the Minister for Emergency Management. How is the Albanese Labor government supporting communities across Australia to prepare and respond to natural disasters? How does this compare to other approaches?”
“I'm looking forward to seeing this facility serve the Maningrida region in coming years and help our locals go from strength to strength. I thank everyone involved, because there are increasing numbers of rheumatic heart disease and also tuberculosis, which we thought had been eradicated but which has come back, and we've seen recently, in Central Australia, diphtheria also coming back. We do have to deal with these chronic diseases.”
“I want to say thank you and congratulations to the CEO of Mala'la, Ray Matthews, and the manager of primary health services, Jessica Gatti, who've fought so hard for this facility on behalf of their community. To Charlie Gunaburra—who's been an Aboriginal health practitioner for nearly 40 years in that community and is still involved in trying to combat tuberculosis and rheumatic heart disease—to Reggie Wurridjal, to Lesley Woolf and to Dr Melanie Matthews: I want to say thank you for your work in getting this centre up and running. It is a massive achievement and wouldn't have happened without them. It was attended by Christine Connors, who was the Chief Health Officer in the Northern Territory government, and it was great to see Dr Paul Burgess, who is currently the Chief Health Officer in the Northern Territory.”
“Mala'la delivers so many important services in the Top End, particularly in Maningrida, and their work with rheumatic heart disease and tuberculosis is essential in keeping that community healthy and safe. Improving the delivery of community controlled remote health services is something that our government is particularly passionate about. It is an area that I've been working in for many years, both inside this place and on the ground across the Northern Territory. Remote areas, which are hardest hit by chronic disease and illness, face so many challenges in accessing health care. Our government has a proud record in making sure that ACCHOs in those communities have been funded and resourced.”
“I rise today to speak on the opening of the Manayingkarirra public health centre in Maningrida in my electorate. It was great to be there last week for the official opening of what is an amazing facility. I'm proud that our government contributed $14 million for the design and construction of this vital centre, which will go a long way in helping healthcare outcomes in the Top End. The centre includes new clinical and consultation rooms dedicated to rheumatic heart disease and upgraded care rooms for training, cancer and, in particular, tuberculosis. The opening of this centre is a real milestone for Maningrida and the surrounding homelands. I want to say a big thank you to the Mala'la Health Service Aboriginal Corporation, who'll operate the centre.”
“I'm going to encourage members on my side to come to Darwin, to the Northern Territory, for the 10th anniversary of this carnival. It'd be a fantastic carnival to be part of. I'm proud to be part of a government which has continually invested in our sports teams, especially for young women and young girls. The $200 million Play Our Way program has helped lift barriers for women's sports. As the Minister for Sport has said before, too often women have to change in men's bathrooms, wear hand-me-down uniforms and play on fields that men wouldn't play on. I'm glad that, with the recent rise of women's sport, our government is acting to make sure that women get the same access to sports and all the benefits that come with it.”
“To the CEO, Debra Farrelly, and the chair, Catherine Sansom: thank you for showing me around and organising what was an amazing event. I'm glad it was such a success. I want to acknowledge the important role played by Indigenous women from the Northern Territory netball community Tash Guse and Michelle Kerrin, who emceed the opening and closing ceremonies. The welcome to country, delivered by Larrakia women Taylah Godwin and Paxton Miller, was a meaningful and powerful way to commence the carnival. Thanks also to Indigenous netballers Alicia Hosking and Taylah Godwin, who presented the Rising Star and winning team medallions. To all the participants: I want to thank you—and a big congratulations. It was a fantastic weekend.”
“Players wore orange ribbons and linked arms in the centre of the court before the matches as a visible sign of unity and strength against domestic violence. It was wonderful to have the founder of the NO MORE campaign, Dr Charlie King AM, attending the closing ceremony to present awards for teams and umpires who best embodied the values of respect and fairness. I also want to acknowledge the donation of sports bras from the Sports Bra Project. These were distributed to all the female players and umpires during the carnival to support women and girls to participate in sports comfortably and confidently. It's one aspect of women's sport that's not often considered as an essential item but makes a real difference for women and girls. I want to say a big thank you to the entire team at Netball NT.”
“Players, coaches and umpires of all ages and at every level of the game came together, and it's easy to see why it has become one of the best events on the Territory netball calendar. We know the importance of engaging with young people through sport. It helps boost mental, social and physical health. It was great to see local health organisations at the carnival as well, making sure that clubs and players can access support and resources in a culturally safe way. This year's event was massive, with 20 teams and more than 200 players. From the under-11s to the opens and mixed teams, there was a chance for everyone to get involved and have a go. To see players, coaches and umpires improving their skills in a supportive environment was also encouraging. The carnival also included a NO MORE round to raise awareness of domestic violence.”
“I was so grateful to attend the Sitzler First Nations netball competition last weekend at the Territory Netball Stadium on Larrakia country in Darwin. It was a great chance to celebrate culture and community through sports, and there's no better sport than netball to bring people together, as the Chief Government Whip and member for Lalor well knows. In the Northern Territory, our First Nations communities are incredibly well represented in our sporting teams and clubs. The carnival represents a space for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and young women to come together from remote communities—Katherine, Central Australia, Darwin and across the country—to play netball and connect with one another. I was particularly happy to see the welcome return of the Mparntwe, or Alice Springs, team to the carnival.”
“My question is to the Prime Minister. Today, we mark the beginning of Reconciliation Week, an opportunity to reflect on our shared history. Why is it important that all Australians come together and play a part in our journey towards a more unified Australia and deliver better outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people?”
“We must show grace and empathy and stay connected.' To the family and to my entire community in Alice Springs: I share in your grief and I share in your resolve.”
“Conditions in town camps can often be very challenging, and in many cases people are forced to live in harsh and insecure conditions. These conditions are not the result of personal failings. It is the result of systemic failures, and governments of all persuasions and at all levels either condoned or exacerbated these conditions. We have not done enough. We must grapple with the fact that the conditions in town camps are not what they should be, but town campers are not to blame for this tragedy. The family are certainly not to blame, and we must take a wide and honest look at the circumstances that led to this. If it takes a village to raise a child, then the entire village must look at what responsibility it takes when things go wrong. But for the moment the family has asked: 'We must come together.”
“I have spent considerable time talking to the Granites family. I remain in contact with them still on how to approach this discourse. That is entirely appropriate. I would like to pay my respects to the White and Rockman families, who are also kin to Kumanjayi Little Baby. The family has made it very clear: we do not want the death of this little baby to be politicised or to be used as a trojan horse for another government intervention. We must be collaborative, we must be constructive and we must respect their grief. That is not inaction. That is not abdicating accountability. It is saying we respect your immense hurt. We all want to see justice for Kumanjayi Little Baby, but we also must be very clear about how we seek that justice. We cannot demonise town campers.”
“Hundreds of volunteers joined extensive line searches and scoured bushland for a little girl who was missing. Whatever cultural differences may have separated volunteers and well-wishers from the family evaporated in a wave of shared human empathy and concern. The community has shown where it stands and for whom it stands. Everyone is committed to the proposition that little children are sacred. It is likely that no other town in Australia could have displayed more compassion, responsibility and care. I want to thank those on the ground coordinating logistics: the Northern Territory police and emergency services, Tangentyere, the Central Land Council and the Central Australian Aboriginal Congress. In particular, our local businesses and our community showed immense generosity of spirit and resources.”
“I begin by acknowledging the family of Kumanjayi Little Baby. This pain cannot be compared. It is deep and it is unending. Not only to mourn such a tragic and horrendous loss but to mourn so publicly is an extremely difficult thing. Minister McCarthy and I were in Central Australia when we received the news that Kumanjayi Little Baby had been found. There was an immense and collective outpouring of grief. That evening I went to see, and sat down with, the grandmothers of Kumanjayi Little Baby to pay my respects. They told me very clearly what they wanted in terms of seeing justice done. It is a matter of pride and gratitude—specifically endorsed by Mr Robin Granites, grandfather of Kumanjayi Little Baby—that the entire Alice Springs community has come together as one over the last couple of weeks.”
“Those opposite can continue to carry on about who they say they represent, but, when you look at the record, you can see exactly who is building the future for our regions.”
“The Albanese Labor government knows that the cost of living is the No. 1 issue absolutely everywhere, and that includes in regional Australia. Our tax cuts are being rolled out, and the new Working Australians Tax Offset will save every working person another $250 each year. This is just one part of our cost-of-living relief agenda, which the Liberals have opposed every step of the way. Regional inequity is something that this government takes very seriously. I know that, on this side of the House, we have a government that makes sure that regional Australians get their fair share. After the coalition took our regions for granted and neglected their concerns for decades, it's no wonder people are turning away from them in droves.”
“It is the regions that face the brunt of food security issues, especially in my electorate, which includes more than 70 remote communities. Fresh, healthy food is often too hard to find or too expensive to buy. Small storage facilities and massive distances make food security a big challenge. Our food security strategy will boost the resilience of our food system, which is so important for health and life expectancy outcomes in remote communities. When it comes to regional health, it hasn't been easy to clean up the mess, but we are now making big strides. The Northern Territory has the highest proportion of bulk-billing practices of any state or territory. Two years ago, it was one of the lowest. I hope that those opposite take note of what it looks like to deliver in regional health.”
“People living there do not need to be told just how important good roads are. They feel it every day. With recent fuel issues, we know that our regions are being hit the hardest. We've halved the fuel excise and reduced the heavy vehicle road user charge to zero for three months to make sure that people who rely on our roads are given support from the Commonwealth. In my electorate, it's small businesses that keep our rural and remote areas moving, whether they're remote stores and roadhouses or hospitality businesses, which bring jobs and opportunities out bush. The new instant asset write-off and the broader reforms to regulatory burdens will save time and money for small businesses across our regional communities.”
“This $299 million investment is having a real impact, especially in my electorate. Remote jobs with good wages and conditions are so much more than just jobs. They bring security, confidence and stability for people who are, in some cases, working for the first time. This is exactly what addressing regional inequity looks like—making sure that anyone, no matter where they live, is able to access stable employment. Our government hasn't just been focusing on jobs. Anyone who lives in the regions knows that road infrastructure is not an optional extra; it is an essential of everyday life. We have doubled Roads to Recovery funding. This is a game changer for our regional roads, with 85 per cent of the $4.4 billion going to regional areas. There are so many areas in my electorate that were cut off for many weeks and months at a time.”
“I'm glad to be able to speak on our government's delivery in regional Australia. As someone who lives in one of the most remote parts of the country, I know exactly how important it is that our regional communities get the same opportunities and services as Australians living in our big cities. Under the last government, regional development was all about announcements, never about delivery. The coalition, which claim to represent the bush, failed, time after time, to bring results when they were in government. But I'm glad to say that our government has been delivering, particularly for those in remote Australia, where employment markers are thin. We are delivering 6,000 jobs—1,700 remote jobs have already been rolled out, and 4,000 more jobs are on the way.”
“My question is to the Minister for Emergency Management. Minister, how has the Albanese government been supporting communities impacted by Severe Tropical Cyclone Narelle? And can you, Minister, please provide an update on the current situation?”
“My question is to the Prime Minister. Can the Prime Minister update the House on flooding events and extreme weather affecting communities in parts of the Northern Territory and Queensland? How is the Commonwealth working with the Northern Territory and Queensland governments to provide assistance to Australians impacted?”
“The bark petitions and the pushback from the Gumatj and the Rirratjingu helped build momentum for the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act, which was passed by this federal parliament in 1976. This year we celebrate 50 years of Aboriginal land rights, a proud and momentous achievement. The mine on the Gove Peninsula is now coming to a close, and the Rirratjingu delegation are here advocating for their future. This needs to be a future based on economic empowerment and self-determination, and I look forward to working with the Rirratjingu and everyone regarding the important future of the Gove Peninsula and the surrounding communities.”
“I want to acknowledge Wanyubi Marika and Deputy Chair Brenda Marika as well as many others who have travelled from north-east Arnhem Land. The Yolngu people of north-east Arnhem Land are a strong people and they have a proud history of championing Aboriginal land rights and self-determination. It is a great pleasure to welcome a delegation of Rirratjingu leaders here today to this parliament. The Rirratjingu, along with the Gumatj, are the authors of the Yirrkala bark petition, a powerful statement which was the catalyst of the land rights movement. The bark petition protested the Menzies government's decision to forcibly excise land from the Arnhem Land reserve for a bauxite mine. The Yolngu had no say in this. They were not consulted and they didn't consent.”
“In times like this, it is easy to take risks, but, when you take that risk, it could be your life. I say to our communities and to everyone affected by the floods, yes, it's frustrating, but we all just need to work together to try and overcome this once-in-a—it has been a huge amount of rain that's fallen, but let's work with our police.”
“They are in serious need of support, and the NT government must work quickly to provide this. I want to quickly mention that people have spoken to me and to Minister McCarthy of the need for more food and a greater level of information. My thoughts are with those members of our community who have been evacuated and are away from their homes during this very stressful time. I want to quickly take this moment to say this to our mob: floodwaters are incredibly unpredictable and dangerous. Crossing floodwaters is simply not worth it. If it's flooded, forget about it. Don't try and cross it. As the police have been saying over the weekend, there are crocs everywhere, and everyone needs to make sure that they are taking heed of the police and emergency services and doing the right thing.”
“I want to thank the emergency services workers, NT Police Force and the amazing volunteers who are helping people navigate what is an incredibly difficult time. They have done an incredible job. I have heard how the community is also rallying together. I want to say a big thank you to all of the essential workers who are bringing food and supplies into remote communities which are currently isolated, and helping keep the shelters in Katherine open and shops running. The Commonwealth government has supported the NT government through the disaster recovery funding arrangements, which are now available to impacted residents in the Katherine Town Council region. It is critical that the Northern Territory chief minister also extend this to those impacted in our remote communities in the Daly and Roper River regions.”
“I rise today to speak on the ongoing floods affecting my electorate of Lingiari and my old hometown of Katherine. Intense and sustained rainfall has caused widespread flooding throughout the Big Rivers region—the worst of its kind in over 20 years. The Aboriginal communities of Wugularr, or Beswick, Palumpa and Jilkminggan have been significantly impacted, and the people of these communities need urgent assistance. The Katherine community has also been greatly impacted. Homes have been severely damaged, people have been running out of food, many people's finances are stretched to the limit and businesses along the main street of Katherine have been flooded. The community of Daly River, or Nauiyu, had to be evacuated to Darwin for the second time this year, with evacuations also taking place in Palumpa and Jilkminggan.”
“Once again, I thank the Tiwi Islands Training & Employment Board, CEO Maria Harvey and all of the staff that work across both islands in the Tiwi Islands for all the important work that they do on the islands and for their workforce plan, which for the first time sets out very clearly the future education and employment of our youth. I want to acknowledge all the researchers, community members and stakeholders who helped bring the plan together. I look forward not only to going home and sitting down with all of my mob on the Tiwi Islands but to seeing employment go from strength to strength over the next few years.”
“But our government, the Labor government, is delivering real jobs through our rural jobs employment development program. On Tiwi, 12 local employers across both islands have become successful applicants. In a region of only 2,400 people, this is a real success. These jobs span all different kinds of industries, from manufacturing to administration, agriculture and the arts. Remote employment can and should be meaningful, interesting and diverse work, with good pay and conditions. I'm glad that we've funded jobs which allow people to access the security and the freedom that steady employment brings. As the plan notes, some of these jobs will be done by Tiwi people for the first time, helping to boost literacy, language, numeracy and digital skills that are so critical for future employment.”
“Jobs provide a level of security, confidence and experience that has the power to change lives. My home, the Tiwi Islands, is a great place with a lot of great opportunities, but it will take real action on the ground to fulfil those opportunities. What does that look like? We know that public and private investment is needed to help bring jobs to the islands. We also know that education and school attendance are big issues standing in the way of employment for so many people. Work in these areas will be very important for jobs in the short and long term. The plan outlines another truth that applies to so many situations in my electorate. The best outcomes come from programs which are community based, culturally safe and have maximum local involvement. When people in this place talk about jobs, it's often more than simple slogans.”
“I rise to speak about a great development and work being done in my home community on the Tiwi Islands. Last year, a community workforce plan was delivered by the Tiwi Islands Training & Employment Board. I want to thank the board, in particular the CEO, Maria Harvey, for this important work, which sets out a framework for Tiwi jobs over the next two years. The Tiwi Islands, in my electorate, face a unique set of challenges when it comes to employment and the cost of living. High prices at supermarkets, lower levels of education and poorer services mean that good, steady employment can be a real challenge. This has meant significantly lower average incomes on the Tiwi Islands compared to the rest of the country. It was for those reasons that it was so important to boost employment on Tiwi.”
“My question is to the Minister for Health and Ageing. Minister, how is the Albanese Labor government making medicines cheaper for all Australians after a decade of cuts and neglect, and how are patients benefiting from new treatments listed on the PBS?”
“My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Indigenous Australians. Today the government released the Closing the g ap annual report, and the Prime Minister demonstrated in his address that we are getting on with the job of delivering for First Nations people. What are the priorities of this year's Closing the gap report?”
“I think for someone from the Central Desert, someone who was completely a cultural and traditional man, to have fought side by side with those white soldiers—he called them 'brother', and they stood up at his funeral and they said that he was their brother. That was just a fantastic embodiment of what this country is all about.”
“He was a Kaytetye and Arrernte man who fought on the front lines for Australia at a time when white Australia did not even recognise him as a citizen of this country. He showed a level of bravery and commitment to his people and community, and that is incredibly rare. At a time when people are talking about national spirit, this man is the embodiment of courage, mateship and sacrifice. It was incredibly moving to see all of the returned soldiers from the RSL, including people who fought side by side with him in Malaya and Vietnam, come and pay homage to Mr Shaw for his service. It shows us just how important this country is, that as Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people we love this country. We can stand side by side and defend this country.”
“The CLC is a critical institution in the Central Desert. It represents tens of thousands of people and works to safeguard country. Mr Shaw's role in the formation of this council was pivotal. He was the founding member of the Tangentyere Council Aboriginal Corporation in Alice Springs, and anyone who lives in Alice Springs knows that when Tangentyere is thriving, our town thrives. Tangentyere represents all of the town camps, providing much needed service, representation and advocacy. Mr Shaw led the charge to create Tangentyere, an early example of exactly what community control is all about. The leadership, courage and perseverance of Mr Shaw is an inspiring message to all Australians.”
“I rise to pay my respects to Mr Shaw, a name deeply embedded in the history of Central Australia. Mr Shaw was a leader of conviction, of principle and of integrity. He fought for what was right—and not just in the political realm, but also as a soldier on the front line. As Minister McCarthy said at his funeral two weeks ago, his was a life incredibly well lived. He served as a battlefield commander, doing two tours of duty in South-East Asia—first Malaya and then Vietnam. His time in the Army, fighting for this country, shaped his leadership and his life. When he returned home in 1970, he found himself looking for work. He was struck by the circumstances of so many living in what were then called the fringe camps. This drove so much of his work and his leadership. Mr Shaw was a key figure in the establishment of the Central Land Council.”
“Things have improved and you can have legislation and structures—there was contemporary legislation brought into the Northern Territory—but it needs people. It needs all of us to work together to make this happen. I stand here today to say to Commissioner Hunter, our social justice commissioner; and to Minister Malarndirri McCarthy, who is our national minister: I look forward to working—as the local member in Lingiari, which is nearly the whole of the Northern Territory—with everybody to try and turn this around, or to at least to make this better. But I take my hat off to Minister Plibersek for the work she has done. She has brought this piece of really important, groundbreaking legislation. I think only a Labor government will do some of the big reforms, and I'm proud to be a part of it.”
“It was fantastic to be at the launch today because it was like being taken back to the old days of advocacy, seeing the women and the men—it was great to see the men there because we often say that to get the solutions here we need to have our men as part of that solution. I think that for our families and for the future of our families, our men need to be front and centre as part of that solution. This is an important, overdue piece of legislation. I think of SNAICC, with Catherine Liddle and Aunty Muriel Bamblett and the work that they did back in 2001 with the State of denial report in the Northern Territory, when they talked about the state of the child protection system and just how bad and broken it was in the Northern Territory.”
“I also want to acknowledge Minister Amanda Rishworth and all the work that she did leading up to this, and Minister Plibersek, who now has the work of carrying this forward. Minister Katy Gallagher, who is over in the Senate, has a long-term commitment in terms of women and the rights of women. I think it is a proud moment for all of those ministers and assistant ministers. I want to acknowledge Charlee-Sue, who is with Minister Plibersek. I want to acknowledge the work that Charlee-Sue and a lot of the advisers have done. Often, as politicians, we will stand up here and pat ourselves on the back, but it's often the people behind the scenes who are doing a lot of the grunt work. And I do want to acknowledge Charlee-Sue and all of the people involved in social services who have worked towards this. I've mentioned our two commissioners.”
“This legislation aims to do that. It is about elevating the voices of people so often marginalised by the structure of government. If you look at any one of the targets under Closing the Gap and any of the statistics that underpin them, there is a lot of work to do. The legislation is just one step in that work. I hope those opposite, who speak so often about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and young people find it within themselves to support this legislation. As in the time of the intervention, our people are being politicised. We must stop. We must take concrete steps together as a parliament, as a country, towards a fairer place and a better outcome for those in need. This is what this legislation does. I want to acknowledge Assistant Minister Ged Kearney, who did a lot of work leading up to this.”
“While it's sometimes challenging, it is also a critical part of our concerted effort to ensure that our mob get the opportunities, attention, care and support that they deserve. I hear a lot of people coming up to me and saying: 'Why do Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people get so much attention? Why do they get so much money?' The predominantly clear answer is that they are the most in need of support. This is meant to be a country of justice, of equality and of equity. It is meant to be the land of a fair go, of mateship and of looking after one another. We cannot just say these things as some sort of cultural beacon. We must mean them. There are many people in this chamber who preach about our national values and what it means to be Australian. To me, being Australian is looking after people in need.”
“This morning, I attended the launch of 'Our Ways—Strong Ways—Our Voices: National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Plan to End Family, Domestic and Sexual Violence 2026-2036'. If we are to improve the lives of our young people, we must also improve the lives of our women. Women are the bedrock of our communities; they keep our families strong and keep our communities functioning. We must expend every effort to keep our women safe, keep them healthy and ensure that they are strong. This is the only way we can get better outcomes for our young people. All of the legislation and policy work is, of course, in line with our Closing the Gap initiatives. Closing the Gap has had many challenges over the almost two decades it's been operating. As our Prime Minister has said, we all must do more.”
“This is essential. I come back to the context of the intervention in an era of politicisation around Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people. We must have the advice to government, grounded in policy knowledge and deeply connected to the experience of community. I want to congratulate Commissioner Hunter on her work to date and encourage her to do this work, particularly in the Northern Territory. I look forward to working with her to improve the lives of our young people in the NT. Aunty Violet said this morning that, for real change to happen, our voices from the community must be heard clearly. Commissioner Hunter has a lot of experience in this, and she will not mince her words, I'm hoping. I am excited to hear what she has to say.”
“Governments come and go, but it is the community which endures. It is our community which has the solutions to the problems we face. We must keep focused on strengthening families and strengthening communities, and we must work in genuine partnership with communities to deliver real outcomes for our young people. This is the essence of this legislation. The National Commission on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People will sit as a statutory agency within the government, but it will have the freedom, the power and the independence to provide the frank and fearless advice that we need to government. Having seen the work of commissioner Sue-Anne Hunter, I am confident that the commission will be frank with our government about the difficulties and the difficult things it may not want to hear but needs to act upon.”
“However, young people deserve to be supported to become strong members of our community. All of these things can exist at the same time, and we must aspire to this for our communities. In order to address the structural nature of the challenges young people face, which are causing so much harm, we have to improve those systems. We need independent, honest, transparent advice. This legislation will work towards this by establishing a strong body which has the autonomy and the focus needed to address some of the challenges facing our young people. A key principle of the work this government is doing is working alongside communities we believe in—nothing about us without us. This is not just ideological; it is practical. The only way to create long-lasting, sustainable solutions is to work with local communities.”
“It is the failing in the structures that are meant to protect them and support them. What these structural failures have resulted in are record levels of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children living in out-of-home care. It has resulted in abuse. It has resulted in young people turning to crime. It has resulted in alcoholism and has weakened family structures. In the Northern Territory, we are seeing a vicious and punitive Country Liberal government hellbent on locking up as many young people as possible. The problem with this is that they are just perpetuating and extending the crisis. People who break the law should face consequences. And, make no mistake, our communities and people living in them deserve to feel safe. Violent crime and property crime are terrifying for victims and are unacceptable.”