Page 3062 - Week 08 - Thursday, 15 August 2019
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for culturally and linguistically diverse Canberrans, like the multicultural participation grants program, the annual multicultural awards and the new honorary ambassador program. Through successive budgets, including this one, our government continues to strengthen Canberra as a welcoming and inclusive city where everyone feels a sense of belonging.
MR MILLIGAN (Yerrabi) (5.49): The Indigenous affairs portfolio crosses into many areas of public policy—education, health, justice, environment and housing, to name just a few. That is why I was disappointed once again with what was put forward in the 2019-20 budget, and in the community services area in particular.
I suppose I should not be surprised that the government continue to dismiss the needs of the community in favour of their own agenda. But I know from feedback I have received from the Indigenous community that they are deeply upset. I will quote a member of the local community before the budget was released:
With the ACT election next year, I’ll be looking for investments in Aboriginal solutions. We continue to have some of the worst stats in the country and little innovation or trust in Aboriginal solutions.
This statement was both a challenge to the government and a reflection on the optimism within the community for the future—a future which, if they are given the chance to lead themselves, can look much better. Sadly, as expected, after the budget was released I was told this by a community leader:
Whatever funding is available, we are not even thought of as they would prefer mainstream to solve our issues. They simply don’t trust us.
Yes, the budget and funding priorities of this government certainly reflect that lack of trust, not to mention a lack of vision or creativity.
Earlier this year I was privileged to work in partnership with the community to release 18 practical policy initiatives. These were solutions that were driven by the community to longstanding issues like handing Boomanulla Oval back to the community, ensuring that Gugan Gulwan are housed in suitable accommodation for all of the programs and services that they offer, and finding ways for healing and proper case management, not just for offenders but for families and kids.
Nineteen years of Labor in the ACT is a driving factor behind the current outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Sadly, this budget delivers more of the same. I do not pretend to have all of the answers; for so many of those areas, it is a long-term game, not an overnight fix, and I acknowledge that. But one thing I do know for sure is that this budget provides no real funding or solutions.
The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander budget statement for 2019-20 states that the ACT government is committed to delivering equitable outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Canberrans. I do not understand how they can make this claim, given the statistics in the ACT. In so many areas we are the worst in the country, and, if not the worst, we take second place.
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