Page 1703 - Week 06 - Thursday, 30 July 2020
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this historic occasion. Today we show our respect for the Ngunnawal people, their culture, and their language, which belongs to past, current and future generations.
Aboriginal people have called this land home for tens of thousands of years. They were the first inhabitants of this region and were its original custodians. Their spiritual connection to the land runs deep. The Canberra Liberals are pleased to hear the Ngunnawal language spoken in the chamber in recognition of this rich history.
Throughout this term, we have spoken about the importance of language, and how it intertwines with cultural identity. Stories, knowledge and tradition can be passed down through generations. Language is an irreplaceable part of cultural inheritance. It is important that we remember and honour the Aboriginal heritage of the region through language and action.
The Ngunnawal people are generous, and they continue to play an important role in shaping Canberra and surrounds. Last year, on our 30th anniversary, this place was bestowed a rare honour: a handmade possum-skin cloak, skilfully crafted by 16 Ngunnawal women. This gift is on permanent display outside the chamber and symbolises respect between the Ngunnawal people and the wider Canberra community. It is a daily reminder of our duties and responsibilities as lawmakers, and of the history of the territory.
This gift was an important symbolic gesture of reconciliation, and we, as leaders of the ACT Assembly, need to reciprocate with action as well as words. We need to take steps to close the gap and to work with and empower Aboriginal community members to help them achieve the outcomes they want for themselves and for future generations.
The Canberra Liberals believe in investing in community leaders and supporting Indigenous people to make their own decisions and to shape their future. We have powerful and passionate Ngunnawal people who know the real issues that their communities are facing. They know that the ACT has some of the worst results in the nation when it comes to measuring the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Canberrans. We have fallen short—well short—in areas like health, wellbeing, justice, education, community services, business development, land management, housing and governance. This can no longer be tolerated. We must be doing everything we can to continue working with Aboriginal people to implement policies that advance the inherent dignity of each member of our Indigenous communities. The Canberran Liberals believe we need to promote and create these opportunities, to educate all Canberrans about Aboriginal knowledge, traditions and heritage.
I acknowledge the hard work that my colleague James Milligan has done to help us better understand what we can do to support the Aboriginal communities in Canberra. I thank the Ngunnawal people for sharing their language, history and culture with the ACT community.
MR RATTENBURY (Kurrajong) (10.11): Madam Speaker, it is with a genuine sense of the moment that I rise today to speak to the fact that you just did an
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