Minister for Indigenous Australians
Subjects: Climate change, remote health, Low-Cost Essentials Subsidy Scheme delivering cost of living relief.
BRIDGET BRENNAN, HOST: We're going to speak now to the Indigenous Affairs Minister Malarndirri McCarthy, who joins us from Alice Springs. Minister, good morning. I know you love this part of the world.
MALARNDIRRI McCARTHY, MINISTER FOR INDIGENOUS AUSTRALIANS: Good morning. I do, very much so. And a big shout out to everyone in the Torres Straits and wishing you all the success for the festivals this week and safe travels to you, Bridget, and your team.
BRIDGET BRENNAN: Yeah, look, it's wonderful to be here, Minister, taking a look at the incredible culture that exists here on the Torres Strait islands. One of the most serious issues though raised to us by locals is that of climate change and the sea level rises, the effect on cultural sites that many of the islanders are already seeing. I mean, they need an ambitious emissions reduction target, don't they?
MALARNDIRRI McCARTHY: Well, I met with many of the Torres Strait Island leaders throughout the campaign, Bridget, especially as we talked about the seawalls and the needs and the concerns around the rising sea levels. So, it is a very real concern, especially for residents there, but also in our South Pacific. So, our country is determined and our government is determined to make sure we listen to what the Climate Authority has to say in terms of the advice it's going to give.
BRIDGET BRENNAN: I know you're not going to want to divulge any Cabinet conversations. Of course, we understand that you and colleagues will be signing off on that target imminently. Have you pushed the need for a strong, ambitious target to really safeguard the livelihoods of people here on the islands?
MALARNDIRRI McCARTHY: I will say this, Bridget, that living in Northern Australia, many people, many Australians right across the country know this, that it is getting hotter. We've certainly seen here, just in the Northern Territory, the heat, intensity of heat, the ever increasing floods and these cyclones and the intensity of those cyclones. So, we know that it's changing. But we had the Climate Risk Assessment report earlier this week come down too, Bridget, confirming that. And I think most Australians, you don't have to be an expert in temperatures, you just know that there are changes here. So, the conversations that are happening are very critical. Our government has taken this seriously since we came to government, this year, but also in the first term. We have had to work across the 10 years where there was no work done in this space previously. So, we've got a lot of catching up to do.
BRIDGET BRENNAN: For islanders where the water is already at the gates. It's already rising rapidly, particularly on the outer islands. Can you tell us about some of the work that's been done in terms of mitigation and resilience?
MALARNDIRRI McCARTHY: Sure. Look, one of the areas is the seawalls, in my discussions with leaders in the Torres Straits around April, May this year. We have committed from the Federal Government to fund over $30 million in terms of the seawalls for stage three. We have been waiting for the Queensland Government to join us. It's imperative that they do. And I am very pleased to say that I heard from the Queensland Government this week that we will be able to work with them on this. So, that is a first for the Torres Strait Islanders to hear that. I know they've been lobbying the Queensland Government too, and I do appreciate that we have got that response and we will be moving very swiftly to see what we can do together, both the Commonwealth and the Queensland Government.
BRIDGET BRENNAN: So, that will be a co-contribution from the state government to build more seawalls and shore up the ones that already exist?
MALARNDIRRI McCARTHY: Absolutely, Bridget. The fact that we've got a response from the Queensland Government this week gives me great optimism and I look forward to reaching out to Minister Leahy to actually see how we can progress this sooner rather than later. There is an imperative and I know that the Torres Strait Island leaders will be pleased to hear that. But there must be action.
BRIDGET BRENNAN: Let's turn to health care on the islands and also other remote communities on the mainland. Dialysis is such a big issue for our people and we've had some wonderful chats to people here about finally seeing some dialysis chairs on Badu Island, which I know the Commonwealth has contributed to. What's this going to look like, this refresh commitment to ensure that people can be at home to have dialysis?
MALARNDIRRI McCARTHY: Well, that's very true, Bridget. I visited the Torres Straits to listen to the Elders who were calling for dialysis chairs. I went to Cairns Hospital to visit patients from the Torres Straits who are pretty much forced to live in Cairns, in a place that they don't really want to live. They want to live back on Country in the Torres Strait. So, when I went and visited Elders there on TI, I met with the Badu Elders who spoke about wanting it on Badu Island. We have committed to do that. Clearly there are going to be some important logistics in regards to water, in regards to accommodation. But we know that it's imperative that Torres Strait Islanders do have access to renal chairs. We've seen the ones in TI. We know there needs to be more. So, I am certainly working with our Assistant Minister for Indigenous Health, Rebecca White and also Mark Butler on those areas.
BRIDGET BRENNAN: Before I let you go, Minister, I mean, it's very expensive. It's a cost of living crisis. It's so expensive to do a shop on the islands and in remote communities. How's it going in terms of getting more basic everyday items to be more affordable for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people?
MALARNDIRRI McCARTHY: That's right, Bridget. I've worked with our communities right across Australia. The remote regions is where I've focused on over 150 stores. I've invited, through our Food Security Working Group, stores to join up to the National Code. And can I say in the Cape York, we've had well over 15 stores, if not double that in the Torres Straits. 15, at least 14, 15 who are signing up, which means that will reduce the 30 items to around half the price, so it's equivalent to Woolies or Coles in Cairns. It's really important to be able to reduce the prices. So, I'm pleased to see that a lot of our stores in the Torres Straits have signed up to that and they will start to to see the benefit. And if they don't, I would like them to tell me, because we do want to see this happen. But I'm confident the stores that have joined us will do that and in Doomadgee, in Palm Island and in Pormpuraaw. So, we've certainly got it in Cape York as well as the Torres Straits.
BRIDGET BRENNAN: Malarndirri McCarthy, thanks for your time on the show this morning.
MALARNDIRRI McCARTHY: Thank you. All the best.
