Minister for Indigenous Australians
Subjects: Low-Cost Essentials Subsidy Scheme, Racism@Uni report, SA Voice election.
MATT BURNELL, MEMBER FOR SPENCE: My name's Matt Burnell, the Federal Member for Spence, and we're here today in the heart of my electorate, in Direk. Before I start I want to acknowledge that we are here on the lands of the Kaurna people and pay my respects to Elders past and present and extend that to any First Nations people here today, especially my good friend, Senator Malarndirri McCarthy, and it's great to have her here in the electorate for what is a significant announcement. Since coming to Government in 2022, the Albanese Labor Government has set about making sure cost of living is front and centre of everything that we do. What has happened over that time is we have done some significant work in and around metropolitan areas, extending that out into the regions, but often what is overlooked is that connectivity for those living in remote areas of Australia. This program is about making accessibility not just something where you walk through the door and see things on a shelf but actually being able to afford them. That's what makes this so significant and so needed in remote areas here in South Australia, but also across the whole country collectively. So, on that note, I'll hand over to Malarndirri to say a few extra words.
MALARNDIRRI McCARTHY, MINISTER FOR INDIGENOUS AUSTRALIANS: Thanks, Matt. It is lovely to be here on Kaurna Country and great to be here with you, Matt. It's been actually wonderful to just have a look around. We've really focused on cost of living across Australia for all Australians, but in particular for remote Australians, and this is why it's been important to have the Food Subsidy Scheme. Last week, we announced our plan for 2026 in terms of Closing the Gap, we see it as absolutely critical that people living in remote regions of Australia actually have access to food that is affordable, and here we see today the 4,000th pallet and 200,000th carton that have been delivered in the last seven months under this scheme, and I'm really pleased to see that the Anthony Albanese Labor Government is pursuing this. We've got 113 stores across four jurisdictions, with Western Australia, Queensland, South Australia, and the Northern Territory who are part of this scheme. And now we have an opportunity to expand so that there are more families across remote Australia that can access good foods at cheaper prices.
JOURNALIST: Since July, what's been the impact of the Low‑Cost Essentials Subsidy Scheme on the ground; like what have you been hearing?
McCARTHY: As I've travelled around, just talking to families in places like Daly River, which at the moment is under flood, but in places like Daly River, certainly in Queensland, we've seen in Palm Island, the 100th store there, families have said to me that they've seen a real difference in their cost of purchasing foods in their local store. And one of the things I've always found, not only as a politician, but as someone who comes from a remote community, one of the biggest issues that keeps being raised is the cost of foods. So, I'm really proud to see that this scheme is rolling out. Obviously, it's the first ever kind of scheme that we've had across the country. There's a lot to learn, so there's a review underway to be able to learn about how we can do this better, what are some of the areas that we need to look at.
JOURNALIST: Without getting into the weeds too much, what are some of the challenges that people living in remote areas face in getting access to food that people in metro areas or who haven't been to those parts of the country don't understand?
McCARTHY: Usually it's the supply chain, so access. At the moment, we see lots of rain and flooding occurring across places like the Roper Highway, which is cut off, many of those communities from Numbulwar to Ngukurr to Minyerri, the same in Far North Queensland, the same in Western Australia with flooding and rain. So, that causes a huge disruption to supply chains, so it's important that we have storage, and part of our package has also been about resilience, making sure we've got extra refrigeration in communities to hold the food storage. We not only have rains, we also have bushfires that have cut-off areas as well during the year. But the other aspect of this is around just the cost of food, so it's made it much easier for families to be able to afford.
JOURNALIST: You touched on this, but just to back over it, what's the roll out been like specifically in South Australia?
McCARTHY: So, you have three stores in South Australia, two in the APY, and one that's, I thought was much closer to here, but I've been informed it's a fair way from Adelaide in terms of Oak Valley. So, you have three at the moment, most of the other jurisdictions like Far North Queensland have multiple stores, even on the Torres Strait Islands itself, and of course in the Northern Territory you have over 50 stores at the moment, and again, over into the Kimberley, you've quite a number of stores there; we're certainly working our way around the country.
JOURNALIST: Which stores in regions are you hoping to reach next?
McCARTHY: Stores are invited to join the subsidy, it is a scheme that they choose to be a part of should they wish, and that obviously involves at the store level with their boards that they determine, do they want to become a part of this. So, it's really open to any of those eligible stores in remote areas of Australia.
JOURNALIST: How are you getting those stores on board with the scheme?
McCARTHY: Sure. The National Indigenous Australians Agency is very much a strong part of this. We have a website that enables communities to have a look to see and think about whether this is something they want to be a part of. So, that's usually the process, and we also have staff around the country who are available for communities to talk to, should they want to understand more about how to sign up to the scheme.
JOURNALIST: And how successful has this been so far?
McCARTHY: In seven months we've seen 113 stores signed up. I think that's pretty successful.
JOURNALIST: Move on to other matters, if that's okay?
McCARTHY: Sure.
JOURNALIST: The national Racism@Uni study has been released. It found that racism is deeply embedded across Australian universities and is having a profound impact on students and staff, with particularly high rates of racism against First Nations people. Is that concerning or surprising to you?
McCARTHY: We commissioned this report. Minister Clare was very clear in that we need to stamp out racism in our educational institutions, and we as a government know we have to stamp out racism right across the country. So, we've commissioned this report, we're obviously going to have a good look at it now, and Minister Clare, as the lead minister in this.
JOURNALIST: Are universities falling short of their duty-of-care to provide safe and inclusive environments for students and staff?
McCARTHY: Well, this report was about shining a light on the fact that we knew there was racism and concerns about racism, so of course we want to be able to look at the recommendations and act where we can on those recommendations. We are sending a strong message, not only to universities, but to every organisation and every individual across Australia that racism is not on.
JOURNALIST: You would characterise it as they are falling short?
McCARTHY: We've seen this rise in racism across the country. It is a very real concern that I have as Indigenous Australians Minister, especially for First Nations people. We've seen the recent alleged attack on Boorloo, Perth with the Noongar families and all of those at an Invasion Day rally. We've heard the Police Commissioner in Western Australia refer to this in terms of the concerns around racism. It exists, and it is important for our government to reassure all Australians that we all should feel safe, and racism has no place in our society.
JOURNALIST: Should there be consequences for universities that fail to protect students and staff from discrimination?
McCARTHY: Well, this is a conversation now that needs to take place in terms of the actual report that's come out, but I would encourage universities to make sure they do read this report and actually act on it as well.
JOURNALIST: It's been nearly two weeks since the Invasion Day rally attack was deemed a terrorist attack. What have you made of the community's responses?
McCARTHY: Well, I certainly took the time to be with the Noongar leaders and Elders in Boorloo Perth, and spend time with them recently along with the WA Premier and the WA Police Commissioner to get a full sense of what was happening and what we could do to go forward in terms of the concerns, especially around safety. As Minister for Indigenous Australians, I've also stepped in with the National Indigenous Australians Agency to look at the social and emotional wellbeing programs that we can run to assist, similar to what we've done with the Bondi tragedy, in terms of the mental health hub. People, thousands of people were at this event, around 2,500 people and their families, so we have to make sure that they are looked after.
JOURNALIST: The man accused of that attack is now making his way through the court process. What's your message to the community as that gets underway?
McCARTHY: Well, no doubt this will bring up some painful memories for people who attended the event on 26 January, and who since then have realised what may or could have happened, given the information that has been put forward by police. I would say to all families there, this will take some time, look after one another, look out for each other, let the court process take its role. I mean it's really important that now that it is before the courts that it is appropriate that it's dealt with in that way. But I think on a very personal level, for those families watching, just look out for one another, and just make sure you look out for one another.
JOURNALIST: Closer to home, the SA Voice election will be held later in March. Have you got any comments ahead of that?
McCARTHY: Well, I certainly encourage Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to really take part in the Voice election. South Australia's really led the way in terms of having a Voice to the Parliament, looking at the structural changes where those Voice representatives have had direct access to the Cabinet, to Ministers, to Departments. That is an incredible opportunity to raise the issues directly. So, now for the first time the Voice is going to go to an election at the same time as the South Australian election, and I sincerely wish those members well who want to put their hands up for the next term of the Voice with the South Australian Parliament.
JOURNALIST: Reflecting I guess on these last few years of having the Voice in SA, how would you characterise its success, or how do you reckon it's gone so far?
McCARTHY: Look, it's a work in progress. These things don't happen overnight; it does take time. What I think is really wonderful about South Australia is that it is enabling Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to have their voice right here in the Parliament of South Australia, to have that access to the Cabinet, to the Ministers, to the Departments, to lift the problems that may be concerning them and their communities, and that is a really outstanding achievement. Yes, it takes time. But so did ATSIC. When ATSIC was first established it took years before it was able to really fully establish. And I say to the people of South Australia, you've got a Voice, use it and put your hand up for it.
JOURNALIST: Do you think that the Voice is being heard?
McCARTHY: Well, I'm certainly hearing it, and I think it's wonderful that South Australia has a Voice, and I wish you all the best.
JOURNALIST: Is there anything specific that you, I guess, that you've seen in SA that you think, 'Oh, that was the impact of the Voice, that's a change that wouldn't have been there otherwise'?
McCARTHY: It takes time. What's important here is that members have had that direct access with the Cabinet to talk about the specific things that impact them directly in terms of the areas that they represent, and I see that into a next term, we'll start to really see some major issues and events occurring.
JOURNALIST: Thank you.
McCARTHY: Thank you.
