Minister for Indigenous Australians
Subjects: Closing the Gap
BRIDGET BRENNAN, HOST: The Government says it's not contemplating failure on Closing the Gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians, despite the deadline being just five years away. The annual report card will be handed down in the federal parliament today and the Minister for Indigenous Australians, Malarndirri McCarthy, joins us now. Minister, great to talk to you.
MALARNDIRRI MCCARTHY, MINISTER FOR INDIGENOUS AUSTRALIANS:: Good morning, Bridget
BRIDGET BRENNAN: What gives you some hope? Because I think we need to start on the positives because often these report cards can land, you know, they can be tough for Aboriginal people across Australia.
MALARNDIRRI MCCARTHY: Absolutely, and I think it's an exciting day in the sense that we are looking at what we've done in the last 12 months as a Commonwealth and what we're planning to do going forward. And I think it's really important to get that quite clear. In terms of the targets and in terms of outcomes, that information will actually come a bit later on in the year. Bridget, today is actually about our roadmap going forward and where we've come in the last 12 months. So, I'm pretty pleased with the work that we've been doing. Clearly, we've got more to do, but a lot of the structural changes, even here in the Parliament has been important as part of that, like the changing of estimates, working across Parliament with all parliamentarians to try and work with me on Closing the Gap.
BRIDGET BRENNAN: You'd be pleased to see that early childhood education for our young people, that looks to be progressing well?
MALARNDIRRI MCCARTHY: That's right, and I have to say the work of my cabinet colleagues has been absolutely critical in this. This is a whole of government approach to First Nations issues. I cannot be the only Minister trying to deal with all the health, education, housing, employment, and I do sincerely commend the work of my colleagues. I know we've got more to do, especially in the area of justice, with the states and territories in particular, Bridget, and we'll continue to do that.
BRIDGET BRENNAN: The Prime Minister will tell the Parliament today he doesn't want to contemplate failure on Closing the Gap. I mean, that is a fair enough message, but you'd almost have to contemplate failure on some of those targets with how they're tracking, with some targets going backwards. A little bit of progress on youth detention, but still it does seem like a lot of the states aren't listening, Minister.
MALARNDIRRI MCCARTHY: It's tough. There is no doubt about it and often times it is quite frustrating, but I keep going. It is important to me that we have a breakthrough. We have to have all cabinets around every single parliament in this country determined to work on this National Agreement that they signed up to, and I will continue to push to make them accountable, as well as ourselves at the Commonwealth level. And these things are important, and I have mentioned looking at federal funding agreements. I'm looking at the Northern Territory Remote Aboriginal Investment Agreement between us and the NT. These will be critical junctures where we can pull particular levers around the agreement.
BRIDGET BRENNAN: So, you had said late last year you were looking at progressing conversations with Ministers.
MALARNDIRRI MCCARTHY: That's correct.
BRIDGET BRENNAN: That's still happening in terms of possible penalties for not meeting Closing the Gap targets and commitments?
MALARNDIRRI MCCARTHY: I'm absolutely determined to see that we can look at our federal funding agreements, in many of those, they're already underway in terms of three-year agreements. That doesn't mean we can't look at what the next agreements will look like. The first cab off the rank for me was the Northern Territory Remote Aboriginal Investment.
BRIDGET BRENNAN: I know exactly where your focus will be today and that is on this annual update. So, important for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people around the country. Is today the right day for a Liberal spill, Minister?
MALARNDIRRI MCCARTHY: Well, can I just say this, I have been incredibly focused on working with all parliamentarians and I have also reached out to my Shadow Minister in Senator Kerrynne Liddle and it has been important to have that collegiate responsible approach in trying to work on Closing the Gap, and I certainly sincerely hope that she certainly continues in that role, whatever happens. It isn't easy, but I'm also reaching out across the Parliament, even to One Nation. One Nation has turned up to the Closing the Gap working group that I try to have across the Parliament, along with the crossbenchers. And that's where my focus remains, irrespective of what's happening on the other side, I have to stay focused on the people of Australia.
BRIDGET BRENNAN: Pretty busy on that other side of the aisle. Just while I've got you, Minister, what will the Prime Minister say today in terms of some of the hurt that's been caused by that attempted terrorist attack in Perth on Australia Day?
MALARNDIRRI MCCARTHY: Look, the Prime Minister will deliver our plan. What we've done in the last 12 months and where we're going this year, at midday today in the House of Representatives, Bridget, and there is no doubt even with the recent events in Boorloo Perth, that will be front of mind as he addresses the Parliament at midday.
BRIDGET BRENNAN: Malarndirri McCarthy, thanks for your time.
MALARNDIRRI MCCARTHY: Thank you.
