I'd like to begin by acknowledging the Traditional Owners of the land we're meeting on today, the Whadjuk people, and pay my respects to Elders past and present. I extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people here today.
I'd also like to thank the ChangeFest team, the community leaders who have travelled from all over the country to be here - and my colleagues Josh Wilson and Dorinda Cox.
It's a pleasure to be back at ChangeFest. I had the privilege of joining many of you at the very first ChangeFest in Logan back in 2018.
That gathering was full of people who believe in the power of community to lead change.
That's why I'm here again today.
I live in Sydney, not far from Redfern. My community is a place of deep cultural and historical significance- a place that holds stories of survival and resistance.
I've represented Redfern since 1998, and in that time, I also saw something else. I saw the kind of disadvantage that doesn't make the news, but shapes lives every day.
I saw how our universal systems-education, health, and housing-weren't working for everyone.
I saw communities that were overlooked, but which had undeniable strength.
But even in the face of that disadvantage, I saw something powerful.
You didn't have to look far to see activism and leadership.
I saw the kind of leadership that doesn't come with a title, but comes with deep knowledge, lived experience, community connection, and a fierce commitment to justice.
Redfern is a place where change has been led from the ground up.
The urban Aboriginal civil rights movement in Australia was born in Redfern. It's where the first Aboriginal Legal Service was founded. It's where the first Aboriginal Medical Service was established. It was Redfern activists who established a protest camp for justice and land rights on the lawns of Parliament House in Canberra in 1972.
Redfern also saw the rise of Aboriginal-founded and controlled services-like Babana Men's Group, Wyanga Aboriginal Aged Care, the Aboriginal Housing Company and Radio Redfern, which gave voice to the community and amplified calls for change. 'The Block', established in 1973, became internationally recognised as the bedrock of Aboriginal activism in Australia. And in 1992, it was Redfern Park that hosted Prime Minister Paul Keating's landmark speech-one that acknowledged the truth of our history. As many in the community have said, "We shaped that speech."
Redfern is always the start. It's where the Redfern Statement was born-a call for justice, self-determination, and shared leadership.
Let me tell you about someone who's changed my community-Uncle Shane from Tribal Warrior.
He started the Clean Slate Without Prejudice program. It's simple, but powerful.
Police and kids training together in boxing. Building trust. Building respect. Building safety.
Uncle Shane faced criticism from within his community. Some people didn't trust the idea of working with police after being persecuted for decades.
And on the other side, Luke Freudenstein - the superintendent who partnered with Shane - faced resistance from within the police force. There were people who didn't believe it would work. Who didn't want to change how things had always been done.
But they kept going. They kept showing up.
Since the program began, robberies committed by local young people have dropped by 80 per cent.
Uncle Shane and Luke Freudenstein didn't wait for permission. They saw what needed to change and made it happen. And because of them, my community feels safer. It feels more hopeful.
It's shaped how I understand leadership. Real leadership doesn't always come from people with titles. It comes from people who know their communities, who live the challenges, and who work together to find solutions. It's why I believe so strongly in community-led change.
And that's why I know that if we can get it right in Redfern, we can get it right everywhere.
We know that disadvantage isn't evenly spread. Some communities face deeper, more entrenched challenges.
There are 235 communities that, together, account for the deepest 10% of disadvantage experienced in Australia. Of those communities, 65 are estimated to be home to over half of the Australians living in the most disadvantaged conditions.
When our universal systems fall short, we need place-based approaches.
That's why I believe in what you do. I believe in community-led change. I believe it's essential for Australia's future.
Shared leadership with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities is crucial. We must acknowledge the historical injustices and ensure First Nations voices are at the centre of shaping policy and systems.
Our Government is supporting projects around the country. In Western Australia, we're supporting the Fitzroy Valley Men's Empowerment initiative. An innovative, community-led approach to tackle domestic and family violence.
This initiative brings together men who are at risk of using violence, connecting them with trusted peers, respected Elders, support works, and Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations. Together, they're creating culturally safe spaces for men to reflect, learn, and grow into strong, positive role models.
Now, we need to do more of this. We need to move from consultation to genuine collaboration. That means listening first. It means being humble.
It means recognising that communities often know what works best-they just need the resources and respect to get on with it.
As the Minister for Social Services, my vision is simple: I want families to be safe, healthy, and if possible, together.
That means reducing the number of children placed out-of-home care. It means tackling family and domestic violence. It means supporting parents and carers. And it means making sure our systems are flexible enough to meet real needs.
One of the first major reforms I'm proposing is to the Families and Children (FaC) Activity. We're introducing relational contracting so funding can be longer term and allocated to community needs.
We've also increased funding for financial wellbeing support by 25 per cent nationally. That's a big step forward. But we know money alone isn't enough. We need to change how we work. We need to build trust. And we need to get the transition right.
We also know government needs to be more responsive. And I'll be honest, it's not easy. We have to be responsible stewards of public money. That means following the rules set out by the Australian National Audit Office and the Department of Finance that guide how we fund and deliver services.
We face Question Time every day in Parliament and Senate Estimates multiple times a year.
We have to account for the way every dollar of taxpayers' money is spent. And so we should.
But accountability to date has often meant inflexibility and a lack of imagination.
These Families and Children reforms are about making our systems work better for communities. They're about sharing power, improving outcomes, and making sure that the people closest to the challenges are also closest to the solutions.
So today, I want to leave you with a call to action.
Keep leading. Keep collaborating. Keep caring.
It takes courage to lead change. It takes patience. It takes heart. And I want you to know-I'm right here with you.
Uncle Shane from Redfern once said, "We had to change it ourselves. We built this together-and that's what makes it strong. That's what makes a difference."
That's the spirit of ChangeFest. That's the spirit of community-led change. And that's the future I want for Australia.
Thank you.
