In its 165-years of existence, the role of South Australian Attorney-General has never been occupied by an Aboriginal person, until now.
Kyam Maher, an Aboriginal man whose heritage comes from Tasmania, admits his journey has been one of self-discovery and acceptance.
“I didn’t grow up surrounded by traditional Aboriginal culture, it's always been known in my family that we have Aboriginal heritage in the family but it didn’t play a huge part growing up,” he told NITV News.
“I certainly didn’t suffer the discrimination that many Aboriginal people faced.”
Raised in the state’s southeast, Mr Maher says he and his family found acceptance within the Aboriginal community there.
“Growing up in Mt Gambier amongst the Boandik and a lot of Ngarrindjeri people, there were significant elders who were family,” he said.
“My journey reflects my mum’s journey, getting more and more involved in the Aboriginal community, and it used to give me a great deal of pride walking down the street with my Mum and having kids come up, ‘Aunty Viv, Aunty Viv.’
“That sort of recognition and acceptance into an Aboriginal community that I didn’t have a lot of growing up when I was young.”
After excelling academically in high school, he made the move to Kaurna country where he went on to study and graduate from law and economics at the University of Adelaide.
Kyam Maher with parents, Viv and Jim at a dinner to celebrate 50 years since the 1967 Referendum. (2017). Source: Supplied
It was soon after that he found himself working as a lawyer for the Crown Solicitor’s Office before a door opened that would eventually lead to Aboriginal Affairs.
In 2002, the Crown Solicitor's Office and the state government were seeking lawyers to help set up departments for the Labor government.
“Just by luck and chance, I was a crown lawyer known to be a member of the Labor Party and assigned to the then Aboriginal Affairs office, the late Terry Roberts,” he said.
“We worked out well and I didn’t just help set up his office but I spent four years as his chief of staff, and that time was really a huge emergence of Aboriginal affairs.”
It was at that time in his career that Mr Maher found himself at a turning point.
Mr Maher and Traditional Owner Anton Baker during a trip to the APY Lands. Source: Supplied
“I remember my first time visiting the APY Lands 20 years ago, petrol sniffing was endemic, it was an absolute tragedy,” he said.
“I distinctly remember that it would’ve been 2003 or 2004 at the height of petrol sniffing on the APY Lands, there was a spate of suicides of young men and I think there was about 12 or 13 suicides in the APY Lands in just a couple of months.”
At the same time, the South Australian Liberal Party moved a motion of no-confidence against the then Labor government in response to the suicides, which Mr Maher says sparked a flame inside of him.
“I can remember thinking there and then, you know, the political games that we play, don’t get us anywhere,” he said.
“We’ve got to stop treating it as politics, and Aboriginal affairs just has to be about finding solutions.
“That moment back in 2003 or 2004, has really stayed with me and has been etched on my mind just why it is so, so important that we do things that actually make a difference in bringing Aboriginal people forward."
Senator Pat Dodson and Kyam Maher back in 2018 during Mr Maher's first term as SA Minister for Aboriginal Affairs. Source: Supplied
Second run as Aboriginal Affairs Minister
In the two decades since Mr Maher stepped into Aboriginal Affairs, he admits he hasn't always got it right.
Having already held the Aboriginal Affairs portfolio between 2015 and 2018 under Jay Weatherill's Labor government, he says he is set to do things differently this time around.
“I think when you first take something on then you feel the need, the urge and almost the pressure from mob to [make] change as quickly as you can," he said.
“I think one of the things coming to it a second time around is taking the time to make sure all the elements are exactly right.
“You know, we have a huge agenda in Aboriginal Affairs with the Truth, Treaty, Voice amongst a whole lot of other things we want to do."
Mr Maher with Traditional Owners from the Narungga Nation at the signing of the Buthera Agreement, February 2018. Source: Facebook Kyam Maher MLC).
Voice, Treaty, Truth
The key policy for Aboriginal South Australians that the Labor government is pushing for is a state-based voice to parliament, which will be a primary focus during the start of this term.
Before the Liberal government took power in March 2018, Mr Maher who was the Minsiter for Aboriginal Affairs at the time, oversaw the signing of what is the only treaty agreement made between an Aboriginal nation and a level of government in Australia.
However, treaty talks were completely scrapped under Steven Marshall's government, which Mr Maher says has been a setback.
“In discussions with my leader, Peter Malinauskas the new Premier, the voice is one of the first things that we need to get moving on so that it can help inform how we implement other things," he said.
“The laws of South Australia, in fact the laws right around Australia, have done so much to dispossess and to disadvantage Aboriginal people that it really means a lot to be the Attorney-General in-charge of those laws and to make them work to the benefit of Aboriginal people.
“I want to see really strong Aboriginal communities, I want to see strong Aboriginal nations throughout South Australia, I want to see a state where Aboriginal kids are truly proud of who they are, and their classmates want to know about their culture and their heritage."
