The incoming minister for Indigenous Australians Linda Burney will be the first Aboriginal woman to hold the portfolio when she is sworn in next week with the new prime minister Anthony Albanese's government.
Ms Burney takes over the portfolio after outgoing minister Ken Wyatt lost his West Australian seat.
In another first — she will also hold the ministry for families and social services; with priorities to reform the controversial cashless debit card and basics card regime — scrapping the cashless debit card and making the Basics card voluntary only.
A moment to remember
She said the appointment is a significant one with the 47th parliament set to be the most diverse parliament, with Labor parliamentarians and the Country Liberal Party's senator for NT heading to Canberra.
"It just makes my heart sing," The Wiradjuri woman and member for the Sydney seat of Barton said.
"It will be a moment that I will remember forever. It will be a moment for all the struggle that our people have been through and it will be a moment for Barton," Ms Burney told The Point.
Ms Burney said her priority would be implementing the Uluru Statement from the Heart which calls for a constitutionally enshrined Indigenous voice to Parliament and a Makarrata commission to oversee treaty and truth-telling.
'We've got to build support'
She said the work would begin as soon as possible with discussions with the prime minister and cabinet as well as consultations with First Nations people across the country and how they want to move forward.
"We've got to build a consensus. We've got to build support for a referendum and put the mechanics in place to have a referendum which requires legislation," she said.
She said the Labor government is committing to working with parliament and extending a hand towards the opposition and key crossbenchers to ensure progress is made.
"That's really important — leadership from the parliament and a demonstration to the Australian people that this is a time of change and this idea is of the time."
The Uluru Statement from the Heart calls for an enshrine advisory voice to parliament, treaty and truth telling processes. Source: Facebook/The Uluru Statement from the Heart
She said the government is committed to ensuring practical measures to ensure our communities have the same opportunities as others, shooting down suggestions from her Opposition counterpart Jacinta Price that the government is only interested in symbolism.
"The Labor Party agenda going forward is not just about the voice."
"It's about protecting Aboriginal copyright. It's about 500 new Aboriginal Health workers. It's about infrastructure for Aboriginal medical services. It's about indigenous Rangers. It's about a whole range of things."
An 'election mandate’
Dean Parkin, Director of From The Heart says he is buoyed by the change of government and hopes the momentum will come swifter after years of stalled progress.
"This is clearly a priority, the government approaches this referendum with a very strong election mandate."
"Anthony Albanese and Linda both consistently talked about this throughout the election campaign — it was one of the key points of difference.
"They can move forward with a lot of confidence that they secured the mandate from the Australian people to move forward but there is some work to do between now and the referendum."
From the Heart Director Dean Parkin said the incoming government has a mandate after winning the election (Supplied: From the Heart)
He said possible dates put forward have been as soon as next year on May 27, 2023 a significant date that recognises the anniversary of the 1967 referendum.
"There is a really nice moment of history there. Our forebears rose to the occasion and made history then, on a referendum on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and that sets the challenge for this generation."
The Quandamooka man said before any referendum there would need to be work to clearly work out just what question would be put forward for a vote and just how to bring the nation together.
"The way we are going to get this over the line is by engaging with our mob and non-Indigenous Australians as we continue this story."
