2020-06-30
“In May 2020 the Australian Greens became the first political party in Australia to ensure the voices and demands of the First Nations peoples of Australia are incorporated into its decision-making and governance structures.
“The First Nations Greens Network has been accorded full delegate rights to the National Council of the Australian Greens,” Greens NSW Co-Convenors Rochelle Flood and Sylvia Hale said today.
“The Greens NSW, at its July State Delegates Council meeting, has now tasked its Constitution and Process Committee to investigate how the NSW First Nations Network may be incorporated into GNSW’s decision-making processes. The Committee is to develop constitutional amendments for consideration by a later State Delegates Council.”
“For too long Australian political parties have ignored the legitimate and long-standing demands of our First Nations peoples and endorsed policies that have victimised and degraded them,” the Co-Convenors said.
“The Black Lives Matter protests have focused attention on the immediate need for all political parties to act to eliminate racist discrimination against First Nations people and to include them in their policy-making structures.
“In light of how few First Nations people represent the people of New South Wales at local, state or federal level, the onus is now on all political parties to make amends by incorporating these voices in their structures,” they said.
Dominic WY Kanak, Greens NSW First Nations Delegate, commented, “New South Wales has the largest number of First Nations people in Australia. There are far more First Nations people in gaol than in any level of government. It is time the political parties addressed this glaring disparity.
“The Greens NSW have made their position clear and set a process in place that we hope will soon make a difference. It’s now time for other parties to do the same,” he said.