First Nations Peoples | Australian Greens

Vision

The Australian Greens want First Nations peoples to have self-determination over their own destiny, to prosper and achieve the aspirations they have for their lives and for their children and grandchildren and for First Nations peoples to have all they need to live their lives in health, well-being and peace on their lands. We respect First Nations knowing, being and doing and will embed this principle in all aspects of national policy.

The Barrier

The continued legacy of colonialism has not yet fully recognised the sovereignty of our First Nations peoples across the entire continent of Australia. This is a wrong that must be made right. Endemic racism, oppressive laws and policies, misunderstanding, ignorance and the lack of knowledge and education has meant that First Nations peoples have generationally been subject to policies and legislation that have impoverished many lives. At present, many still live in poverty and disadvantage, without the same rights and services that other Australians enjoy. This must be changed so that future generations of First Nations children can dream of better things.

First Nations peoples in Australia have been traumatised by the generational actions and policies of subsequent governments and peoples in denying them their rights and traditions to live peacefully according to their spiritual, cultural, and sovereign legal rights under Australian Law.

It is time to recognise that First Nations Peoples knowledge and lore systems provide the foundation for true self- determination utilising the rights set out in the United Nations Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples as the foundation.

In order to remove these barriers, the Australian Greens will be advised on First Nations national policy by the Australian Greens First Nations Network (AGFNN) recognising that they represent the diversity of histories, views and dreams of their First Nations communities in each State and Territory.

Core Principle

The United Nations Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous People (UNDRIP) is the key document on which we base our National First Nations Policy

Key Sections of the UNDRIP to form the basis of the Australian Greens actions for First Nations Peoples:

Free, prior and informed consent
Foundational Rights
Self-Governance and Rights to Representation
Language cultural and spiritual identity
Rights to Country, resources, and our knowledge
Protection of Country
Participation, development, and economic and social rights
Life & Security
Education, information and employment and;
Non-discrimination and equality.

To achieve these fundamental and international Rights we will ensure that Australia’s obligations under the UNDRIP are written into domestic policy

Three Core Priorities (3 Core Inner Circles) in this order

1. Truth
Establish a Truth & Justice Commission
2. Treaty
Enact a national Treaty and/or Treaties with First Nations peoples in this country, sovereign to sovereign
3. Voice
Subject to Treaty negotiations, establish a national First Nations Voice to be included in the governance of Australia, as determined by First Nations peoples

Specific Measures (10 Outer Circles)

The Australian Greens will:

Work in Unity with all First Nations peoples in healing our shared history,
Respect, recognise, learn from and seek consent for First Nations peoples spiritual, cultural, social and physical relationship with the land, waters and environment, and their rights and obligations as custodian and protectors
Ensure Australia complies with the UNDRIP and all other international instruments that recognise the rights of First Nations peoples
Make reparations to the Stolen Generations, informed by the Stolen Generations
Recognise the Frontier Wars as part of Australian history and make reparations to those affected by the Frontier Wars
Immediately repeal the Stronger Futures legislation
Hold governments to account for implementing the Closing the Gap targets,
Revoke compulsory income management
Review the Native Title Legislation to make it consistent with the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
Ensure First Nations peoples have equal rights and access to essential services including health, education, training, housing, community infrastructure, employment support, and culturally specific and culturally safe justice systems.

Urgent Attention (10 Outer Circles overlaid)

Incarceration and deaths in custody, kids in custody and justice reinvestment
Suicide Prevention
Child Protection and removals
Homelessness and housing
Health equity
Protection from and recovery from Violence and Trauma
Cultural Heritage Protection
Language Translation Services
Care for Country
Climate crisis impacts on First Nations people

Appendix: The Painting Story

Australian Greens First Nations Network (AGFNN) Australian Greens National First Nations Policy 2020

This painting is the story of our policy, the sharing and caring journey with each other and our communities, deeply listening to their self-determined needs that are necessary to transform lives. We looked at all the member bodies First Nations policies and the 2018 national First nations policy and on these we built this one.

We feel it is an inspiration from our Ancestors for the Australian Greens to work towards the healing, respect, self-determination and sovereignty of all First Nations peoples in our Country with the Australian Greens First Nations Network (AGFNN). We feel that this is our purpose.

The painting tells the story of our journey of developing the policy and the important sections agreed to by members of AGFNN, our Senator Lidia and others in our communities that we consulted.

The colours are important, the gold lines and circles represent the Songlines and communities, and the journeys along the Songlines that all are taking to become well and strong. We feel this will occur by implementing our policy. The blue lines represent healing that occurs as we journey along our Songlines of healing to return to our cultural ways of knowing, being and doing and living in the Law. The inner and outer circles represent sections of the policy as outlined in the notes on the document that accompanies the painting.

The three inner Core Circles represent Truth, Treaty and Voice which are our three main policy priorities. They also represent the Spirits, hearts and minds of all First Nations peoples in Australia as the reason for this policy.
The next group of Circles represent the foundational sections of the United Nations Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous People (UNDRIP) that we base our policy on in terms of our rights nationally and internationally. The figures in those circles are all the people, First Nations and non-First Nations people in the Greens and in our communities working with us and each other to do this work
The outer group of circles represent the Specific Measures and Urgent Measures overlaid that need to be done immediately and worked toward by all member bodies and the Federal Party and the red dots represent those urgent measures where people are carrying pain, hurt and sorrow; and they need them addressed immediately through our thoughts, words and actions together.

This is the story of the painting in which we place our hearts, minds, spirits and ways of working together with the Australian Greens, to achieve this into the future, for now and the generations that follow us and for shared healing for all our Nations together.