2023-05-03
First Nations issues, women and the Safeguard Mechanism
By Senator Dorinda Cox
It always surprises me how much my team and I squeeze into the couple of months between Green issue publications.
I was appointed to the Joint Select Committee on the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice Referendum which has undertaken hearings in Canberra, Orange, Cairns and Perth. This six-week inquiry has been listening to evidence related to the wording of the Voice to Parliament referendum question and will deliver its report by May 15.
The other significant committee work I have undertaken recently was hearing from WA First Nations families who have had loved ones murdered, as part of the ongoing hearings for the Missing and Murdered First Nations Women and Children inquiry. I was happy to host Senator David Shoebridge and the rest of the committee for the Perth hearings held at the Rivervale Community Centre last week, where we heard very confronting and emotional testimonies. A Welcome to Country and two smoking ceremonies were provided by Daniel Garlett and his son Johnny. The families were incredibly strong and appreciated the opportunity to share their stories of injustice with the committee. The committee has more hearings to conduct around the country and will deliver their report in December.
Greens Senators Janet Rice and Larissa Waters were both in WA for committee hearings before the Easter break. In addition to the excellent Politics in the Pub event organised by Senator Jordon Steele-John, I held a Forests roundtable with Janet and a Women In Mining roundtable with Larissa.
Just after Easter, I had a quick trip to South Australia. Senator Barbara Pocock hosted me for a Politics in the Pub event, and took me to meet with Barngarla Traditional Owners who have not consented to their land being used as a site to dump nuclear waste. The Napandee site near Kimba will hold Australia’s first national intermediate nuclear waste facility.
During the last parliamentary sitting, I gave 12 speeches and asked a question during question time ‒ I spent a lot of time on my feet and in my seat in the chamber as we debated the Safeguard Mechanism, and Voice Referendum legislation.
Negotiating the amendments to improve Labor’s Safeguard Mechanism was a big moment for our party and our movement and demonstrates the influence we have when the Greens hold the balance of power in the Senate. I enjoyed participating in the Safeguard Mechanism Virtual Town Hall with Adam Bandt and grassroots campaigners who are taking on Woodside and Santos.
Back in Perth, I have attended many community events in the past few weeks. The highlights include the first ever Aboriginal flag raising at WA Government House, the ANZAC Day dawn service and the Indigenous ANZAC Day commemoration which brought together Noongar and Maori culture through song, dancing and Haka in an event like no other in the world. I also hosted an International Women’s Day Yarning Circle at Yagan Square with community leaders to discuss how we can elevate First Nations women’s voices in the year of the Voice referendum.
I was honoured to be inducted into the WA Women’s Hall of Fame for International Women’s Day, attended the Australian Tourism Awards as the Greens spokesperson for Trade and Tourism, and attended the inaugural Indigenous Tourism Summit in Perth.
Until next time,
Dorinda
P.S. Please join me on May 28 for my Solidarity March from Elizabeth Quay to the Supreme Court Gardens. It’ll include yarning and speeches from First Nations community leaders calling for a Truth-telling Commission in WA. For more information RSVP here.
Header photo: Dorinda contemplating the impact of the testimonies of families at the Missing and Murdered First Nations Women and Children hearings in Perth.