2016-02-09
On the eve of the Closing the Gap report, Senator Siewert has written to the Prime Minister outlining concerns that Australia will struggle to Close the Gap whilst the issues of unfinished business such as Constitutional Recognition, Sovereignty, Treaties, and self-determination go unaddressed.
“I have written an open letter to Malcolm Turnbull calling on increased efforts to Close the Gap whilst highlighting that it is difficult to reduce disadvantage while Australia has unfinished business.
“On Wednesday, Malcolm Turnbull will be tabling his first Closing the Gap report in Parliament. Unfortunately, I do not have high hopes for the progress on Closing the Gap following the chaotic rollout of the Indigenous Advancement Strategy and half a billion dollars ripped from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander services in the 2014-15 budget.
“The push for Constitution Recognition has been seen as a step in addressing our unfinished business – but as Government has dragged its feet on this matter – debate in many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and more broadly has moved forward.
"More and more people are talking to me about the need to have a broader conversation and are talking about issues of sovereignty, treaties and agreement making and self-determination.
“We support treaties which recognise prior occupation, and the sovereignty of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. I have asked Prime Minister Turnbull to consider these issues and how they interact.
“Without Prime Ministerial leadership, there is a very real risk that Closing the Gap will not be achieved and debate won’t advance – that debate will become a reminder of unfulfilled potential, rather than a way of bringing Australians together.
“I urge Prime Minister Turnbull to consider the letter and look forward to his response”.