‘Truly historic’ appointment raises hopes the first Indigenous person in cabinet will help improve lives and hasten constitutional reform

This article is more than 1 year old

This article is more than 1 year old

Praise, hope and high expectation have followed the appointment of Noongar man Ken Wyatt as minister for Indigenous Australians in the new Morrison government.

Wyatt is the first Aboriginal person to hold the federal ministry, and the first Aboriginal person to sit in cabinet.

In a statement Wyatt said he was “incredibly honoured to be the first Aboriginal minister for Indigenous Australians, committed to working and walking together with our elders, families and communities, to ensure the greatness of our many nations is reflected in the greatness of the Australian nation, now and forever”.

The appointment, made on national Sorry Day and at the start of Reconciliation Week, has been welcomed by Aboriginal organisations and advocates, hopeful of progress on constitutional reform, a voice to parliament, Closing the Gap targets and long-standing welfare, health and justice issues.

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Wyatt arrived in Canberra on Monday from his home state of Western Australia amid speculation about how he might consult Indigenous organisations and communities.

Scott Morrison said a new “national Indigenous Australians agency” would be established, but details are yet to be announced.

Nor would the prime minister give a timeframe for a referendum on constitutional reform and a voice to parliament.

The federal government has set aside $7.3m for co-design, and while Morrison said the work would start immediately, he would not set a deadline for a result.

“I’m committed to getting an outcome on recognition, but we need to work together across the aisle and across our communities to get an outcome that all Australians can get behind and we’ll take as long as is needed to achieve that,” Morrison said.

“My priorities for Indigenous Australians are to ensure Indigenous kids are in school and getting an education, that young Indigenous Australians are not taking their own lives and that there are real jobs for Indigenous Australians so they can plan for their future with confidence like any other Australian.

“Recognition must be achieved alongside these practical goals and we will continue to work together.”

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Newly minted Labor leader Anthony Albanese said the ALP was ready to advance the agenda of the Uluru statement in a bipartisan manner.

“Our nation is diminished by not recognising first Australians in our constitution. And while Indigenous Australians are the most disadvantaged in our nation, Labor stands ready to cooperate on how we advance the agenda of the Uluru statement,” Albanese said.

The Greens also said a voice should happen without delay. Senator Rachel Siewert said Wyatt’s appointment was a “positive step towards self-determination”.

The social justice commissioner and fellow Western Australian, June Oscar, said Wyatt’s appointment was “truly historic”.

“Ken Wyatt carries the hopes and aspirations of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people across the country, and we look forward to working together,” Oscar said.

The co-chair of the National Congress of Australia’s First Peoples, Rod Little, said Wyatt’s appointment “heightens our hope that things will be different”.

“We have hope every time there’s an election. We hope there are people who can work with us, who we can trust, who know how our communities are feeling, and we need somebody who is trustworthy and honest who is going to take on the challenges to make our lives better.”

Chief executive of the National Coalition of Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations (Naccho), Pat Turner said Wyatt had a big job ahead, facing “massive expectations” on all sides.

Turner also co-chairs the joint council on Closing the Gap, a 10 year agreement between Australian governments and Aboriginal organisations to work together on solutions.

“Closing the Gap and the Voice are the two big issues,” Turner said. “They’re separate but complimentary, and they can run in parallel. We want both. We want a real say over our lives. We have to be at the negotiating table.”

The Aboriginal heath sector is the biggest employer of Aboriginal people in Australia, Turner said.

“By investing in Aboriginal community controlled health organisations, they are investing in communities but they’re also employing Aboriginal people in real jobs.”

“They need to remove the punitive welfare measures immediately. they make absolutely no sense. It’s accountability gone mad. We’ve offered him a briefing, we’re looking forward to a positive working partnership, and for the ministry to be properly funded.”

Turner said it was well past time to get moving on the voice to parliament.

“We are more than ready to finalise the model with our own people, and get out in the broader Australian community and have the conversations with them about why it’s important.”

“The PM said he wouldn’t be rushed on the matter of the voice, but the PM has to take a leadership role. When has he got the best chance of getting things done? In the first term. There’s no reason why we have to wait.”