Canberra, Australia – A group of federal crossbench MPs in Australia is calling on the Labor government to take action on long-standing issues affecting Indigenous communities. The MPs, led by Senator Lidia Thorpe, are urging Prime Minister to implement recommendations from past reports addressing the high rate of Indigenous children being removed from their families and the alarming number of deaths of Indigenous people in custody.
Senator Thorpe emphasized the need for leadership in addressing First Nations justice and criticized the government for not implementing critical recommendations that could save lives. The group of MPs has penned an open letter to the prime minister, Minister Linda Burney, and Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus, urging for the empowerment of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner to oversee progress on recommendations from the 1991 Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody and the 1997 Bringing Them Home report on the Stolen Generations.
The MPs are also advocating for the appointment of a new national commissioner for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People to ensure the implementation of recommendations from the Bringing Them Home report. This call to action comes amidst concerning data showing that rates of Indigenous suicide, adult incarceration, and children in out-of-home care are worsening, with no improvement in the rates of imprisonment of First Nations children.
Health ministers from states and territories will convene for a roundtable discussion on Indigenous health, particularly focusing on culturally safe healthcare in prisons. Senator Thorpe highlighted the need for all states and territories to remove hanging points from prisons, a key recommendation from past reports. The group of MPs expressed frustration with the government’s failure to act on recommendations, noting that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children are still overrepresented in out-of-home care, and Indigenous people continue to die in custody at alarming rates.
Despite decades passing since the release of reports on these issues, little progress has been made in implementing the recommendations outlined. The MPs are urging the government to prioritize real and effective reforms to protect and promote the rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. The ongoing crisis facing Indigenous communities in Australia demands immediate action and tangible solutions to address systemic issues and prevent further harm.