I believed we were in for a change of government until about two weeks before we went to the booths. Then I found myself doubting it. I had seen so many working hard to change the government but when it came to the general public, I just didn't sense the will to change. Retaining a mediocre and discriminatory government somehow became the safer bet in a race where no one was particularly inspiring.
And this has been a mediocre and discriminatory government, not least for its efforts when it has come to Indigenous affairs. It introduced the ironically-named Community Development Program (CDP) forcing unemployed, mainly Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people living in regional and remote areas to work in unpaid placements 25 hours per week, year-round, to receive their unemployment benefits — a percentage of which may be quarantined.
The many reports that have been released assessing the program highlight the damage it has done to communities, and call into question the significantly higher rates of penalisation for non-compliance that CDP participants face compared to other people receiving unemployment benefits.
This government has mainly ignored the findings of the royal commission into the Northern Territory's youth justice system too, as shown by the fact that no charges were laid with regards to the tortures enacted at Don Dale. The place remains open, and 100 per cent of the kids in youth detention in the NT are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander kids.
I admit to being critical of the Uluru Statement from the Heart, but when it was delivered, and the Referendum Council endorsed what was ultimately a conservative ask — an Indigenous voice to parliament — this was outright dismissed by then Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull. Regardless of the form said voice would take, the government seemingly is simply not interested in engaging in discussions with Indigenous people with regards to the policies it enacts upon us. Collaboration and consultation just is not going to happen. Government prefers, instead, to continue taking punitive measures against us.
So when the new government appointed the first ever Aboriginal person to the portfolio of Indigenous Affairs, I was underwhelmed. Indeed, it spoke volumes that the government chose to rename this portfolio the 'Minister for Indigenous Australians', perhaps as a warning to all the sovereignty activists shutting down the cities each Australia Day to remember our place.
As a staunch member of the Left, it's long been a fascination