Parliamentary Updates

31 July 2025

I would like to begin by acknowledging the traditional custodians of the land on which we meet today here in Canberra, the Ngunnawal people, and pay respects to Elders past and present, but also extend that respect to traditional owners of the land in my electorate in Warringah, and especially all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the chamber here today and the fantastic leaders we have for our nation. I also want to commend Senator Thorpe for her motion currently being debated in the other House and for the opportunity to speak on behalf of many of the members here in the crossbench, on this issue.

On the 24th of May, during NAIDOC Week, a time when communities across Australia came together to celebrate the culture, diversity and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians, we were confronted with a painful reminder of the systemic injustice that continues to persist, despite all the words, despite the calls for action. While the rest of Australia was celebrating the strength and legacy of the next generation of our First Nations, a young Aboriginal man died at the hands of our police officers. Kumanjayi White was a young man with a disability. He was deeply loved by his family and his community. His death was preventable. I extend my deepest sympathies to the family of Kumanjayi White and the Yuendumu community, and extend that to the families of the 17 First Nations people that have died in custody just this year.

And I also want to acknowledge the grief of all the families and communities of those who have died since the 1991 Royal Comission. These are not just statistics; they are sons, daughters, mothers, fathers, cousins, siblings and grandchildren, and it just has to stop. The Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody in 1991 laid out clear recommendations over three decades ago, yet many of these recommendations remain unimplemented, gathering dust alongside countless coronial reports, enquiries and commissions that have echoed the same calls for greater engagement with First Nations communities; for reform in our policing and justice systems and for investment in community led solutions. Action on all recommendations are urgently and desperately needed. We must listen to the voices of families, communities and experts who have been calling for a step change for decades. Accountability and justice must be delivered.

Earlier this week, Minister McCarthy delivered a transparent and sobering briefing on the progress on the Productivity Commission 's report on Closing the Gap. Her honesty was appreciated but the message was clear: we remain woefully behind. Only four out of the 19 targets are on track to be met and it's particularly alarming when it comes to youth incarceration rates, which are showing worsening trends despite clear evidence and repeated calls for reform. States and Territories across Australia continue to detain children as young as 10 years old. Many of these children are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and many are held without a sentence. We know the impact of early incarceration with the justice system which often leads to lifelong cycles of disadvantage and trauma. It cannot continue. Federal Parliament and Government must lead. We need to prioritise support over punishment, care over incarceration. Raising the age of criminal responsibility is now a moral imperative. We owe it to these children, their families and communities to do better.

I am proud of my electorate of Warringah, who feel strongly, and are allies. Many in my electorate have been deeply concerned by the recent deaths in custody and continue to push for justice, inclusion, and reconciliation of our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People. On behalf of my electorate and many others here, I call on the government to act on this issue like so many others. We need action more than words. Please, establish an implementation process in relation to all of the outstanding recommendations of the deaths in custody royal commission.

Thank you