Urge indigenous peoples to speak the truth despite the “silence” of their voices

The Greens want to set up a truth and justice commission for indigenous peoples after a prominent elder criticized the government’s “silence” following the referendum failure.

A bill is due to be introduced this week to establish a commission that would have the power to investigate historical and ongoing injustices against First Nations and make recommendations to Parliament.

“We have been waiting for the opportunity not only to speak our truths, but also for Australia to listen carefully to our experiences as the world’s oldest living culture, past and present,” Greens Senator Dorinda Cox said on Sunday.

The Albanian government has provided funds to establish a Makarrata Commission to oversee a truth-finding process.

However, there has been little public reporting on the progress since the referendum defeat, which shook the government and left many indigenous people traumatized.

Indigenous Affairs Minister Linda Burney said on Saturday that funding for the commission was still included in the budget.

“The government has made it very clear, and I have made it very clear, that we will take our time to make sure we get it right,” she told reporters.

She said the government was spending billions of dollars on housing, education and jobs for Aboriginal Australians and noted that the truth was coming out at local, state and community levels.

“In my view, the process of finding the truth in this country is well underway and has been for a very long time,” she said.

Pat Anderson, chair of the Uluru Dialogues, said the referendum result should not stop the government from adopting the Uluru Statement from the Heart.

“It has been nine months since the referendum and there needs to be momentum forward,” she said in a statement reported by ABC.

“Our people are suffering from silence and need leadership.”

Finance Minister Jim Chalmers defended the government’s efforts to achieve better outcomes for indigenous people.

“I take Aunt Pat’s contributions very seriously,” he told reporters.

“I don’t feel like we’ve been silent. I feel like we’ve been working on all the different ways the government is trying to close the gap.”

The voice would have established a permanent advisory committee with Indigenous members to advise the government on matters affecting First Nations and their welfare.

Senator Cox said it was important that Australians knew that through the process of finding the truth, “we will begin to heal as a nation”.

“The work we do now must be based on our self-determination, determining our way forward and achieving better outcomes for First Nations,” she said.

A member of parliament’s bill can easily be rejected in parliament because the government majority exists, but the issue is politically explosive.

Victoria has established its own Truth Commission as part of a global effort to give indigenous peoples a voice.

The South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission, established in 1995 after the end of apartheid, is known for its work addressing the injustices of colonialism and the subsequent system of racial segregation and discrimination.