Canberra, Australia – A group of federal crossbench MPs led by Senator Lidia Thorpe has raised concerns about the high number of First Nations children being removed from their families and the significant amount of Indigenous people dying in custody. The MPs are urging the Labor government to fully implement the recommendations from the 1991 Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody and the 1997 Bringing Them Home report on the Stolen Generations.
During a press conference in Canberra, Senator Thorpe emphasized the need for Prime Minister Scott Morrison to take decisive action and not just rely on reports and promises to address First Nations justice in Australia. The MPs have penned an open letter to the prime minister, Indigenous Australians Minister Linda Burney, and Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus, calling for increased powers for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner to oversee the progress on these recommendations, many of which have been left unimplemented for over three decades.
In their letter, the MPs, including senators and lower house MPs, also called for the establishment of a new national commissioner for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People to monitor the implementation of the Bringing them Home report recommendations. Additionally, health ministers from states and territories are set to meet with federal counterpart Mark Butler for discussions on Indigenous health.
Senator Thorpe highlighted the urgent need for states and territories to remove hanging points from prisons, a key recommendation that remains unaddressed. She emphasized that eliminating hanging points not only benefits First Nations people but also prevents harm for others struggling within the system, particularly those with chronic conditions like diabetes who lack access to necessary medication.
Furthermore, Senator Lambie expressed alarm at the high number of deaths of First Nations people in custody since the 1991 royal commission, with several deaths occurring this year alone. The failure to act on past recommendations has perpetuated negative trends in Indigenous suicide rates, adult incarceration, and children in out-of-home care. Productivity Commission data reveals a concerning increase in the overall rate of deaths in custody in recent years, underscoring the dire need for tangible reforms to protect and promote the rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
As the government faces mounting pressure to address these longstanding issues, the crossbench MPs are calling for immediate action to prevent further injustices against Indigenous communities. The urgency to implement real and effective reforms is paramount in the quest to close the gap in Indigenous outcomes and rectify the systemic failures that have plagued First Nations people for generations.