Opposition spokesman for indigenous affairs Julian Leeser has called on the government to map out a clear direction for the nation’s Indigenous policy, saying it was a tragedy Labor had largely avoided the issue since the failed Voice to Parliament referendum.
“The prime minister before the referendum spent the first 18 months of his term making Indigenous affairs the absolute centrepiece of policy, and I campaigned ‘yes’ for the Voice alongside him. But after the failure of the referendum, having raised all of these issues about indigenous disadvantage, instead of cracking on with it … it became the topic that dare not speak its name,” Leeser told Radio National.
Liberal MP Julian Leeser.Alex Ellinghausen
“That’s a tragedy because many of the challenges still remain.”
Leeser said he was calling for a new direction on Indigenous policy that focused on education, wealth creation and suicide prevention.
“They are three of the key things that I think, if you address them and get them right, they can set Indigenous Australians up for intergenerational success.”