Albanese Continues to Pander to First Nations Demands Despite Majority Rejection

Austnews

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese appears to be ignoring the will of the Australian people by continuing to pander to First Nations demands. This comes in the wake of more than 60% of Australians voting against these demands in a recent referendum.

The term “Makarrata,” originating from the 2017 Uluru Statement from the Heart, refers to a “truth-telling” process and a subsequent treaty between the Australian government and Indigenous people. The truth-telling process involves establishing a commission to investigate alleged historical injustices against Aboriginal Australians.

Late last year, another aspect of the Uluru Statement—setting up an Indigenous advisory body within the nation’s parliament—was put to a referendum. The proposed constitutional change was overwhelmingly rejected by suburban and regional voters.

On August 4, Prime Minister Albanese stated his government was “talking through” what a Makarrata process could entail. While he acknowledged that more work needed to be done, he stopped short of detailing any path to establishing an actual commission, which had been a previous government promise.

Albanese emphasized his government’s support for truth-telling but did not commit to the Makarrata Commission. When pressed to clarify his stance, Albanese said the Makarrata process involved Australians coming together through engagement with various bodies, including land councils and Native Title tribunals, and with First Nations people across the country.

“We are not moving away from our commitment to the Uluru Statement from the Heart in terms of our love and support for all of those who gathered [at Uluru] in 2017,” Albanese stated.

However, this perceived lack of commitment prompted Uluru co-chair Pat Anderson to challenge Albanese to clarify his support for a Makarrata. “The Makarrata called for in the Uluru Statement is a bricks-and-mortar body, and it was a clear election promise,” she said. Anderson emphasized that the Makarrata would oversee the agreement-making process between First Nations and truth-telling about Australia’s history.

Albanese responded that the federal government had not outlined a path to a treaty before the October referendum, and that position had not changed. Instead, treaty processes were occurring through states and territories.

“Australia, as a nation, will benefit from being more united, more reconciled with our history, and that’s important for all of us, but it’s also important for how Australia is seen in the region and the world,” Albanese said.

Critics argue that Albanese’s continued focus on First Nations demands, despite the clear referendum results, shows a disregard for the democratic process and the will of the majority of Australians. They contend that his government’s actions are more about political correctness than addressing the real needs and concerns of the broader Australian population.