The stance of the federal government on a national treaty remains unchanged following the defeat of the Indigenous voice referendum, according to the prime minister.
Anthony Albanese is holding firm against accusations that his government has reneged on its commitments to truth-telling and treaty processes.
Speaking after the Garma Festival in the Northern Territory, Albanese referenced the Yolngu word “makarrata” as a process of coming together after struggle through engagement with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
“What we need to focus on are ways to make a tangible difference,” he stated on the ABC’s Insiders program on Sunday. “The voice was always a means to bridge the gap by listening to the people.”
Albanese clarified that the federal government had not been advancing treaty discussions prior to the October referendum on establishing an Indigenous voice in the constitution, and that position has not shifted.
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Instead, treaty discussions are underway at the state and territory levels.
Albanese emphasized the importance of Australians “walking together” to bridge the gap between First Nations peoples and non-Indigenous Australians.
“As a nation, Australia will benefit from greater unity, reconciliation with our history, which is crucial not only for us but also for how Australia is perceived globally,” he added.
Former voice referendum Yes23 campaign manager Dean Parkin urged the government not to backtrack on its commitments to truth-telling and treaty.
“We’re discussing something that would oversee, as stated in the Uluru Statement, the process of agreement-making between First Nations and truth-telling about our history,” Parkin remarked during a panel at Garma, Australia’s largest Indigenous cultural festival.
The Greens criticized the government for nearly abandoning the Uluru Statement from the Heart.
The 2017 Uluru statement called for a constitutionally enshrined Indigenous voice and a Makarrata Commission dedicated to working towards a treaty and truth-telling.
“Despite Labor’s prior pledge to fully implement the Uluru Statement, Anthony Albanese seemed to sidestep the issue, suggesting leaving it to the states and territories,” remarked Greens Senator Dorinda Cox.
