Independent Victorian senator Lidia Thorpe has slammed Anthony Albanese's "annual excursion to Garma" as having become "an exercise in optics, an attempt to Blackwash the Labor Party".
The Gunnai, Gunditjmara and Djab Wurrung senator said the PM "is rocking up to Garma for a selfie and a smoking ceremony, but with nothing meaningful to deliver".
"First Peoples' song, dance and culture are not props for Albanese to use to launder his dodgy reputation while he offers beads and trinkets," she said.
"Cash for the corporations (a reference to increased support for Native Title Prescribed Bodies Corporate) and a few utes are crumbs on the table while so many of our people are dying in custody, and governments continue to steal and jail our children at record rates.
"Garma was born out of the Hawke Labor Government's betrayal on Treaty — and today, Albanese continues that Labor legacy after breaking the same promise. We've seen no mention of these pillars of the Uluru Statement that Labor committed to."
Senator Thorpe urged the Prime Minister to recommit to federal Truth-Telling and Treaty.
"This week we reached the grim milestone of over 600 Black deaths in custody since the 1991 Royal Commission. The latest Closing the Gap figures should have triggered a national reckoning, yet all Labor can talk about is vague 'economic empowerment'," she said.
"Child stealing, jailing, deaths in custody and suicides are the most fundamental injustices being perpetrated against First Peoples.
"And still — no vision, no plan, no interest in taking action on this. Albanese is watching on as another generation of our children is being stolen and caged."
Earlier this week, Senator Thorpe successfully moved a motion - passed in both Houses of federal parliament – urging nationwide action on the crisis of First Nations deaths in custody
She said on Saturday said there is "plenty" the federal government can do, "here and now".
"If states are breaching their Closing the Gap targets, especially on incarceration and child removals, there must be real consequences. Albanese should start by withholding federal funding to the NT Police and calling a National Cabinet meeting on deaths in custody and child jailing," she said.
"The Commonwealth has the power to legislate national minimum standards across the criminal legal system. It must act now.
"We also need real reinvestment into what works: community-controlled solutions, culturally safe bail supports, and properly funded legal help. This government must stop the state violence being committed against us in every jurisdiction across the continent."
Senator Thorpe urged the federal government to "stop the spin".
"Stop the Blackwashing and the gaslighting. Stop the violence being committed against us. Listen to our communities and let us lead," she said.
