Federal Opposition spokesperson for Indigenous affairs, Jacinta Nampijinpa Price, has criticised the upcoming appointment of a First Nations Child Commissioner, arguing it won't fix anything.
Last week, the government said the National Commission for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People will begin operations in January, with a First Nations person to be appointed to lead the body.
Speaking in Mparntwe/Alice Springs on Friday, Senator Price questioned how "a person of similar racial identity to the children of concern" would fix anything.
Asked who she would have in the role, NT News reported Senator Price was adamant she "wouldn't have the role altogether".
"I have little faith that setting up this particular role is going to make any difference or move a dial for the benefit of Indigenous children in this country," she said.
The position was welcomed by SNAICC – National Voice for our Children, with chief executive Catherine Liddle saying: "Through shared decision-making processes we have been able to establish strong functions that reflect the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander sector's long-held ambition to have a National Commissioner with real authority and real teeth."
Ms Liddle said the position will be autonomous and will have the power to investigate and tackle the serious issues impacting First Nations children, including the over representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in out-of-home care (OOHC).
This was reiterated by Minister for Indigenous Australians, Malarndirri McCarthy, who said: "The over-representation of young people in out-of-home care and youth detention is unacceptable."
"The National Commissioner will focus on working with First Nations people and organisations on evidence-based programs and policies to turn those figures around." Senator McCarthy said.
However, Senator Price disagreed with the idea that a First Nations-specific position will help Aboriginal children, arguing we "need to stop leaving Indigenous children in dysfunctional circumstances because of their racial heritage".
"You don't just go ahead and create another position, because Aboriginal children are Australian children – they're Australian citizens, we should be treating them the same, not separately," she said, as reported by NT News.
"We've got to make sure that we are leaving them with families that care for them, that uphold the human rights and that ensure that they are getting an education – that is the way forward."
It is not the first time Senator Price has disagreed with a self-determination approach / Indigenous-led responses to disadvantage.
Earlier this year, she disagreed with the Productivity Commission's report on Closing the Gap, which called for decisions that impact Indigenous people should be put in the hands of Indigenous people.
"To simply suggest that a group of Australians, based on their racial ethnicity, know what's best for that particular racial ethnicity, and determining that organisations who are run by majority of people with that ethnicity be given all the money and the responsibility doesn't actually mean it will produce any outcomes and we're seeing that over again," Senator Price told Sky News
"The Productivity Commission can make all the suggestions they want, but it is such that we should stop treating Australians on the basis of race and start treating the need…supporting those programs that are actually providing outcomes."
