Malarndirri McCarthy's continuation as Minister for Indigenous Australians has been welcomed by the Coalition of Peaks, as they call for a more government-wide contribution to Closing the Gap.
Just over a week after Labor's landslide election victory, the national representative body for more than 80 Indigenous community-controlled peak bodies and member organisations, called on all ministers in the new cabinet to take responsibility in their portfolios for Closing the Gap.
Lead convenor Pat Turner AM congratulated Senator McCarthy on being re-appointed as Minister, but argued that Closing the Gap was not the responsibility of her portfolio alone.
"The Coalition of Peaks have a great working relationship with Senator McCarthy, and since coming into the role last year, she has re-energised the government's Closing the Gap commitments," Ms Turner said.
"Under the National Agreement on Closing the Gap, the Government committed to doing things differently – to share decision-making with our people and work in partnership. From Ministers to frontline services, all parts of government must be actively improving the way they work with our people."
In assessing the election victory, she said the result showed the nation had chosen "progress and inclusion over division".
"As the Prime Minister said in his victory speech, we will be a stronger nation when we close the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians," Ms Turner said.
"Closing the Gap is not just about our people, but all Australians – and everyone has a role to play."
Indigenous groups largely supported the government's plan to close the gap by listening to Indigenous-led responses, as outlined by the Productivity Commission last year.
In contrast, the commitment by then-opposition leader Peter Dutton to not stand in front of the Indigenous flag if he was elected, and Jacinta Nampijinpa Price's calls for an audit of all Indigenous organisations, were seen as divisive and unpopular amongst First Nations groups.
Whilst the government's 10-year, $4 billion housing agreement in partnership with the NT Government, which is designed to halve overcrowding in Aboriginal communities and will see up to 270 homes built each year showed progress and concern for housing in remote regions, Ms Turner said it remained one of the "most urgent needs" in communities.
Despite the concerns, she argued no government has addressed housing with a "long-term, sustainable plan".
"The federal funding boost for remote housing in the Northern Territory last year was a welcome move, but we're concerned our people aren't being given a real say in how it's being implemented," Ms Turner said.
"It's important the Federal Government stay closely engaged."
After congratulating all the Ministers, Ms Turner said the Coalition of Peaks' message was clear: "Closing the Gap is not the sole responsibility of the Indigenous Affairs portfolio."
"We all have a vital role to play, and by working together in genuine partnership with First Nations people and organisations, we can make a real difference and make the next three years count," she said.
