Newly announced Minister for Indigenous Australians, Malarndirri McCarthy, has said the Makarrata Commission would be "very difficult" to pursue without bipartisan support.
The statement comes after the Labor government has been accused by Indigenous groups of avoiding responsibility after the referendum defeat, with some critics arguing they've passed on the responsibility of truth-telling and treaty - two of the three elements of the Uluru Statement from the Heart - to the states.
Senator McCarthy has been forced to defend the government's position after the Prime Minister told Insiders last weekend that talking to Indigenous organisations was the best way to engage with First Nations people, as opposed to setting up a formal commission to oversee agreements and truth-telling.
In response to questions from the Greens in the Senate on Monday, who pressed the government to recommit to the Makarrata Commission, the Northern Territory Senator said the Albanese government maintained a "strong commitment" to the Uluru Statement, remaining "firm" in terms of the statement's principles: Voice. Treaty. Truth.
She noted, however, the Prime Minister's statement at the Garma Festival, where he said he saw it as an opportunity to "reset, regroup, regather".
Senator McCarthy has been outspoken in her support for Indigenous-led responses to closing the gap, and said "it is important the next steps [after the referendum defeat] bring people together".
"We saw what happens when people do not walk together on the issue and area of First Nations people," she said.
The Greens have introduced legislation in the Senate towards establishing a national truth and justice commission or Makarrata, and called for the Labor government to offer explicit re-commitment to Makarrata and to "stop denying First Nations people justice in this country".
In a follow-up question, Senator McCarthy was asked why Labor was breaking their election promise and "gaslighting First Nations people" over its U-turn. She argued the government had previously committed to Makarrata and had budgeted for it.
Senator McCarthy argued "there is certainly no gaslighting going on in terms of this discussion", and highlighted Opposition leader Peter Dutton's statement during Garma (where he didn't attend) that there would be "no Makarrata and there will be no revisiting of truth telling".
While saying Labor was supportive of an inquiry into the Greens' bill, she said they had "learned from the referendum and the pain and hardship that that created for First Nations people in this country".
"We will not endeavour going down that pathway without the support of the opposition," Senator McCarthy said.
Highlighting Mr Dutton's comments, she added: "And so that makes that pathway very difficult to tread."
The new Minster for Aboriginal Australians, Malarndirri McCarthy, just told the Senate that Labor won't honour their promise for a Makarrata Commission without the support of the Coalition.
What a cop out.
Where is the leadership from Minister McCarthy and this government?
— Senator Lidia Thorpe (@SenatorThorpe) August 12, 2024
On social media, independent Senator Lidia Thorpe described the statement as a "cop out".
"The new Minister for Aboriginal Australians, Malarndirri McCarthy, just told the Senate that Labor won't honour their promise for a Makarrata Commission without the support of the Coalition," Senator Thorpe said.
"Labor have a majority in the House and a crossbench in the Senate that would pass legislation for this. They are the party in power who can make change and should be. But they are just gutless and paralysed.
"Shifting blame to the Coalition shows incredible weakness."
Last week, one the architects of the Uluru Statement, Pat Anderson, said she feared the PM was abandoning his government's commitment to create a Makarrata, or Indigenous truth-telling, commission, by trying to reduce it to "a vague vibe or a series of casual conversations".
Asked in Parliament on Monday if he had "ruled out" the creation of a Makarrata or truth-telling commission, the Prime Minister said it wasn't his government's focus.
"During the referendum that was held last year, I was asked on multiple occasions a range of questions. I was asked about treaty, and I indicated continually the same answer," he said.
"I referred to the same answer before the referendum as afterwards; that is not the focus that we have."
