Some of the attention towards First Nations people in the media is "quite negative," newly appointed Minister for Indigenous Australians, Malarndirri McCarthy, says.
Appearing on Triple J radio on Wednesday, the NT Senator also highlighted the pain many members of the Indigenous community felt after the defeated Voice referendum last year.
"That hurt is still there. It's something that we experienced recently again, when we had the Garma Festival, to hear from First Nations people who attended," she said.
"It is something that I still see when I travel across the country."
Highlighting the fact more than six million people voted Yes, she said: "I would like to still appeal to all of those Australians who voted yes to not give up."
Speaking on discussions around First Nations people in the media, the minister lamented negative commentary, which she said spilled over into parliament.
Senator McCarthy noted that commentary has tended to focus on youth crime and allegedly poor management in Aboriginal organisations, with negative tropes cited in coverage of issues including treaty, curfews and raising the age.
The Voice referendum saw a proliferation of racist comments and misinformation, especially online, with Yes campaigner Thomas Mayo telling National Indigenous Times last month: "What we saw through the referendum, and what we see still today - more intense than it has been for a long time - is a tactic of intimidation."
This week, Sky News reported Senator Jacinta Price's claims media were banned from a Treaty discussion in Victoria, prompting accusations of secrecy, despite evidence that media was not banned from the event.
"I'm conscious that the First Nations issues that seem to be in the media are very negative," Senator McCarthy said.
"I'm conscious that some of the political debate that goes on here in the Australian Parliament is quite depressing in terms of the focus on First Nations people."
She said she would continue to focus and encourage the "absolute highlights of First Nations people".
"We only have to look at the Paralympians who've come back…We've got four amazing First Nations people who've come back from that. I want to be able to point out the excellence that there is because I'm not going to talk First Nations people down," she said.
"And sometimes here in the Senate, I find too many people talk our mob down."
Having replaced the retiring Linda Burney in July, Senator McCarthy has been forced to defend her government's position on truth-telling and treaty, with the PM seemingly backing away from concrete action on the two during his appearance at Garma.
She previously said pursuing the full implementation of the Makarrata Commission would be "very difficult" to pursue without bipartisan support
Asked if the government was "actively" distancing themselves from talk of the referendum, Senator McCarthy told Triple J the "political reality" was the vote was last and cost of living was at the forefront of many people's minds.
"That's not to say we are not interested in pursuing or advancing the issues for First Nations people. It's just that we're mindful that these issues of cost of living are taking number one priority," she said.
She did, however, note the government's support for the Truth and Justice Bill, introduced by the Greens and now in a Senate inquiry.
"It will be holding hearings across the country so we can hear from all Australians," Senator McCarthy said.
"And yes, it is a bill that's been brought on by the Greens and we have supported that. And this is an opportunity for Australians to speak to the Senate about where we should go next."
