Racism across the country, particularly in the Northern Territory, "seems to be getting worse and worse every day," Senator Lidia Thorpe says, as the Territory government has been slammed for failing to appear at a Senate inquiry.
While the Senate inquiry into racism against Aboriginal people this week heard evidence about systemic racism in Territory schools, courts and the broader community, no Northern Territory Government department made a submission or appeared before the inquiry.
It comes despite the Territory recording the lowest Closing the Gap outcomes of any state or territory, its police force openly acknowledging historical systemic racism, and the government facing consistent criticism over policies that have disproportionately affected First Nations people.
"I haven't heard any excuses or apologies for not attending," Senator Thorpe told reporters in Mparntwe/Alice Springs on Friday. "They just haven't shown. They're a complete no-show.
"They're probably hiding under their desks somewhere because they don't want to deal with the very problem they are responsible for. Their policies, their legislation, and the decisions they're making in that parliament are racist. They are racist policies that are hurting ordinary people in the Northern Territory."
In a statement reported by the ABC, inquiry chair and Mutthi Mutthi and Wamba Wamba woman Senator Jana Stewart said the Northern Territory Government had explained why it would not appear.
"With almost 30 per cent of the Northern Territory's population being First Nations people, the NT government's participation is particularly important," the Labor Senator said.
All governments were invited to make submissions to the inquiry, which was launched following a series of high-profile racist incidents, including the alleged terror attack in Boorloo/Perth on January 26 and the alleged attacks on Camp Sovereignty by neo-Nazis last year.
Only the Northern Territory and Queensland governments did not make submissions.
On Thursday, while the hearing was taking place, Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro was speaking at the News Corp-sponsored Future NT forum.
The inquiry has received hundreds of submissions from government agencies, academics, legal groups and Indigenous organisations outlining the impact racism has had on First Peoples across a wide range of settings.
Appearing before the inquiry in Darwin this week, Larrakia man and community leader Eric Fejo was highly critical of the Northern Territory Government, which lowered the minimum age of criminal responsibility to 10.
"Scum of the earth locking up 10-year-old kids. What type of person does that?" he said.
Mr Fejo said it was the third Senate inquiry he had appeared before, arguing those with the power to make change preferred to live in an illusion.
"I know what you mob get paid. You mob need to do your job," he said.
Aboriginal Medical Services Alliance Northern Territory chair Rob McPhee told the inquiry racism created an environment where people were less inclined or able to look after themselves.
"It affects the way you make decisions about the food you eat, the alcohol you drink, your behaviour, all becomes impacted from the way you perceive yourself," he said.
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Senator Thorpe told reporters racism was "out of control," with non-Indigenous people increasingly believing it was acceptable to be racist.
"It is dividing communities, dividing the nation," she said.
"I'm hearing so many horrible stories, real-life stories, of systemic racism, but also the racism people face just walking down the street or trying to access their basic human rights.
"It's out of control, particularly in the Northern Territory. It seems to be getting worse and worse every day. Unless there is systemic change, it's only going to get worse."
Speaking at the inquiry's hearing in Perth, National Indigenous Times Social Media and Marketing Officer Leanne Djilandi Dolby said a typical day in her role involved dealing with and filtering an overwhelming volume of racist abuse across the organisation's social media platforms.
"I log into social media, delete comments and despite the hundreds of comments I delete and the accounts I block, I often refresh the page and I am flooded with comments that tell us that Aboriginal people deserve to die, that racial discrimination is justified," the Noongar Yamatji Naaguja Nanda nyarlu (woman) said on Monday.
"It goes back to the simple fact that the Australian dream is the blackfella nightmare."
With AAP
