Dr WOODRUFF question to PREMIER, Mr ROCKLIFF
Next Tuesday is the Aboriginal Reconciliation Week breakfast, and I hope you are attending. Uncle Jim Everett Puralia Meenamata is the key speaker. I asked a question for him to you in parliament last year. He said, ‘The Palawa of Lutruwita/Tasmania never ceded their rights under law in country.’ Unfortunately, you refused his request to meet and discuss it. Premier, since colonisation Palawa have always demanded a treaty and land returns. Three years ago, your government promised to deliver a truth‑telling process and a treaty.
Last year you met with Tasmanian Aboriginal community representatives and promised you would progress a treaty. Yesterday, your government abandoned this promise. Even worse, your Cabinet colleague Felix Ellis used that as an opportunity to celebrate a win in a culture war. With this level of betrayal, how will you look Tasmanian Aboriginal people in the eye next week and tell them that your government is committed to reconciliation and justice?
ANSWER
Honourable Speaker, I thank the member for her question. I will be attending the breakfast next week, as I have done, not last year unfortunately, but for four years prior. It is always an uplifting experience, but we are also reminded of the tragedies and our very dark history in Tasmania.
My views on Aboriginal reconciliation are well known. My advocacy for a yes vote in the referendum is well known, and my support for practical measures to close the gap, which we are a signatory to nationally. We are ensuring that we are investing in social enterprise – the Palawa Business Hub; the opportunities for the abalone licences, which we announced last December. That is very good example of social enterprise and reinvesting to support Aboriginal people and communities, including the area of training and the wonderful opportunity of First Nations produce and product, which we can celebrate.
Prior to yesterday’s announcement of the Closing the Gap initiatives, truth‑telling, and healing – in my view was a major step forward, and, if I read most of the views from Tasmanian Aboriginal people and respective organisations, it was overwhelmingly positive. I recognise that our focus on a pathway forward when it comes to truth-telling and healing is not only a necessary step, but a necessary focus.
We need to go through truth-telling and healing before any more formalised agreements. There is no doubt in my mind that we can do far better as a nation and as a state in acknowledging the dark past, but also in partnership, investing in those key areas of reconciliation, to use your word today, but also those Closing the Gap initiatives. We are failing when it comes to incarceration rates.
The SPEAKER – The Premier’s time for answering the question has expired.
SUPPLEMENTARY QUESTION
Dr WOODRUFF – A supplementary question, Speaker?
The SPEAKER – I will hear the supplementary question.
Dr WOODRUFF – Thank you, Premier, for those words. You talked about the comments yesterday being overwhelmingly positive about truth-telling. They definitely were. There were also many other comments of real sadness and a sense of betrayal about not progressing a treaty. Are you personally committed to progressing a treaty with Tasmanian Aboriginal people?
The SPEAKER – I will allow the supplementary. It is a little bit close but the Premier did refer to commentary made about the announcement, so I will allow the supplementary.
Mr ROCKLIFF – I am very personally committed to reconciliation. Before any formal agreements, we need to have a journey of healing and Truth-Telling so that Tasmanian people and Tasmanian Aboriginal people have a true understanding of our history, as dark as it is, and the intergenerational trauma that Tasmanian Aboriginal people have suffered.
