July 14, 2022
Hand of friendship for Aboriginal rights
Māori Development Minister Willie Jackson says he’s keen to share what he can with the new Australian Government as it tackles issues of indigenous rights and development.
Mr Jackson met this week with his Australian counterpart, Linda Burney, and also had a short discussion with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
He says Ms Burney brings a lifetime of activism and experience to the role, but she is the only indigenous member of the Cabinet, in contrast to Aotearoa where there are seven Maori ministers inside and outside the cabinet.
The new Government has indicated the constitutional rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders will get overdue attention.
“What we have done is swapped stories and we will continue to forward the types of strategies we have been using in terms of race relations, indigenous relations to see if we can help in any way but they have got to be careful because a lot of their things have been rejected in the past so it is going to take courage and bravery but they have got the right people in charge at the moment,” he says.