BEN FRANKLIN, NSW MINISTER FOR ABORIGINAL AFFAIRS: Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for joining us here at the Joint Council on Closing the Gap. We are particularly honoured to host this extraordinary and important event in Sydney. This is a meeting between obviously the Federal Minister and all State Ministers for Aboriginal and Indigenous Affairs, along with representatives from the Coalition of Peak Aboriginal Organisations in the nation. And of course, we're also very pleased to have a representative from the Australian Local Government Association, the president Linda Scott. We couldn't be more proud to be doing this in New South Wales. We're incredibly proud of our record of delivery with our local Coalition of Aboriginal Peak Organisations providing record investment into closing the gap in this state. And we are so honoured to be working with all of our colleagues around the nation in genuine partnership, in true collaboration to ensure that closing gap is achieved across this nation. I'll now hand to Minister Burney, then to Pat Turner, and then we'll take some questions.
LINDA BURNEY, MINISTER FOR INDIGENOUS AUSTRALIANS: Good morning and thank you all for coming. And thank you Minister Franklin for hosting us today. And enormous respect to Pat Turner, heading up the Peak Organisations, other representatives of peak organisations, Ministers and local government. Today the Joint Council is meeting in Sydney and our job is to work very closely across the country, with local government on closing the gap that exists between First Nations people and the rest of the community. There are very significant things that we'll be examining today. And the announcement this morning of an enormous infrastructure spend in health is so important. Aboriginal community health organisations across the country, were the forefront absolutely of COVID-19 and provided sometimes the only service in many communities across Australia. The funding that the Albanese Labor government is putting into health infrastructure is a record spend. And I'm going to invite Pat Turner in a moment to outline that. But we know that there is an enormous gap in every social indicator between Indigenous people and the rest of the community. None more so than in health. The level of renal disease, the level of cardiovascular disease, the level of cancer, and on every score, Aboriginal people fall behind dramatically in terms of health outcomes in this country. It is unacceptable. It is not appropriate and Aboriginal Health Organisations, community based organisations across the country are absolutely integral to making sure that we close that gap in health indicators. I'll ask Pat now to speak about the actual announcement. And clearly, one of the things that's very important, is the advice that we get. The work that we do in collaboration with the Coalition of Peak Organisations, to make sure that the decisions that government makes, are the decisions that are best suited, particularly in all of the areas that closing that gap outlines.
PAT TURNER, LEAD CONFERENCE, COALITION OF THE PEAKS: Thank you Minister Franklin and Minister Burney. Good morning, everyone. It's great that you've been able to come along this morning, and we're very pleased with the investment of $120 million in the Aboriginal community controlled health sector for 52 infrastructure programs across the country. It is absolutely vital. Our sector is now over 50 years old and as you can imagine, some of our infrastructure is getting a bit tired and certainly needs to be updated with modern clinical standards and we're very grateful for the increased amount of funding from Minister Burney and the Albanese government. As I said this is vital and as the Minister said it is vital to our work. On Closing the Gap, the recent report that was tabled by the Commonwealth in the parliament showed that not all of the targets are on track and we are falling behind. And that's why we meet with Joint Council, so that we can make sure that we understand where the measures need to be improved. But underpinning the whole of the Closing the Gap are the four priority reforms. That is the way that will change the manner in which government works with our people in true partnership, in building and strengthening the community controlled sector, in changing mainstream organisations so that they are culturally safe and respectful in their dealings with our people right across the country and in sharing data and information with our people in partnerships from the local, regional, national and state level. So we've got a lot of work to do today. So thank you for coming along. And I'd like to wish you all a very happy Christmas and New Year. Thank you.
JOURNALIST: Minister Franklin, do you personally support the Voice to parliament?
BEN FRANKLIN, NSW MINISTER FOR ABORIGINAL AFFAIRS: My view is the same as the New South Wales government's view which is that I support the Voice in-principle and that I'm looking forward to receiving some more information from the Federal government, that the Federal Minister has agreed to provide and we look forward to receiving it.
JOURNALIST: So will the New South Wales Government be backing a Voice to parliament?
BEN FRANKLIN, NSW MINISTER FOR ABORIGINAL AFFAIRS: Well, as I say, the NSW government backs the Voice in-principle. We have made that very clear, but we'll be looking forward to receiving more information about the logistics and how it will be implemented before we land on a final determination.
JOURNALIST: Will you declare your position before the state election?
BEN FRANKLIN, NSW MINISTER FOR ABORIGINAL AFFAIRS: That's a decision of cabinet.
JOURNALIST: And should the federal Liberal Party support the Voice?
BEN FRANKLIN, NSW MINISTER FOR ABORIGINAL AFFAIRS: I'm not going to comment on the views of the federal Liberal Party or in fact, anyone else in the community. What I would say is to members of the Federal Liberal Party, in fact, any member of the community across the state that they should be approaching the Voice with both an open heart and an open mind.
JOURNALIST: Minister Burney, you've said this funding demonstrates the government's commitment to Closing the Gap. To what extent are you expecting the gap to close as a result of this health funding?
LINDA BURNEY, MINISTER FOR INDIGENOUS AUSTRALIANS: The importance of this funding, is it goes to Aboriginal community controlled organisations to improve a whole range of things including accommodation, as Pat said, improve clinical standards and make sure the infrastructure is fit for purpose. The infrastructure spend is $120 million, on top of what has already been outlined by the Albanese government. This funding and its distribution is the business of the Coalition of Peaks. We hope and anticipate that this funding will improve the life expectancy gaps that exist with First Nations people.
JOURNALIST: Peak bodies representing Indigenous Australians in the Northern Territory have thrown their support behind a Voice to Parliament. Are you encouraged by this support given the opposition of the Northern Territory Senator Jacinta Price?
LINDA BURNEY, MINISTER FOR INDIGENOUS AUSTRALIANS I'm not going to get into personal discussions. I note that the National Party federally is not united on this particular point. In fact, there are two National Party MPs in the federal parliament that are going to support a Voice to the Parliament, as is the West Australian National Party and as Minister Franklin said, in-principle support from states and territories, as well as First Ministers across the country. That is very significant. I very much appreciate the support that's come from Northern Territory peak organisations, but there are organisations right across this country that are supporting the initiative, including the corporate and the faith sector. Thank you, everyone.