Connecting Australians to one another

For 123 years the Commonwealth has had the role of connecting Australians to one another. When Australia Federated, Canberra was bush. Today it is still our Bush Capital. Here in WA, the enthusiasm in Coolgardie for Federation outpaced even Perth CBD.

On 1 January 1901 the largest Commonwealth department was the Postmaster General. 89 per cent of all public servants worked there, and in the years that followed we went so much further.

I have received a copy of the independent review into the progress of the Anindilyakwa Land Council (ALC) in addressing the recommendations of a governance audit undertaken by the Australian National Audit Office (ANAO).

The review was commissioned earlier this year by the National Indigenous Australians Agency (NIAA).

The review shows that the ALC’s governance, operations and decision-making remain deficient.

The Albanese Labor Government has welcomed the return of six First Nations ancestors from New Zealand in a cultural ceremony at the Auckland War Memorial Museum today.

Five ancestors have been returned by the Auckland War Memorial Museum, and one ancestor returned by the University of Auckland.

Community representatives from the Dambeemangaddee community of Collier Bay, Western Australia, travelled to New Zealand to take part in the ceremony and will accompany their ancestor home.

Thank you Aunty Dorothia and Uncle Rocky for the wonderful Welcome to Country.

As a Saltwater woman from the Yanyuwa Garrawa people, I pay my respects to the Larrakia people and their ancestors, past, present and emerging.

I extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people here today.

Welcome to the Dangkal Gwo’yal-wa First Nations Land and Water Management Forum.

I’d like to thank Larrakia Nation Aboriginal Corporation for so warmly welcoming attendees at the forum.

TOM CONNELL, HOST: Joining me now, regular panellists, Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister Patrick Gorman and former Liberal MP and New South Wales party president Jason Falinski. Pat, just starting with you on this, what do you think of the actual members, the workers that are sending this message to Labor? Presumably that they think the CFMEU is a really well-run union, and it should keep going as it is?

Indigenous land and water managers from across Australia will gather on Larrakia Country in Darwin from 27 to 29 August at the Dangkal Gwo’yal-wa (Strong Country) Land and Water Management Forum.

For the first time in over a decade, Indigenous rangers and Indigenous Protected Area (IPA) providers will gather together and have an opportunity to build stronger connections and share the knowledge needed to care for Country into the future.

PATRICK GORMAN, ASSISTANT MINISTER TO THE PRIME MINISTER: Firstly, I would like to say on behalf of the Perth community a huge thank you to Minister Whitby and Minister Jarvis for this investment in more trees. There's been really great understanding by people across Western Australia about the tough decisions that needs to be made to beat the Borer and we have invested as the Commonwealth Government, $19.9 million to make sure that we do everything we can to have a strong biosecurity response.

Today the Albanese Labor Government is releasing the report from the independent Rapid Review of Prevention Approaches to help stop gender-based violence.

The Government thanks the Expert Panel for their work and will now consider the recommendations of the Review.

GREG JENNETT: Malarndirri McCarthy is the Minister for Indigenous Australians, and she joins us in the studio right now. Senator, welcome back to the program, I'm pleased to say, our first time since your elevation, so congratulations.

MALARNDIRRI McCARTHY: Thank you, Greg. Lovely to be here.

ROSS SOLLY, HOST: Busy day up on the Hill today, I think it’s the last sitting day for a couple of weeks. So, a lot of stuff to get through and a lot of important laws are now being debated before both Houses, including new superannuation – new superannuation benefits for people on maternity leave. Katy Gallagher is the Minister for Women and of course is also an ACT Senator and joins us on the show. Senator Gallagher, good to have you on the show.

SENATOR THE HON KATY GALLAGHER, MINISTER FOR FINANCE: Thanks for having me on, Ross.