Independent senator Lidia Thorpe has added her voice to growing calls for a royal commission into racism against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, describing racism as "like a cancer" that needs to be exposed in detail.
Thorpe, a Djab Wurrung, Gunnai, and Gunditjmah woman, made the comments as part of a push to elevate the issue to the highest level of national inquiry. She is a member of the parliamentary committee currently collecting testimony from First Nations people across the country about their experiences of racism.
Garma Festival calls
The senator's backing follows similar calls made by Indigenous leaders at the Garma Festival in North East Arnhem Land last weekend. Northern Land Council chairman Matthew Ryan told reporters the parliamentary inquiry had exposed systemic racism and argued it should be upgraded to a royal commission.
"This should be a royal commission. We continue to drag our feet," Ryan said. "For a long time we were not heard; we want to be heard. We must eliminate systemic racism. It's real."
Ryan also gave evidence to the parliamentary committee investigating racism, hate and violence towards Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People, where he compared the Northern Territory Country Liberal Party (CLP) government's child removal policy, Indigenous over-representation in prison, and the suicide rate to "modern day slavery".
Thorpe's call for broader terms
Thorpe had initially called for the terms of reference for the existing royal commission investigating antisemitism and social cohesion to be broadened to include racism against First Nations Australians. She said the government was not interested in that approach.
"The government weren't interested. They just wanted to focus on antisemitism. There's racism against black and brown people in this country that's actually killing us," she said.
Thorpe expressed concern that the parliamentary inquiry would produce recommendations that are not implemented. "It has no teeth," she said. "We've got to beg for basic human rights, even with a federal Labor government, and it's very, very disappointing. A royal commission will bring more scrutiny. It'll have more power, and it can hold everyone to account."
Political responses at Garma
Foreign Minister Penny Wong, Indigenous Australians Minister Malarndirri McCarthy, Opposition spokesperson Julian Leeser, and Northern Territory Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro all addressed the Garma forums. However, Ryan said he would have liked to see more open discussion and concession from politicians about the impact of racism.
"That's the fundamental issue, as we speak, that's holding back our people in terms of expanding job opportunity, business opportunity. I see racism as playing a big role in undermining my people," he said.
Independent Northern Territory member for Mulka, Mark Yingiya Guyula, used his Garma speech to accuse the CLP government of passing "incredibly damaging" laws, including changes to bail laws and youth justice reforms. He described the policies as "steps on the path to killing our people and culture".
The Northern Territory government has been approached for a response. Finocchiaro has previously stated that the child protection policies she passed through parliament are designed to protect the rights of the child first.
