INQUIRY INTO NATIVE TITLE BODIES AND LAND COUNCILS VOTED DOWN AGAIN

The Labor government have today voted against a motion that would establish an Inquiry into Native Title bodies.

The motion was shot down by the Labor Party, the Australian Greens and Independent senators Fatima Payman, David Pocock and Tammy Tyrrell in a 31-33 vote.

The Labor government has chosen to vote against an Inquiry that would ensure that Indigenous traditional owners have fair and transparent bodies to represent their interests in land,” said Senator Nampijinpa Price.

“The Albanese government’s suggestion that this would simply be a duplication of the existing Law Reform Commission Review into Native Title is ill-conceived.”

“This Inquiry would examine the statutory bodies that have been given responsibility for the management of land and funding – that is not the ambit of the current Review being undertaken by the Australian Law Reform Commission” Senator Nampijinpa Price said.

“By voting against this motion, Anthony Albanese and his government are refusing to listen to the widespread frustration and desperation of Indigenous Australians who are living with the realities of a painfully broken native title system.”

Senator Nampijinpa Price said “we know that these bodies are not functioning the way they could be, and the Albanese government is shutting down any attempt to get them back on course.”

“Anthony Albanese says he wants economic independence for Indigenous Australians, but he won’t support a motion that would give them the best chance of that happening.”

“His opposition to this motion should be proof to all Australians that this is a Prime Minister and a government that is so obviously two-faced and cannot be trusted,” said Senator Nampijinpa Price

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