Senator Nampijinpa Price talks to Steve Price, Sky News

1 May 2026

Subjects: Kumanjayi Granites

E&OE……………

STEVE PRICE:

We're now joined by Senator for the Northern Territory and Alice Springs local, Jacinta Nampijinpa Price. Senator, answer the question there: do we know if our senior minister, whether an Indigenous Affairs Minister in a Labor government or a Prime Minister, has ever been to one of those town camps?

SENATOR JACINTA NAMPIJINPA PRICE:

Well, sadly, I would imagine that the current Minister for Indigenous Affairs has been in several town camps, which poses the question: why doesn't this government do more? And why haven’t they previously heeded the calls for a Royal Commission into the sexual abuse of Indigenous children? Why haven't they heeded the calls previously to audit those who are responsible for improving the lives of those living in town camps? I would imagine that the Prime Minister himself hasn't set foot; that's why he delegates responsibility to others, to make it appear as though he cares. Which, like I said, I know that the current minister has set foot there. So why isn't there action from this government? That is the question.

STEVE PRICE:

I just want to offer my condolences. I know that you are connected to Kumanjayi Little Baby. So I know it must be tough for you, and I know the family is doing it really hard. I just want to stick on this issue of these camps: why do they exist?

SENATOR JACINTA NAMPIJINPA PRICE:

So, Alice Springs town camps were set up for a number of reasons. They were set up for people who were travelling from communities into Alice Springs, for movement between those communities, for cultural connections, but I suppose, and you know, these have been homes to many Aboriginal communities. A large number of my family live in town camps. I've spent a lot of my childhood connected to town camps. I've seen a lot of the violence firsthand. I have literally picked up the bodies of loved ones and put them into body bags in town camps. But their existence does not justify unsafe conditions. And our children should not have to live in such unsafe conditions, and I suppose I'm upset, but I'm also frustrated because these issues, I have fought to bring to the forefront for many, many years now. And those who have held the power to make change have not done so, particularly in the last few years. And, you know, it's high time that those of us — ultimately, we're all responsible for this. It has been suggested by some community leaders that we don't talk about town camps, but it would be remiss of me as an aunt to the Little One and as an elected parliamentarian to ignore the plight of those living in town camps and the circumstances under which they live and the many who are responsible for the upkeep of town camps, for the conditions of town camps. So, you know, things need to change, Steve. Things need to change.

STEVE PRICE:

They do. I mean, and your tears I think are being shared by many more Australians tonight than you'd realise, because as you and I both know with these news cycles, there is sometimes an event that takes place, and I said this at the start of the show, that gets into people's heads. And it's so shocking and so disturbing that people are now going to demand, obviously, that some change happens. Non-Aboriginal Australians, and you have prosecuted this case perfectly, seen millions of dollars going into Aboriginal welfare, and yet we have a situation like this, where that poor little girl was living and where that little girl tragically died.

SENATOR JACINTA NAMPIJINPA PRICE:

Yes, absolutely. You know, and obviously Closing The Gap is not working. You can throw as much money at a situation, but if it's not working, well then we need to understand why it is not working. What I've seen over the years is segregation being applied to these circumstances, which very much means that Indigenous Australians, especially the most vulnerable, are being treated separately to the rest of the country. There's a culture of allowing the racism of low expectations, where there is an acceptance, a tolerance of the state of living for our children, for our people in places like town camps. I would ask every single parliamentarian, especially in federal Parliament, especially the Teals, each and every Teal that I invited to visit these places with me when I was very first elected, not a single one of them actually took up my invitation. To parliamentarians who have been in power, those who have called out to me to say, well, you know, if you know of circumstances where a child has been in a vulnerable situation, report that — and I have reported that — but these excuses that have been applied and used. I'm not about trying to paint every Indigenous person or every Indigenous man, for that matter, as a bad person. What I'm asking us to have is an honest, truthful conversation and for leadership to take place. I'll call on all parliamentarians of all political backgrounds to do that seriously, because it's not just the tragedy of my niece in these circumstances, but it's the many tragedies before over and over again. I don't want for in six months' time this to be completely forgotten about and swept under the rug, and we've all moved on from this situation. There needs to be a change, and there needs to be accountability. We are all accountable to this situation, every single one of us, including organisations, where the segregation has occurred, where we've been told as Aboriginal people, only Aboriginal organisations can fix our lives. Well, clearly that formula has not worked. We're going to be honest about that, and we're going to have honest conversations going forward.

STEVE PRICE:

You prosecute the case very well. Do Indigenous people have discussions within their own circles about the level of domestic violence and child abuse? Do they talk themselves about the problem they have? I'm not suggesting it only happens in Indigenous communities. It happens in every community. And we have spent a lot of time as non-Indigenous Australians talking about domestic violence issues. It seems to be worse within Indigenous communities, and I don't know why, is it alcohol, is drugs? I don't know. Do you?

SENATOR JACINTA NAMPIJINPA PRICE:

Look, there are a number of reasons that impact, and there are conversations that happen and a lot of those conversations are hushed. A lot of these conversations are held from those who've been victimised. Many people are very fearful of having open and honest conversations, which is why something like a royal commission would give them the opportunity to have in-camera conversations about how they've been victimised, how their family have been victimised, and those processes would be able to protect them as well. But those conversations do happen. There is a lot of protection for those who cause harm. In a traditional context, quite often, you are expected to defend your family, even if they have caused harm, or excuse family who have caused harm, and this is an ongoing battle that we as those who have experienced harm ourselves, who have tried to protect family members, have continued to face. You know, there are victims who often have to leave communities entirely for their own safety because they are not safe, and they are safe not just from the perpetrator who might have been re-released from jail, but the perpetrator's family, who will often go to the perpetrator's defence. There are internal issues that we need to address honestly ourselves as well if we really are serious about protecting our vulnerable.  When I talk about this, the worst thing that happens is there are those who accuse me of being a race traitor. Well, I don't view Aboriginal people as just a race. I view Aboriginal Australians and the victims within them as Australian citizens who deserve the same protections as everybody in this country. I don't think we should be reduced to just simply race. If you have true concern for the welfare of our vulnerable, then you would stand up for them no matter what. You wouldn't be attacking someone like me who has been relentlessly talking about these issues to the point where I'm exhausted from it. But we still have to keep going. We still have to keep going.

STEVE PRICE:

Exactly. Senator, more power to you. Thank you very much for interrupting what's happening there in Adelaide. I know that Sky, particularly people like myself and Peta and others will talk about it a lot, so I appreciate your time. We'll talk again soon. Thank you.

SENATOR JACINTA NAMPIJINPA PRICE:

Thank you, Steve.

[Ends]