Australian Indigenous Leaders Discuss Divergent Paths for National Agenda Post-Voice Referendum

Improving Lives: The Path Forward for Indigenous Affairs

Improving the lives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people remains a continuous challenge. Since the Voice referendum, Indigenous affairs have received less national attention, with limited agreement on the path forward. While the government emphasizes "economic empowerment" and the opposition calls for "practical outcomes," community leaders advocate for addressing issues such as changing the date of Australia Day, action on deaths in custody, and establishing a national truth-telling process. The ABC spoke to three First Nations leaders—Kerrynne Liddle, Travis Lovett, and Megan Davis—regarding their priorities for 2026. Federal Indigenous Australians Minister Malarndirri McCarthy declined an interview request.

Views on Truth-Telling

Travis Lovett believes a national truth-telling process can be transformative for healing the nation. As a former Yoorrook commissioner in Victoria, he spent four years engaging with Indigenous communities as part of the state's truth and justice commission. Yoorrook's final report informed Victoria's first treaty with Indigenous peoples.

Lovett observed a national desire for truth-telling during his work and plans to walk from Melbourne to Canberra in April to advocate for a national process.

"We need a national truth-telling process. We have waited long enough."

He emphasizes that progress requires a foundation of truth.

Megan Davis, an architect of the Uluru Statement from the Heart, acknowledged that "Voice, treaty, truth generally have been aspirations of our people for a long time." However, she expressed skepticism about a standalone national truth-telling process, suggesting that the day-to-day challenges of living in Aboriginal communities often take precedence.

Davis also indicated that such commissions might divert energy from other critical areas, questioning the government's ability to establish a new institution given existing challenges like "Closing the Gap."

Shadow Minister for Indigenous Australians Kerrynne Liddle also expressed reservations, asking:

"What is truth-telling? Who benefits from truth-telling?"

She reported that her discussions in communities primarily focus on health and housing, rather than colonization or truth-telling.

Travis Lovett stated that support for truth-telling is growing, and First Nations people have consistently advocated for sharing their truth. He referenced the Prime Minister's public commitments to implement the Uluru Statement from the Heart, which includes truth-telling.

Lovett views his walk as an opportunity to highlight ongoing injustices and advocate for accountability regarding issues like over-representation in the justice system, homelessness, and child protection statistics. He stressed that "truth without justice is fragile" and emphasized the necessity of First Nations people's involvement in decision-making for self-determination.

Service Delivery and Closing the Gap

Senator Liddle, who became Shadow Indigenous Australians Minister in May of the previous year, has criticized publicly funded service providers, including Aboriginal community-controlled organizations (ACCOs), for Indigenous communities. She called for accountability from these organizations in delivering services, stating, "We need to be demanding better of those services, whomever they are, to deliver better for people." Her focus includes women, children, and employment.

Regarding the effect of stricter bail and sentencing laws on "Closing the Gap" targets for reducing youth detention, Senator Liddle questioned the focus on incarceration rates. She advocated for focusing on preventative measures, such as keeping children in schools, ensuring their health, and promoting healthy parenting, to keep them out of custody.

Dr. Davis supported increased attention on "Closing the Gap" metrics, noting the lack of significant progress across most indicators. Federal Indigenous Australians Minister Malarndirri McCarthy acknowledged that efforts to "Close the Gap" are "far from done," while pointing to federal investments in Indigenous health, housing, remote jobs, and initiatives to reduce grocery prices in remote stores.

Travis Lovett argued that truth-telling is necessary to provide context for "Closing the Gap" statistics, explaining how government policies have adversely affected First Nations people by connecting past colonial roots to present challenges.

The Path Forward: Economic Empowerment and Constitutional Rights

Following the Voice referendum's outcome, the federal government's Indigenous affairs agenda has focused on "economic empowerment." Dr. Davis suggested that the success of these policies would be limited without constitutional rights, contrasting Australia's situation with that of Canada and the United States, which have established "robust treaties and robust constitutional recognition" as foundational elements for economic initiatives.

Based on her observations of political processes overseas, Dr. Davis emphasized a resilient approach to political setbacks. She stated that the Voice referendum's outcome was a:

"political loss at a point in time" that "doesn't undermine the importance of the key reform that was in there, and that is the Voice to Parliament and constitutional recognition."

She advocated for moving forward and strategizing for future efforts.