36Th Regular Session of the Human Rights Council

Clustered interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the rights of Indigenous peoples (agenda items 3 & 5)

36th regular session of the Human Rights Council

Wednesday 20 September 2017 (12.00am-3.00pm)

June Oscar AO, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner, Australian Human Rights Commission

Thankyou Chair,

This statement is made on behalf of the Australian Human Rights Commission, Australia’s A-status Human Rights institution.

I would like to start by extending my thanks to the Special Rapporteur for her report on the status of Indigenous rights in Australia, and for her time with me and my team in Sydney in the very first few days of my term.

As the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner, it is my role to raise awareness of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander rights throughout Australia, and to provide guidance to Government on how to promote and protect these rights.

I share the Special Rapporteur’s frustration that despite the clear and repeated recommendations made since her predecessor’s visit in 2009, many of these recommendations have not been implemented in practice despite Australia’s stated commitments.

I also note that throughout her end of mission statement, the Special Rapporteur observes the failure of government to adequately support and meaningfully engage with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders’ voices, to support our right to self-determination and to ensure our full and effective participation in decision-making.

Importantly, the statement links this failure to support and engage with our voice to the government’s failure to deliver on health, education and employment targets and to aggravating the escalating incarceration and child removal rates of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders.

This resonated with me deeply. Without our voice, and without security of place in our own land, the empowerment of our people will remain out of reach, as too will the goal of closing the gap on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander disadvantage.

As was stated by representatives from all over the country who convened at Uluru in May this year:

When we have power over our destiny our children will flourish. They will walk in two worlds and their culture will be a gift to their country. We call for the establishment of a First Nations Voice enshrined in the Constitution. Makarrata is the culmination of our agenda: the coming together after a struggle. It captures our aspirations for a fair and truthful relationship with the people of Australia and a better future for our children based on justice and self-determination.

I call on our government to heed their call. Thank you