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Malcolm Turnbull breaks down in tearful interview with Stan Grant Malcolm Turnbull breaks down in tearful interview with Stan Grant
(6 months later)
Malcolm Turnbull has choked back tears when talking about the importance of maintaining Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture, in his first sit-down interview with National Indigenous Television.Malcolm Turnbull has choked back tears when talking about the importance of maintaining Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture, in his first sit-down interview with National Indigenous Television.
Related: Closing the Gap 2016 report: Indigenous infant mortality down, but no change in most targets
The prime minister broke down during his interview with NITV host and Guardian Australia’s Indigenous affairs editor, Stan Grant, when recalling a lullaby sung in the Ngunnawal language.The prime minister broke down during his interview with NITV host and Guardian Australia’s Indigenous affairs editor, Stan Grant, when recalling a lullaby sung in the Ngunnawal language.
“The thing that’s so sad is to imagine that mother singing that story to her [child] at a time when you’re losing culture,” Turnbull said. “The last thing that baby was was safe. That’s why it made me sad.”“The thing that’s so sad is to imagine that mother singing that story to her [child] at a time when you’re losing culture,” Turnbull said. “The last thing that baby was was safe. That’s why it made me sad.”
Turnbull spoke of the importance of encouraging hope not despair in grassroots communities, but acknowledged that ending Indigenous disadvantage would not be an easy task.Turnbull spoke of the importance of encouraging hope not despair in grassroots communities, but acknowledged that ending Indigenous disadvantage would not be an easy task.
“There’s no silver bullet,” he said. “I think one of the reasons there has been so much disappointment in the outcome of policy here is because everyone has been searching for the one big sweeping answer.”“There’s no silver bullet,” he said. “I think one of the reasons there has been so much disappointment in the outcome of policy here is because everyone has been searching for the one big sweeping answer.”
He vowed to take a more active role in consulting with communities.He vowed to take a more active role in consulting with communities.
“We should do things with Indigenous Australians, not to them. We have to recognise that diversity and be guided by Indigenous Australians,” the prime minister said. “The importance of working with people so they make their choices and feel like they’re being supported.”“We should do things with Indigenous Australians, not to them. We have to recognise that diversity and be guided by Indigenous Australians,” the prime minister said. “The importance of working with people so they make their choices and feel like they’re being supported.”
He stepped back from his predecessor Tony Abbott’s promise to spend one week a year in an Aboriginal community, saying remote communities are not reflective of the broader “diverse experiences” of Indigenous Australians.He stepped back from his predecessor Tony Abbott’s promise to spend one week a year in an Aboriginal community, saying remote communities are not reflective of the broader “diverse experiences” of Indigenous Australians.
“Remote communities represent some of the biggest challenges in Indigenous affairs and I am completely committed to working with my colleagues and more importantly, Indigenous people.“Remote communities represent some of the biggest challenges in Indigenous affairs and I am completely committed to working with my colleagues and more importantly, Indigenous people.
“That is where often the social problems are the greatest, and that is why they are a very keen focus of government policy,” Turnbull said. “But we’ve also got to recognise too that more Aboriginal people live in cities and towns and we cannot solely see policy through the prism of remote communities.”“That is where often the social problems are the greatest, and that is why they are a very keen focus of government policy,” Turnbull said. “But we’ve also got to recognise too that more Aboriginal people live in cities and towns and we cannot solely see policy through the prism of remote communities.”
The prime minister said he would stick with the agreed timeframe of 2017 for a referendum on the recognition of Indigenous people in the Australian constitution, but only “if it can be carried”.The prime minister said he would stick with the agreed timeframe of 2017 for a referendum on the recognition of Indigenous people in the Australian constitution, but only “if it can be carried”.
Related: Stan Grant: I can tell you how Adam Goodes feels. Every Indigenous person has felt it
“I believe it is feasible to have a vote next year ... but we have to get that agreement, and we will need overwhelming support for it to be carried,” he said. “It has to be language that is acceptable to the whole community otherwise it won’t get past.”“I believe it is feasible to have a vote next year ... but we have to get that agreement, and we will need overwhelming support for it to be carried,” he said. “It has to be language that is acceptable to the whole community otherwise it won’t get past.”
2017 will mark the 50th anniversary of the referendum to count Indigenous Australians in the census.2017 will mark the 50th anniversary of the referendum to count Indigenous Australians in the census.
The referendum could be the second time following the 2016 federal election that a public vote takes place, as the Coalition has pledged to hold a plebiscite on same-sex marriage if it holds office.The referendum could be the second time following the 2016 federal election that a public vote takes place, as the Coalition has pledged to hold a plebiscite on same-sex marriage if it holds office.
The 2016 Closing the Gap report showed little progress in the targets that underscore entrenched Indigenous disadvantage. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples still die earlier than non-Indigenous Australians, and they are more likely to have chronic illnesses and poorer educational outcomes.The 2016 Closing the Gap report showed little progress in the targets that underscore entrenched Indigenous disadvantage. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples still die earlier than non-Indigenous Australians, and they are more likely to have chronic illnesses and poorer educational outcomes.
Despite the poor progress on the existing targets, Labor wants the government to include a new target on incarceration rates. Indigenous adult men are 15 times more likely to go to jail than other Australians.Despite the poor progress on the existing targets, Labor wants the government to include a new target on incarceration rates. Indigenous adult men are 15 times more likely to go to jail than other Australians.
Turnbull said he was working with the Indigenous affairs minister, Nigel Scullion, on new programs that help at-risk people find a pathway to employment, but would not commit to a new justice target.Turnbull said he was working with the Indigenous affairs minister, Nigel Scullion, on new programs that help at-risk people find a pathway to employment, but would not commit to a new justice target.