Update 17/9/2024. Now available, summary scorecards on one page – links below.
Update 10/10/2024. Added a link to the Canberra Liberals policy statement.
ANTAR ACT approached all registered political parties in the ACT before the 2024 Legislative Assembly election, with questions on five priority areas for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the ACT:
- Community control
- Justice and incarceration
- Child removals
- Aboriginal housing
- The Uluru Statement from the Heart
The ANTaR ACT election scorecards are based on the responses received.
The major party scorecard (link to overall page with scorecard and full responses – to download the full scorecard directly, click here) includes:
- ACT Labor
- ACT Greens
- Independents for Canberra (the only other party who responded with candidates in all ACT electorates).
Download major party scorecard on one page here.
The Canberra Liberals did not get their policy response to us before our deadline. On 9 October, they put out a statement on their policies for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community: Canberra Liberals announce initiatives to support local Indigenous Community – James Milligan MLA.
The minor party scorecard includes: Belco Party, Fiona Carrick Independent, First Nation Party, and Strong Independents.
Click on links here to navigate to scorecards and full statements (on this page):
* Strong Independents
* Fiona Carrick
* First Nation Party
* Belco Party
The following parties did not respond:
– Animal Justice Party, Shooters and Fishers, Family First, Democratic Labor Party, Community Action ACT, Canberra Progressives, Libertarian Party.
Download minor party scorecard on one page here.
Outcome
We rank ACT Labor, the ACT Greens, First Nations Party, and Fiona Carrick Independent as “thumbs up: – with positive commitments in a majority of priority areas. Others who responded we rank “mixed” meaning some of their policies were good, but others were weak or lacked detail.
Note: It is important to note that these election scorecards reflect parties’ election commitments – not their track record. This provides a level playing field between parties who have been in government before, and parties who have not had the opportunity to put their policies into practice. Some major parties have made similar commitments in the past, but implementation has not delivered. The best policies only make a difference if they are implemented well.
Minor party scorecards
Strong Independents
1. Community Control |
Strong Independents will seek to achieve the return of Boomanulla Oval and the Ngunnawal Bush Healing Farm to community control within 12 months. Relevant and fit for purpose communications and agreements must be reached first. |
2. Justice and Incarceration Doesn’t refer to Justice Reinvestment as a principle |
Strong Independents say resources must be put into housing, education, training and health care to maximise opportunities and prevent incarceration. The how will be determined by the first communities. Clear KPIs will be determined and progress monitored for greater transparency. |
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3. Child Removals
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No policy on this is included in the Strong Independents response. |
| 4. Aboriginal Housing |
Strong Independents say resources must be put into housing, education, training and health care to maximise opportunities and prevent incarceration. The how will be determined by the first communities. Clear KPIs will be determined and progress monitored for greater transparency. |
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5. The Uluru Statement from the Heart |
Strong Independents say Indigenous issues are at the core of our Territory. They will focus on Closing the Gap. It will become about grassroots support for people before they end up in trouble and despair – through better access to housing, education, healthcare and other support, with a huge focus on resources for the young. |
Download full statement: Strong-Independents-Statement-23Aug2024.pdf
Fiona Carrick
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1. Community Control
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Fiona will advocate for First Nations communities, community-controlled organisations and the ACT Government to work together to plan for community-controlled organisations to successfully manage:
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2. Justice and Incarceration
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Fiona will advocate for First Nations communities, community -controlled organisations and the ACT Government to work together to plan for community-controlled organisations to devise justice reinvestment programs, with First Nations communities coming together to identify the best way to prevent and reduce contact with the justice system with support to make the changes required. |
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3. Child Removals
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Fiona will advocate for First Nations communities, community-controlled organisations and the ACT Government to work together to:
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4. Aboriginal Housing
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Fiona will advocate for First Nations communities, community-controlled organisations and the ACT Government to work together to plan for community-controlled organisations to successfully manage the establishment of a community-controlled housing organisation and a housing first approach. |
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5. The Uluru Statement from the Heart
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Fiona will advocate on the ATSIEB agreement with the ACT Government to improve the governance arrangements, reporting. transparency and delivery of the action plans right across government to support the Elected Body to fulfil its role. |
Download full statement: Fiona-Carrick-statement-22Aug2024.jpg
First Nation Party
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1. Community Control
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The transfer of any land to Aboriginal people must be done in accordance with the agreement of those with the authority to speak for Country. The previous transfer of the Boomanulla Oval and the Bush Healing Farm have not worked because the proper protocols were not followed. Nor was the Aboriginal community properly supported to manage these assets. The ACT Government’s ongoing policy of blatant discrimination in favour of one family group over other family groups with connections to the ACT and surrounds is deeply offensive and is the primary cause of ongoing lateral violence in the ACT. The ACT Government has obfuscated its responsibilities between closing the gap in Indigenous disadvantage with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander residents of the ACT, and the need to work directly with the Aboriginal people who have connections to the ACT and surrounds on matters affecting their land and water rights and interests as Traditional Owners of Country. There is no basis in Australian law for the ACT Government to determine who the traditional custodians of the ACT are. |
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2. Justice and Incarceration
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The First Nation Party advocates the creation of a Closing the Gap Commission to coordinate housing, health, Justice, family and other services to Aboriginal people in the ACT. Justice reinvestment in the ACT must recognise and respect the cultural differences amongst the ACT’s Aboriginal people. The outcomes of the review currently being undertaken by academics from UTS need to be considered. The First Nation Party believes justice reinvestment should be place-based and led by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and work collaboratively with different parts of the criminal justice system, as well as the wider community, to reduce Indigenous people’s contact with the criminal justice system. Aboriginal people should have more control over justice reinvestment data, what it looks like, who has access to it and how it is used. |
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3. Child Removals
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The First Nation Party advocates the creation of a Closing the Gap Commission to coordinate housing, health, Justice, family and other services to Aboriginal people in the ACT. The First Nation Party will work with the government, opposition and cross bench to ensure that all the recommendations from Our Booris, Our Way are implemented in full. The First Nation Party will demand transparency and accountability at all levels of government and government officials. All removals must be reviewed by a panel of Aboriginal experts. Children must be returned to their parents/ family wherever possible. The government must provide the same level of funding and support services for Indigenous children as they would for mainstream carers providing out of home care. |
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4. Aboriginal Housing
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The First Nation Party advocates the creation of a Closing the Gap Commission to coordinate housing, health, Justice, family and other services to Aboriginal people in the ACT. The First Nation Party supports the call by the ACT Council of Social Service and ACT Shelter for more Aboriginal community-controlled housing for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the ACT through:
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5. The Uluru Statement from the Heart
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The First Nation Party believes that the ACT Elected Body is ineffective; its function should be reviewed. It suggests that an ACT Truth Telling Commission should have the powers of a Royal Commission, like the Yoorrook Commission in Victoria. It should have eminent Aboriginal people with no prior connections to the ACT and require government officials to produce documents and official records, call witnesses and carry out research and conduct its own investigations. The First Nation Party states that a treaty authority needs to be established to oversight the process, including the development of a treaty negotiation framework where there are no limits as to what can be brought to the table for negotiation. The Party states that the ACT is still subject to s.122 of the Constitution. The truth telling and treaty process must involve the Commonwealth as a party to the process. |
Download full statement: First-Nation-Party-Response-12Aug2024.pdf.
Belco Party
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1. Community Control
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The Belco Party wants to see community groups, non-government organisations and not-for profits who provide essential community services to be adequately funded in an ongoing manner rather than through a grants process. This is for the benefit of all Canberrans, including Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islanders. The party supports the transfer of control of both the Boomanulla Oval and the Ngunnawal Bush Healing Farm to community control. Belco party is also committed to returning control of the management of the Namadji National Park to local first nations people. |
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2. Justice and Incarceration
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An independent review of the whole of the justice system is one of the Belco party’s major policies. The party wants to see a significant investment in justice reinvestment programs, both inside and outside of the Alexander Maconochie Centre (AMC). It will seek to establish an education and training hub in the AMC, and will support programs to provide non-incarcerated offenders with access and support to further education and training. The party will seek to ensure that the next Government reinstates funding for a reintegration facility located at the AMC as a crucial element to effectively address recidivism. The party will also push for a work release program for low-risk detainees and those nearing the end of their sentences and going through the reintegration process, as job training and employment readiness is another crucial element in addressing recidivism. |
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3. Child Removals
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No policy on this is included in the Belco Party response. |
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4. Aboriginal Housing
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No policy on this is included in the Belco Party response. |
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5. The Uluru Statement from the Heart
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The Belco Party will ensure that ATSIEB is adequately funded and supported, so that the elected members have the time and access to the portfolios for which they are responsible. This in turn will ensure that the elected members are able to effectively respond to, and be held accountable by, the people who have elected them. There is no Belco party policy provided on Truth telling or Treaty. |
Authorised by Janet Hunt on behalf of ANTAR ACT.