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NEW SOUTH WALES
A New Era
Thursday, 29 November, 2007
Kevin Rudd and wife Therese
The Australian people voted with some certainty last weekend to end the reign of John Howard.
But will indigenous Australians benefit from the incoming Labor government? Is this the dawning of a new era?
VO: After 11 years the Howard era is over with Australians voting for a change of government in a land slide victory for the Australian Labor Party.
Prime Minister elect Kevin Rudd seized victory over John Howard with a swing of almost 6% to the ALP. At last count, Labour had one 82 seats to the coalitions 59. A major casualty of the coalition's defeat was former Indigenous affairs minister Mal Brough losing his Queensland seat of Longman, while John Howard looks set to lose his seat of Bennelong.
Many have expressed optimism that that this could be a new era for Indigenous affairs.
Since winning the election, Prime Minister elect Kevin Rudd has announced he will make an apology to Indigenous Australians early in his first term of government.
On election night he made particular mention of Indigenous Australians in his victory speech.
Kevin Rudd: I will be a Prime Minister for all Australians. A Prime Minister for Indigenous Australians.
VO: In conceding defeat, Mr Howard said he hoped the Rudd government would continue with its controversial Northern Territory intervention
John Howard: I particularly grief the loss of Mal Brough who led the intervention in the Northern Territory. Which represented an absolute watershed in Indigenous policy in this country and I hope that the new government of this country maintains that intervention to the full because it's very important to the long-term benefit of the first Australians.
VO: This sentiment was also shared by out going Indigenous affairs minister Mal Brough
Mal Brough: The work that we have commenced in the Northern Territory, I just hope and pray continues so I have a plea to Mr Rudd that I know that you don't agree with much of what I've done out there but not for me, but for the children of the next generation, please give them a chance, give this a chance to work. There are great people out there on the ground doing that.
VO: While the coalition's intervention raised the profile of Indigenous affairs this years, it became a deciding factor in the political career of Clare Martin resigning as NT chief minister on Monday.
She will be replaced by Paul Henderson with Marianne Scrymgour as his deputy, becoming the highest ranking indigenous Australian in government.
Clare Martin: I won't deny that the intervention has had a big impact on my decision. I think the last 6 months for me, and it's probably why there is a level of emotion here today from me, have been the toughest of my political career.
KG: And now to talk about the historic outcome over the weekend, and its aftermath I'm joined by Larissa Behrendt, Professor of Law at the University of Sydney.
Larissa, thank you for joining me.
First of all Australians have spoken now so how do you think a Rudd government will differ from the Howard era in terms of Indigenous affairs.
Larissa: They have given clear directions that things will be different. I think the apology to the stolen generation is high on the agenda. The commitment to sign the declaration on the rights of Indigenous people is another. Upfront we can see a different ideological agenda being taken by the Rudd government.
Also, the commitment to close the gap on Indigenous health is another thing and the commitment to replace the national Indigenous council with a representative body so a few things will start to change
KG: What is your opinion on the intervention and its future?
Larissa: Well, I think part of the mandate from the - the election must surely be an indication that the electorate have been very suspicious about the motivations of the intervention. Rudd has had a commitment to dealing with the issue of child sexual abuse.
I guess from the Indigenous perspective one would hope he sticks to that but there is a lot of evidence that the intervention wasn't working. That there was a huge backlash against it because of that, he would need to, if he is to sick with the policy of doing something about child sexual abuse rethink that the way that the intervention was undertaken, and to think about - to rethink the mechanisms that were being used to do that
KG: We saw a huge swing to Labour in the Northern Territory. Do you think that people voted against the intervention?
Larissa: There's good evidence on the ground in the Northern Territory with the abolishment of CDEP and the quarantining of welfare payments that the intervention did have a huge role to play. It's not lost on anybody that Howard and Brough who were the strongest supporters of the intervention also lost their seats. I don't know that nationally we can read the intervention as being - as important to most Australians as it was to Indigenous people.
Obviously things like industrial relations reform and the increase in interest rates also had a lot to do with that. But I think the fact - the approach taken with the intervention and the signs that it was failing and the questioning of the motivation as to why and how it was done, I think all added to a feeling that perhaps the government had lost touch
KG: OK, Mr Rudd is finalising his ministry and will unveil that tomorrow. Labor's environment spokesperson, Peter Garrett is rumoured to be switching to Indigenous affairs and arts, what is your opinion on that?
Larissa: I think one of the best things that the Rudd government can do is to send a signal that they are going to take a different approach and work with Indigenous people to pick a strong person to be the minister for Indigenous affairs, is to pick somebody new person with a clean slate who can leave behind the many decisions that the Rudd government made in the lead up to the election where they simply agreed with the Howard government's policy. I think a fresh start needs a new minister
KG: What about Maxine McKew?
Larissa: I think the benefit that Rudd has that there are a lot of great people in his Cabinet. He has new faces, he has seasoned people, senator Chris Evans, a whole range of people who have an interest in Indigenous affairs. I hope he picks somebody who will be very interested in doing something positive.
KG: Interesting times ahead. Thank you very much.
Larissa: Thank you, Karla Thank you.
Source: SBS
But will indigenous Australians benefit from the incoming Labor government? Is this the dawning of a new era?
VO: After 11 years the Howard era is over with Australians voting for a change of government in a land slide victory for the Australian Labor Party.
Prime Minister elect Kevin Rudd seized victory over John Howard with a swing of almost 6% to the ALP. At last count, Labour had one 82 seats to the coalitions 59. A major casualty of the coalition's defeat was former Indigenous affairs minister Mal Brough losing his Queensland seat of Longman, while John Howard looks set to lose his seat of Bennelong.
Many have expressed optimism that that this could be a new era for Indigenous affairs.
Since winning the election, Prime Minister elect Kevin Rudd has announced he will make an apology to Indigenous Australians early in his first term of government.
On election night he made particular mention of Indigenous Australians in his victory speech.
Kevin Rudd: I will be a Prime Minister for all Australians. A Prime Minister for Indigenous Australians.
VO: In conceding defeat, Mr Howard said he hoped the Rudd government would continue with its controversial Northern Territory intervention
John Howard: I particularly grief the loss of Mal Brough who led the intervention in the Northern Territory. Which represented an absolute watershed in Indigenous policy in this country and I hope that the new government of this country maintains that intervention to the full because it's very important to the long-term benefit of the first Australians.
VO: This sentiment was also shared by out going Indigenous affairs minister Mal Brough
Mal Brough: The work that we have commenced in the Northern Territory, I just hope and pray continues so I have a plea to Mr Rudd that I know that you don't agree with much of what I've done out there but not for me, but for the children of the next generation, please give them a chance, give this a chance to work. There are great people out there on the ground doing that.
VO: While the coalition's intervention raised the profile of Indigenous affairs this years, it became a deciding factor in the political career of Clare Martin resigning as NT chief minister on Monday.
She will be replaced by Paul Henderson with Marianne Scrymgour as his deputy, becoming the highest ranking indigenous Australian in government.
Clare Martin: I won't deny that the intervention has had a big impact on my decision. I think the last 6 months for me, and it's probably why there is a level of emotion here today from me, have been the toughest of my political career.
KG: And now to talk about the historic outcome over the weekend, and its aftermath I'm joined by Larissa Behrendt, Professor of Law at the University of Sydney.
Larissa, thank you for joining me.
First of all Australians have spoken now so how do you think a Rudd government will differ from the Howard era in terms of Indigenous affairs.
Larissa: They have given clear directions that things will be different. I think the apology to the stolen generation is high on the agenda. The commitment to sign the declaration on the rights of Indigenous people is another. Upfront we can see a different ideological agenda being taken by the Rudd government.
Also, the commitment to close the gap on Indigenous health is another thing and the commitment to replace the national Indigenous council with a representative body so a few things will start to change
KG: What is your opinion on the intervention and its future?
Larissa: Well, I think part of the mandate from the - the election must surely be an indication that the electorate have been very suspicious about the motivations of the intervention. Rudd has had a commitment to dealing with the issue of child sexual abuse.
I guess from the Indigenous perspective one would hope he sticks to that but there is a lot of evidence that the intervention wasn't working. That there was a huge backlash against it because of that, he would need to, if he is to sick with the policy of doing something about child sexual abuse rethink that the way that the intervention was undertaken, and to think about - to rethink the mechanisms that were being used to do that
KG: We saw a huge swing to Labour in the Northern Territory. Do you think that people voted against the intervention?
Larissa: There's good evidence on the ground in the Northern Territory with the abolishment of CDEP and the quarantining of welfare payments that the intervention did have a huge role to play. It's not lost on anybody that Howard and Brough who were the strongest supporters of the intervention also lost their seats. I don't know that nationally we can read the intervention as being - as important to most Australians as it was to Indigenous people.
Obviously things like industrial relations reform and the increase in interest rates also had a lot to do with that. But I think the fact - the approach taken with the intervention and the signs that it was failing and the questioning of the motivation as to why and how it was done, I think all added to a feeling that perhaps the government had lost touch
KG: OK, Mr Rudd is finalising his ministry and will unveil that tomorrow. Labor's environment spokesperson, Peter Garrett is rumoured to be switching to Indigenous affairs and arts, what is your opinion on that?
Larissa: I think one of the best things that the Rudd government can do is to send a signal that they are going to take a different approach and work with Indigenous people to pick a strong person to be the minister for Indigenous affairs, is to pick somebody new person with a clean slate who can leave behind the many decisions that the Rudd government made in the lead up to the election where they simply agreed with the Howard government's policy. I think a fresh start needs a new minister
KG: What about Maxine McKew?
Larissa: I think the benefit that Rudd has that there are a lot of great people in his Cabinet. He has new faces, he has seasoned people, senator Chris Evans, a whole range of people who have an interest in Indigenous affairs. I hope he picks somebody who will be very interested in doing something positive.
KG: Interesting times ahead. Thank you very much.
Larissa: Thank you, Karla Thank you.
Source: SBS
