Australian PM pledges comprehensive economic plan for indigenous population

In a speech to the Garma Festival of Traditional Cultures - Australia's largest Indigenous cultural gathering - on Saturday, Anthony Albanese said that decarbonisation is Australia's best opportunity to lift the living standards of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, reports Xinhua news agency.

He described the growing global demand for renewable energy, critical minerals and rare earths as an unprecedented opportunity to address the disadvantage faced by Indigenous Australians and said that his government is aiming to be the first in Australian history to create a comprehensive economic policy for Indigenous people.

"New clean energy projects, new defence and security projects, new processing and refining facilities can all unlock new jobs and prosperity for Indigenous communities," Albanese said at the festival in the Arnhem Land region of the Northern Territory (NT).

"Together, we can seize this moment to build a better future on a simple principle. The principle is that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people deserve a real say in the economic development of the land they call home. And you deserve your fair share of the benefits that flow from it."

The event was the first Garma Festival since 60 per cent of Australians voted against an October 2023 referendum that would have altered the constitution to establish a body to advise the federal parliament on all matters relating to the Indigenous population.

Albanese said he understands that the pain of the referendum defeat is still raw for many Indigenous Australians but that he is still optimistic about a better future for the community.

Addressing the festival earlier on Saturday, NT Police Commissioner Michael Murphy formally apologised to Indigenous Australians for the injustice and harm police in the territory have been involved in during the 154 years since the establishment of the force in 1870.