Over 40 thousand protestors push for Māori rights in Aotearoa

Over in Aotearoa this week 10s-of-thousands of Māori and non Māori protestors met outside of Parliament house in Wellington to push against anti-Māori policies. It marked the end of an 8-day protest march or Hikoi which involved Māori nations marching across communities to make their voices heard.…

The Northern Land Council raises concerns about foreign nationals entering Australia through the Northern Territory coastline.

Foreign nationals illegally entering Australia through the Northern Territory coastline have angered the Northern Land Council. The NLC's concerned about an increase in foreign fishing vessels along the NT coast. The Council says rangers on Croker Island had to help four men who claimed to have p…

First Nations call on Qld government to stay on the path of Treaty and Truth-telling

Indigenous leaders call on the Queensland Government to change its decision to scrap the Truth-telling and Healing Inquiry.  Inquiry chair, Joshua Creamer KC, along with Victoria's Yoorrook Commissioner Adjunct Professor, Sue-Anne Hunter talk about the importance of truth-telling.  Cherboug leaders…

Optus sued for sales conduct targetting the vunerable

Optus is the latest telco to run foul of consumer law in Australia. Consumer watchdog, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has accused Optus for allegedly selling products to vulnerable customers they did not want or need, and then chasing them for debts.  Most of the impacted cons…

Future of Queensland's truth-telling and treaty in doubt

In Queensland, the Truth Telling and Healing inquiry will be scrapped should the LNP wins the state election.    The LNP originally supported the Path to Treaty Act but backed away citing the failure of the Voice Referendum last year.  In it's election pitch to Queenslanders, the LNP says its too …

Calls for systemic change one year on from the voice referendum

This week Indigenous leaders have been reflecting on the past 12 months following the one year anniversary of the Indigenous Voice to Parliament Referendum.  Speaking to NIRS the Federal Minister for Indigenous Australians Malarndirri McCarthy says it's time to focus on Closing the Gap and for the…

New data shows Indigenous Victorians are 11 times more likely to be searched by police

The Centre against Racial Profiling has found that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders are 11 times more likely to be searched by Victorian Police than non Indigenous people.  The Centre's Dr Tamar Hopkins has told NIRS the situation is stark.  Other Highlights:  Queensland's Truth Telling and…

Game changing National Commission for Indigenous young people established

The national peak organisation for Indigenous children has welcomed the establishment of the National Commission for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young people. The CEO of the Secretariat for National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care, Catherine Liddle has told NIRS News it w…

160 years of failure: Queensland's Truth-Telling Inquiry Continues

The Head of Queensland's Truth Telling and Healing Inquiry says this week's hearings have uncovered "160 years of failure" from the state's government departments.   This week the Inquiry has heard from the Queensland Police Service, the health department and the Department of Treaty, Aboriginal a…

Queensland's Truth-Telling inquiry begins hearings amid concerns of cancellation

This week was the first week of hearings for Queensland's Truth-Telling and Healing Inquiry.  The three year inquiry is set to investigate how colonialism has impacted the state's Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. However, Queensland's opposition party says it will disband the inquiry…