JAMES FINDLAY, HOST: Just a few minutes earlier, you heard from Auntie Josie, who was telling you about the vigil that was happening this afternoon for Cassius:
AUNTIE JOSIE KERSHAW – FIRST NATIONS LEADER – AUDIO: “Look, you know, we've had lots of parents. They are fearing for their children and that this could happen to a child, and we've had ongoing sadness and grief because it's not rocket science. One just has to look out onto the streets of Darwin or Alice Springs to see the sheer dysfunction of our society. And it's not by accident. It's just not a few couple of bad eggs around here. This has been decades and decades of neglect, lack of services, lack of a conversation in this country and for this country. That doesn't want to talk about truth when we have a reconciliation process. But it is silent on that matter. And until, you know, an event like this, if this doesn't trigger to have a real truthful conversation about the ongoing carnal colonization of our people and the destruction and the dysfunction that we are now seeing. It's going to get worse.”
FINDLAY: That's Auntie Josie Kershaw there speaking with us just earlier. Luke Gosling, the Member for Solomon, was listening and has given us a call on 1300 057 222. Good morning Luke Gosling. I understand you'll be going to the vigil to see evening.
LUKE GOSLING, MEMBER FOR SOLOMON: Yeah, I will. And thanks for having me on. And I'm really glad that that Auntie Josie had that chance to speak and have a voice on behalf of the community because certainly I was listening and I'll be there at 5.30 at Rapid Creek Bridge. But it also resonated with me about how important this upcoming referendum is about voice, treaty and truth. Because our government, the new Albanese Government, has committed to the full implementation of the Uluru Statement from the Heart and truth-telling is part of that. And obviously a Voice to Parliament about issues that affect First Nations people in this country is at the heart of it as well.
But we're also putting our commitments down. During the election campaign, my biggest priority was a new youth engagement hub for the northern suburbs after the Youth Shak closed down, but also a new Danila Dilba clinic out in Palmerston, $11 million for that. It's not all about money, but it's about a commitment to lift everyone up in our society and making sure that the past neglect doesn't continue into the future.
FINDLAY: Well, Auntie Josie was saying that she would like to see more, more, more done by the Territory and Federal governments here, more investment in making sure that the youth are engaged and see that they have a future. Do you think what you're doing is enough, Luke Gosling?
GOSLING: It's a big challenge to tackle. But I’m putting down there some of the things that we have committed to. And the Voice is a huge part of that. I was out at Don Dale yesterday, spending some time with the kids and the people who are mentoring those young people, not all Aboriginal people, but mostly Aboriginal young men. And we need to make sure that they’re linked up with support and step-down options. And those options exist in the community. They're not talked about much, but they are led by local First Nations men and women who want to provide those kids when they get out of Don Dale a step down and a step forward into a future that's a lot more positive and that's going to decrease recidivism. But I know that the NT Government is also working hard with the families. So it's a multi-pronged approach. But when you when you include the fact that our new federal Labor Government is committed to a lot more housing and health infrastructure in the communities, as well as more affordable housing, community housing, we want more people with proper roofs over their heads and an ability to send their kids to school for them to get a good education. And that's how we will turn around disadvantage into the future.
FINDLAY: Well, thanks for the call this morning, Luke Gosling, it’s been good to have a quick chat.
GOSLING: Thanks very much.
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