At a Glance

First Term Wins

A YES vote in the Voice Referendum from the ACT

The result of the Voice to Parliament referendum was hugely disappointing for many in our community. A small silver lining in a disappointing result at a national level was that more than 60% of people in the ACT voted YES.

Before the last election I promised to consult my community and advocate for what they want. That’s why I was deeply involved in the YES campaign, holding multiple community information events, attending rallies and voicing my support for the referendum at every possible opportunity.

I will continue to advocate for constitutional recognition and remain committed to supporting the Uluru Statement’s vision and ensuring the momentum for change continues.

A review of water management in the Upper Murrumbidgee with First Nations voices at the centre

Through conversations with Traditional Owners along the river, I’ve come to understand something of the deep cultural, spiritual, and environmental connection that First Nations peoples have with the Murrumbidgee River.

A key part of a deal I secured on improving the health of the Murrumbidgee River, I was able to secure dedicated funding for First Nations engagement in a review of how water is managed and released into the Upper Murrumbidgee. I was proud to work to promote First Nations people's involvement in planning the future management of this beautiful river.

I’ll keep working to make sure we manage our rivers in a way that reflects ecological reality, climate challenges, and the voices of those who’ve cared for Country for tens of thousands of years are part of the conversation.

A new inquiry into PFAS

PFAS chemicals have caused real harm to the Jervis Bay community and many others. These man-made chemicals don’t break down over time - they stay in our water, our environment, and our bodies. They’ve now been linked to serious health issues, including cancer and heart disease.

I hosted an event at parliament house to raise awareness of this issue and worked with other crossbench senators to set up an inquiry into how widespread PFAS contamination is in Australia and what we can do to fix it. The inquiry is still underway, but we know now that weak laws have let a few big companies pollute our water and put people’s health at risk. If I’m re-elected, I’ll keep pushing for action and real solutions through this inquiry.

Youth justice 

I also participated in a senate inquiry into Australia’s youth justice and incarceration system and have raised questions at senate estimates.

Support for Indigenous rangers program

I have worked consistently and collaboratively with Country Needs People to ensure the Indigenous Rangers program is supported and expanded. I’ve used Senate estimates to advocate for more funding and support of the program to improve efficacy and longevity. I believe it is essential to rebuild staffing capacity in the federal environment department to ensure Indigenous Rangers and Indigenous Protected Area (IPA) managers receive the necessary support to achieve the best outcomes for Australia’s unique landscapes and cultural sites. These programs should be secured beyond the 2030 target. Stable funding and long-term policy commitments are needed to ensure continued delivery of environmental, social, and cultural benefits for generations to come. 

AMC & Bimberi advocacy

The ACT has the highest Indigenous imprisonment rate in the country. Indigenous Canberrans are 24.6 times more likely to be incarcerated than their non-Indigenous counterparts. This is well above the national rate of 17.4. This is embarrassing for the ACT and is something I have been consistently calling on the ACT government to do more on. Indigenous deaths in custody nationally and here in the ACT remain a massive issue. It’s clear the current approach at AMC and Bimberi is not working and we need to consider other pathways to help bring down the rate. These should be designed in collaboration with local elders who understand the issues unique to the ACT.

What I’m Fighting For

Support payments, housing & Closing this Gap

Julie Tongs, CEO of Winnunga Nimmityjah Aboriginal Health Service, regularly explains to me how poverty is the root cause of the majority of issues she sees. The Economic Inclusion Advisory Committee (EIAC), which I negotiated with the government to establish, provides expert advice to government on what the rate of support payments should be. The latest report highlights how support payments are seriously inadequate, falling well below poverty benchmarks and contributing to widespread hardship, including poor health, housing insecurity, and elevated suicide risk. Rates of which are all higher for First Nations people. Taking the advice of EIAC and increasing support payments would go a long way to improving the lives if Indigenous Australians. The report also highlights how the Remote Area Allowance (RAA)  has remained stagnant for over 25 years, losing two-thirds of its value. I support the Committee’s calls for an immediate increase and proper indexation of the RAA to reflect the significantly higher cost of living in remote communities.

Housing and Homelessness remains one of many big challenges for meeting the Closing the Gap targets. I am also supporting the push to establish an Aboriginal community-controlled housing organisation in the ACT. This is long overdue and more urgent than ever as the Commonwealth steps up funding for housing through the Housing Australia Future Fund as well as new election commitments like the 100,000 new homes for first home buyers commitment from Labor. 

First Nations stewardship and ownership of the Western Edge of Canberra

The Australian Capital Territory is the only jurisdiction in Australia in which the Traditional Owners do not own and manage any land. It’s time to fix this and hand back the incredible Western Edge to be managed by First Nations people.

Watch a short video about a vision for the Western Edge here.

The Western Edge is 9,800 hectares of land to the west of the territory and stretching along the Murrumbidgee River. It is home to endangered box gum woodlands, temperate grasslands, and dozens of endangered  species. The area is rich in cultural importance to First Nations People, and a vital buffer against bushfires from the west.

Canberrans love living in the bush capital. We are a city where nature isn’t something we visit, it’s something we live alongside. But a big part of our incredible bushland is at risk.

The Western Edge is a piece of bushland that cannot be replaced. We can’t offset what’s already nearly gone.

• Less than 1% of temperate grasslands remain in Australia.
• Box gum woodlands are down to just a few percent of their original extent.
• Offsets don’t work when the ecosystems being destroyed can’t be replaced.
  

Yet the ACT Government continues to rely on offsets that fail to deliver real conservation outcomes. According to the 2024 WWF Threatened Species Scorecard, the ACT saw the biggest decline in recovery and protection efforts in the country.

We need a new vision to protect the bush capital and to deliver for First Nations people. One that protects, restores, and respects.

That’s why I’m calling for:

1. Full protection of the Western Edge, including Block 402
   Block 402 (leased to the ANU) is an ecological gem that must be added to the nature reserve. Its high biodiversity value and role as a fire buffer make it too important to sacrifice.
2. A First Nations-led land management and conservation project
   This land has been cared for by First Nations people for tens of thousands of years. It's time governments recognised that. This project would support Indigenous fire management, weed and pest control, and revegetation, while generating cultural, environmental and economic benefits.
3. Transparency and accountability in conservation funding
   We need spending that matches rhetoric not more announcements with no follow-through.

Learn more about a vision for the Western Edge here.

Uluru Statement from the Heart

The Uluru Statement from the Heart was a generous invitation from First Nations people to all Australians, calling for constitutional recognition through a Voice to Parliament. While the referendum result was a setback, the work for justice and self-determination cannot stop there.

The post-referendum period was and has been a difficult and painful time for many First Nations people, and we must respect their leadership in determining the next steps. I remain committed to supporting the Uluru Statement’s vision and ensuring the momentum for change continues.