Politics With Michelle Grattan: Kerrynne Liddle On Seizing More Opportunities With Indigenous Australians

From this Sunday, Australians will be celebrating NAIDOC Week , which marks its 50th anniversary this year.

The week highlights the achievements, history and culture of Australia's First Peoples. It's also a time to reflect on the huge effort needed to materially improve the lives of Indigenous communities and individuals.

On this podcast, we're joined by Senator Kerrynne Liddle , an Arrernte woman and the first Aboriginal federal parliamentarian from South Australia. Senator Liddle is shadow minister for Indigenous Australians and shadow minister for social services on Opposition Leader Sussan Ley's frontbench.

On the Closing the Gap targets , which shows progress being made on only four of the 19 targets, Liddle says a stronger focus is required on early intervention.

Liddle says the problems are known, but money isn't getting to the right places fast enough.

Liddle says her focus will remain on having those“unpleasant conversations” focused on real outcomes, rather than on symbolic causes.

Drawing on her experience before entering politics, Liddle says helping Indigenous workers integrate into the broader economy can improve personal outcomes.

MENAFN02072025000199003603ID1109750666