2016 Garma Festival Theme: The Land is our Backbone - 40th Anniversary of the Aboriginal Land Rights Act. This year's Garma Festival made some important progress on a number of issues which go to the heart of Indigenous well-being.

Both sides of politics want to close the Indigenous gap, and both want symbolic recognition of Indigenous people in the constitution in time for the anniversary of the 1967 referendum. Yet both sides have steadfastly walked away from the intent of the 1967 referendum, which gave the lead to the federal government in promoting Aboriginal...

Western Australia is undergoing a social and economic transformation fuelled by global demand, international migration and investment in the capital city and regions. A significant and historic gap remains between the life outcomes of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal West Australians. Generally, Aboriginal people have shorter lives and are poorer, less educated, less healthy and more dependent...

Jacinta Nampijinpa Price’s speech is a powerful personal plea to stop the violence against women and children by men and in particular, Indigenous males. She talks about the need for positive cultural change and for Indigenous people to take back responsibility to resolve entrenched issues.

In supporting the work of the Australian Parliament, the Australian Parliamentary Service strives to uphold the principles of Australian democracy and the aspirations of a nation. These aspirations for our nation include reconciliation between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and other Australians. The Parliamentary Service is uniquely situated to take both a symbolic and...