This Month
Voice architect fears Indigenous policy ‘deja vu’ trap
Uluru Dialogue co-chairwoman Pat Anderson warned Labor not to throw its promise of a Makarrata commission “out with the referendum bathwater”.
- Tom McIlroy
PM’s Indigenous economic plan ‘not enough’
Businessman and Voice advocate Sean Gordon says many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities are not well placed to benefit from renewables development.
- Tom McIlroy
PM promises major Indigenous economic plan
Anthony Albanese will attend the Garma Festival in Arnhem Land on Saturday, saying his determination to close the disadvantage gap has not wavered.
- Tom McIlroy
July
The soaring success and unspeakable grief of Linda Burney
Linda Burney has been a pioneering advocate for Indigenous Australia, but her life has been peppered by tragedy.
- Julie Hare
June
Push for Indigenous truth-telling amid voice ‘silence’
The Greens will seek to establish an Indigenous truth and justice commission as a prominent elder criticises the government’s “silence” following the referendum failure.
- Aaron Sheldrick
- Exclusive
- Federal election
Right-wing group asks Jewish donors for millions to target Greens
Advance’s campaign to portray the Greens as antisemitic worries some Liberals, who fear it will drive voters to the Labor Party.
- Aaron Patrick
Big business’ Voice advocacy backfired: new Qantas chairman
John Mullen said businesses should not be “completely anaesthetised” on social issues, but warned it can be dangerous for firms to back politicised causes.
- Nick Bonyhady
Why there are calls for reform after 30 years of native title
This week on The Fin podcast, Peter Ker and Ronald Mizen explore whether the native title regime is delivering for Indigenous Australians.
Long walk to treaty resumes in a fractured federation
The Albanese government has backed away from a promise to strike a treaty with Indigenous Australians. In a federal policy vacuum, some states are picking up the baton.
- Peter Ker and Tom McIlroy
Labor urged to fund native title groups, stop ‘divisive’ activists
The National Native Title Council wants Labor to provide base-level funding to native title groups and change the laws to stop NGO activists.
- Updated
- Ronald Mizen
Companies undeterred by failure of the Voice referendum
Big companies such as Westpac say the failure of the Voice referendum will not dissuade them from campaigning on social issues.
- Sally Patten and Patrick Durkin
Labor launches review into native title ‘inequality and unfairness’
The review will look into the limitations on native title land being used for economic development and how to support consensus among traditional owner groups.
- Ronald Mizen
- Investigation
- Indigenous justice
Call to reform Mabo’s $1b native title dividend
Native title groups hosting Australia’s iron ore industry are holding more than $1 billion of net assets in trusts, but after 32 years of the native title regime, there is little to show for the vast majority of Indigenous Australians.
- Peter Ker and Ronald Mizen
- Exclusive
- Indigenous justice
‘Land rich, dirt poor’: Price calls for native title reforms
Senator Price said while well-meaning, laws needed to change to encourage private homeownership on native title land as well as more business creation, including Aboriginal owned mines.
- Ronald Mizen
April
Truth-telling risks inflaming community conflict: report
Amid heightened scrutiny on community cohesion, a new report says 60 per cent of Indigenous Australians have major concerns about a Makaratta process.
- Tom McIlroy
There’s more to the Armaguard story, says ‘antique’ Kelty
Readers’ letters on the saga of Armaguard and cash supply; reactions to the appointment of Sam Mostyn; pitfalls for shareholders in corporate support for the Voice; and the impact of EV innovation.
The corporate cost of the Yes campaign
In some circles, there is now a perception that corporate alignment with a cause can alienate more voters than it persuades.
- Samantha Hutchinson
Biggest donor to Yes campaign has no regrets
The Paul Ramsay Foundation donated $7 million to the failed Voice referendum. The amount of cash “felt appropriate then” and still does now, says its chairman.
- Samantha Hutchinson
Ramsay Foundation splashed $7m on failed Voice campaign
Rich Listers, major charitable foundations and big corporates spent millions on last year’s Indigenous referendum.
- Tom McIlroy
March
- Opinion
- Federal election
Senate a sticking point for four-year terms
The conundrum that must be squarely faced is 1988’s defeated take-it-or-leave-it constitutional amendment that rolled in a shorter term for the upper house.
- Helen Irving