Senator Jacinta Price says Albo made a FIFO visit to Bibjari, NT recently but is not interested in finding solutions for struggling communities, instead is ”full of it”
By NT Senator Jacinta Price
It’s hard not to be cynical sometimes.
I’ve told you endless stories of government failure and the neglect of my community and it never seems to get better.
I keep speaking out about the Prime Minister’s absolute dereliction of duty after his Voice failure to get back to the real work of finding solutions for Aboriginal communities and it’s just not happening.
This week I visited the community of Binjari.
They’re a strong, resilient community who are building something special without government funding, thanks to the work of the Aboriginal Community Corporation led by Yvonne Booth and Deb Aloisi.
They’re an inspiration.
But then you hear that Anthony Albanese, and his entourage of Labor luminaries – Linda Burney, Malarndirri McCarthy, and Marion Scrymgour – also recently visited Binjari.
But unlike me, they didn’t meet with Yvonne or Deb.
They didn’t have any meetings with any of the other board members either.
In typical fashion, the Prime Minister for Photo Ops did a FIFO visit for an announcement and some nice pictures.
That’s it.
It’s clear the PM cares only about the perks of the job and hanging out with elites and activists.
But, despite myself, I try to hope he’ll step up one day.
I’m cynical about the chances of that.
But this week I was also able to visit places where ordinary Aussies are getting on with the job.
And that’s where I was able to find some real hope.
At the Ranger Mine site in Jabiru I learnt about the world-leading rehabilitation work they’ve been doing since the mine’s closure in 2021.
The team on site are changing the landscape to restore it to a natural part of the Aussie outback.
I also visited the new Katherine Cotton Gin, which is the first Cotton manufacturing facility in the Northern Territory.
It’s going to provide jobs and a massive boost to the Territory’s already great agricultural scene.
And in visiting these places I remember that there’s no point putting hope in an elite activist like our Prime Minister.
He’s got his agenda and he’s picked a side.
It’s not yours and mine.
But there is hope, and it’s in the families and farmers of Binjari and Jabiru and across the Territory.
And while the PM flies out to his next gala dinner, thee families are working hard to make our country great.
