THE HON MARK DREYFUS QC MP
SHADOW ATTORNEY-GENERAL
SHADOW MINISTER FOR THE ARTS
MEMBER FOR ISAACS
THE HON SHAYNE NEUMANN MP
SHADOW MINISTER FOR INDIGENOUS AFFAIRS
SHADOW MINISTER FOR AGEING
FEDERAL MEMBER FOR BLAIR
MEDIA RELEASE
BRANDIS STILL SHORT ON INDIGENOUS LANGUAGE FUNDING
Labor has called on Attorney-General George Brandis to come clean on his cuts to the Indigenous Languages Support Program.
Senator Brandis announcement of a redesigned program which will merge Indigenous arts, culture and language programs is dwarfed by the Governments over $500 million cuts to indigenous programs, including its $9.5 million funding cut to the Indigenous Languages Support Program.
The Abbott Government has again failed Indigenous communities by refusing to appreciate the importance of Indigenous languages, which are spoken by significant numbers of people across all age groups.
Standard Australian English is not the first language for many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, particularly those living in remote communities.
We know that overcoming language barriers and properly funded Indigenous-specific legal services are important factors in closing the gap on justice outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
If the self-proclaimed Prime Minister for Indigenous Affairs has a genuine commitment to supporting Indigenous languages and culture and closing the gap, he should pull Senator Brandis into line and restore funding to the Indigenous Languages Support Program.
WEDNESDAY, 1 APRIL 2015
