ADDRESS TO WELCOME CEREMONY, GARMA

I acknowledge the traditional owners of this land, the Gumatj and all the Yolngu and I pay my respects to elders past and present.

From my home, Wurundjeri country in the south of Australia, to here in beautiful Gulkula - our continent is, was and always will be Aboriginal land.

I acknowledge the Prime Minister and Lucy. It's great to be here with you.

This is the third time my daughter Clementine and I have been guests at Garma.

We love the conversations, the ideas the celebrations, the fun.

But today I just want to have a very brief and straight message to all of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leaders here, both present and emerging.

I know you've heard a lot of balanda speeches and then very little happens.

I understand that people feel that politics has failed them. 

And I think people have the right to be cynical, to be disappointed, perhaps frustrated with the lack of progress in the past.

The statement from the heart, from Uluru, I believe spoke to all of these failures.

It's why I'm interested to see perhaps this weekend, is that it's not just what we say here on the bunggul ground, it's what we do after the music has stopped, the stage is put away and the people move on.

I regard Garma as an opportunity to provide us in Canberra with inspiration.

To actually argue for a Makarrata Commission, for truth telling and for treaties.

For getting working done on a declaration by all of the parliaments. 
 
 For enshrining an Indigenous voice in our Constitution.

In amongst everything else here at Garma, perhaps all of us: Aboriginal leaders, the Government, the Opposition can sit down and work out the next steps towards achieving it.

Perhaps we can make this a weekend where we work out the path towards enshrining a voice in our Constitution, to see how we can get there.

It's 25 years ago that Eddie Mabo won his fight for justice. 
 
 It's 50 years since the warriors of 67 ensured that Aboriginal Australians would finally be counted.

Wouldn't it be good if we could meet again at future Garmas and say: "Remember Garma 2017".

Remember at Garma 2017 where the politicians got to hear the words, to heed the words, to lead and to listen.

Perhaps we could say: Remember Garma 2017, where Australia swapped talk for action.

I look forward to the next few days very much.

Thank you for having us.