The appointment of the first indigenous minister is a win in the eyes of leaders in the Border Aboriginal community.
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Western Australian MP Ken Wyatt was appointed federal minister for both indigenous health and aged care on Tuesday following Sussan Ley’s resignation last week.
Mr Wyatt is now the first indigenous Australian to be elected to the House of Representatives and promoted to the ministry.
Ruth Davys, the La Trobe University NAIDOC 2016 scholar of the year, welcomed the news.
“It’s exciting for us as Aboriginal people,” she said.
“He’s an Aboriginal face, representing the Aboriginal community – it’s about time we had more people stepping up into these positions, because we do have the skills and the expertise.
“To have somebody representing that part of the Australian population is really important.”
Ms Davys hoped Mr Wyatt’s experience as a senior public servant in indigenous health would raise the issue on the government’s agenda.
“He’s not a new face; he’s somebody that has been around, and sometimes we know it can be about the connections you have,” she said.
“I’m hoping he’ll bring that all along with him and represent not just WA but rural and remote communities.
“Aged care and indigenous health go hand-in-hand.
“Considering the tremendous past the elders of our communities have gone through, their holistic health concerns might be taken into account.
“It’s not just physical; it’s social and emotional well-being.”
MURRA Indigenous Business Master Class director Michelle Evans said the appointment was “an exciting step forward for indigenous political representation.”
“There’s hardly any Aboriginal Liberal party elected representatives – he’s one of the few,” she said.
“I look forward to interviewing him in the coming 12 months and seeing how Ken makes this his own.”
The Charles Sturt University associate professor hoped Mr Wyatt would focus his attention on social issues.
“I think I would want to see a focus around youth suicide and mental health, especially for regional and remote Australia,” she said.
“I would hope he looks at different programs working already across Australia and how we can use culture as a way of reconnecting the community.”