In 2017 the Uluru Statement from the Heart was created and called for a First Nations Voice enshrined in the Australian Constitution. Two years later, on 30^th of October, Federal Minister for Indigenous Affairs, Ken Wyatt announced the Indigenous Voice co-design process as the alternative voice to government.

The process recently came under scrutiny by one of the senior members of the advisory body, Pat Turner.

Gundanji/Arrernte woman Pat Turner is the head of the coalition of peaks and is CEO of NACCHO, the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation. She recently delivered an address at the National Press Club where she described the process as ‘convoluted and flawed’.

Welcome to Strong Voices! Coming to you from the CAAMA Radio studios on Arrente Country in Central Australia & broadcasting to all nations through VAST Channel 911, on 8KIN FM in Mbarntua Alice Springs, also via the CAAMA app & right here on the website.

On the show today…

NT youth week kicked off on the 26^th of September and is going until Sunday the 11^th of October and celebrates our young people from all across the Territory with loads of fun activities for our young people to get involed with.

This years theme is Empower 2020 and aims to inspire a stronger future for young people in the NT and celebrates and recognises the positive contributions that young people make in our community.

CAAMA Damien Williams spoke with one of this years NT youth week ambassadors Sean Xiao (sha-ow) and asked him what NT youth week is

Beetaloo Basin, is around 500 kilometres south-east of Darwin, between Mataranka to the north and Elliott to the south. This area is rich in natural gas and is a sacred area to all local Traditional Owners that inhabit the lands.

The Beetaloo Basin has been designated as a strategic basin as part of the Federal Government's "gas-led recovery" intitative, where both the Northern Territory and federal governments are staking a large part of their post-COVID-19 economic recovery plans on the proposed gas field.

Traditional owners have voted to establish a new body (Nor-da-linji Native Title Aboriginal Corporation) to negotiate with gas companies, withdrawing support from the local Northern Land Council. The New body could be used to negotiate greater environmental protection or safeguarding of their sacred sites.

Native title holder Janey Dixon spoke with CAAMA’s Josef Jakamarra Egger about her concerns with the impacts of Fracking.