The First People's Disability Network has a gift to the rest of the country: A culture of inclusion and a natural way of being.
Traditional languages don't have a comparable word for disability, Damian Griffis, the head of the network, said at the 2024 Close the Gap campaign launch at Parliament House on Wednesday.
"Disability is heavily labelled, it's a very western construct," he said.
"And you have endless labels: Autism, acquired brain injury, psychosocial disability, intellectual disability.
"Whereas we talk about disability in a much more appropriate way. It tends to be 'brother there can't move around too well', `cousin's a bit slower than everyone else' - not said in a negative way, it's just that's what we need to think about."
The Close the Gap campaign is a community response to the framework agreed to by all Australian governments in the National Agreement on Closing the Gap, a framework designed to address First Nations inequity.
Prepared by Lowitja Institute for the Close the Gap campaign, the report has been released in Canberra ahead of National Close the Gap Day on Thursday.
It provides an opportunity for Indigenous community leaders, campaign members, and parliamentarians to reflect on the year that has been, and to refocus on the tasks ahead in the pursuit of our wellbeing, sovereignty, and self-determination.
Lowitja Institute chair Selwyn Button said the Close the Gap campaign report: Voyage to Voice, Treaty, Truth and Beyond refocuses the narrative on Indigenous peoples’ strengths and successes.
"In reflecting on (last year's unsuccessful voice) referendum, it doesn't linger on the political party machinations, it's not about the debate that went on," he said.
"This is about focusing on the strength of the things that we know happen in our communities that we see every day and how do we provide that back to the Australian public.
"We won't stop, we are resilient people who have been here for 65,000 years, we will continue to fight and will continue to advocate to improve outcomes."
The report includes nine case studies highlighting the work of First Nations organisations, which have shared their journey and successes.
Campaign co-chair Karl Briscoe said the cause is the pursuit of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander recognition, rights, justice and equity.
"And though this journey can be difficult, sometimes even painful, it remains a worthy pursuit because embedding social justice benefits us as a nation," he said.
"We are committed to improving life outcomes of First Nations peoples across the country, this is and will continue to be the work of the campaign."
Minister for Indigenous Australians Linda Burney paid tribute to the institute's namesake, the late trailblazer Lowitja O'Donoghue and announced $3.5 million to honour her legacy.
"History does not always move in a straight line," Ms Burney said, borrowing from Martin Luther King.
"There is progress and there are setbacks, we know that.
"But our history always bends towards justice."
The campaign makes 22 recommendations towards strengthening the cultural, social, and political determinants of health for Indigenous people.
It calls for all governments to deliver the objectives of the Uluru Statement from the Heart by advancing voice, treaty and truth mechanisms in their jurisdictions.
Further recommendations include funding the establishment of a national Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander coalition on climate and health, and support the First Peoples Disability Network’s call for greater inclusion of disability in the national agreement on Closing the Gap.
"We've got an opportunity to change things and show the rest of Australia how you create an inclusive society," Mr Griffis said.
