They were also honouring fires that were lit on the same spot in 2017, when the Uluru statement was first delivered, igniting a movement for change. Not just because it was cold – a biting wind was cutting across the clear skies of a desert winter – but because they wanted to show the gathering the power of country and their unbreakable connection to it. ‘Light a fire in the nation’: Indigenous Australians stand up to hate and push for voice on Uluru statement anniversaryĪt sunset on Friday, in the small community of Mutitjulu at the base of Uluru, Anangu (people) were lighting fires. The minister for Indigenous Australians, Linda Burney, has hit back at comments from Peter Dutton and accused the opposition leader of “playing politics” with the Indigenous voice to parliament referendum and dividing Australians.įour people have died and a teenager is fighting for life after a car crash in Victoria’s west.įormer Liberal party president for New South Wales Maria Kovacic will replace the late senator for NSW Jim Molan, who died in January, after winning a preselection vote today.Ī third teenager has come forward to assist police with their inquiries after a fire engulfed a seven-story building in Sydney’s CBD on Thursday.Ĭalls are growing for a parliamentary inquiry into use of force by New South Wales police, with justice experts saying too much focus is being placed on the actions of individual police officers rather than the “festering” systemic problem.Ī government meet-and-greet to connect Australian industry with the world’s largest oil company, Saudi Aramco, has been criticised by environmental groups as “akin to a joint trade show with a tobacco major”. The Victorian Nationals have fallen into line with their federal counterparts and formally voted to oppose the Indigenous voice to parliament, at the start of National Reconciliation Week. Here is a wrap of the day’s biggest stories: That’s where we’ll leave the blog for today – thanks so much for joining us. 07.38 BST What we learned, Saturday 27 May

Download rampage edition