Aspiring MP will apply indigenous filter (The Australian)

23 Aug Aspiring MP will apply indigenous filter (The Australian)

FOLLOWING in the footsteps of his hero, Neville Bonner, Ken Wyatt plans to put an indigenous filter on legislation if he wins Hasluck.

The former head of Aboriginal health in NSW and Western Australia last night held a slim lead of 363 votes over Labor incumbent Sharryn Jackson, in the Perth marginal seat. Mr Wyatt, who needed a swing of 0.9 per cent to win, was not claiming victory.

But he said he was “immensely proud” to be so close to becoming the first Aboriginal person elected to the House of Representatives.

On top of representing the people of Hasluck, Mr Wyatt acknowledged that there would be massive expectations on him from Aboriginal people across the country to tackle indigenous issues in Canberra.

He said he had received constant phone calls since election night — including one at 5.30am yesterday from an Aboriginal woman in Queensland, an elder who said she had watched his progress and cried.

“One of the simplest things to do is look at legislation and policy and put a filter at the top of it and say, ‘OK, how is this going to improve outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people?’ ” Mr Wyatt said. …Go to article.