Have your say and vote in Saturday's Federal election

29 June 2016 

NSW Aboriginal Land Council (NSWALC) Chair Roy Ah-See has urged Aboriginal people to vote in Saturday's Federal election.

Cr Ah-See said the Federal Government policies have a major impact on Aboriginal people in New South Wales.

"If you are aged 18 years and over and are enrolled to vote, Saturday, 2 July is your chance to have a say on the issues that matter to Aboriginal people, from education, housing, to health and other frontline services.

"Don't miss out on the chance to have your say on issues that affect you and your family," Cr Ah-See said.

For further information about how to vote in Saturday's election, visit the Australian Electoral Commission website at http://www.aec.gov.au/

NSWALC has produced a summary of the announcements made by the three most influential political forces in Australia - the Liberal-National Coalition, the Australian Labor Party and The Greens.

The summary includes national policy commitments made up to Monday, 26 June. The policies listed have been costed by either the Parliamentary Budget Office or the Federal Treasury. They do not take into account allocations outlined in the 2016-17 Federal Budget.

The summary is only a quick snapshot of the parties' policies. Further information about the three parties' policies is available at:

Liberal-National Coalition https://www.liberal.org.au/our-plan and http://nationals.org.au/
Australian Labor Party http://www.alp.org.au/
The Greens http://greens.org.au/

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Liberal-National Coalition

$115 million to encourage Indigenous innovation and create more opportunities for Indigenous businesses

$65 million for the Indigenous Land Corporation to reduce interest payments on the debt incurred from the purchase of the Ayers Rock Resort

$10 million to protect, preserve and celebrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait languages

$6.7 million to enter into negotiations with 13 organisations across the Northern Territory to finalise projects to be funded through the Aboriginal Benefit Account (ABA)

$5.75 million to assist 6000 students through the Australian Indigenous Mentoring Experience (AIME)

$5 million investment in scholarships through the Australian Indigenous Education Foundation (AIEF)

$700,000 to Eden Local Aboriginal Land Council to develop a business centre for the Bundian Way project

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Australian Labor Party (ALP)

$200 million over five years to increase the number of full-time Indigenous Ranger positions as part of the Working on Country program

$100 million to help students succeed at school and for mentors to engage young Indigenous girls and boys in education

$57 million investment in Indigenous Child and Family Centres

$18.2 million over three years to reverse cuts to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Service

$15 million for National Congress of Australia's First Peoples

$9.5 million towards Close the Gap initiatives and to improve eye sight of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people

$8.4 million to create more than 7000 new spots in the Starts Foundation mentoring program for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander girls across Australia

$5.5 million to provide funding to the Institute of Urban Indigenous Health (IUIH) to encourage healthy lifestyles and how to quit smoking

$4.5 million to Family Violence Prevention Legal Services

$2.25 million to the national peak body that supports Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Service

$2.2 million to tackle Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (funding will be allocated to the Kamira service in Wyong)

$1.4 million for Eden Local Aboriginal Land Council to complete Bundian Way project

$295,000 for National Taskforce on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Kidney Disease

$15,000 for next year's Coloured Digger commemoration

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The Greens

$99.8 million to Close the Gap in hearing health

$42.3 million on programs to limit preventable blindness

$40 million to fund strategies to reduce mental health-targeted campaigning for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities

$30 million for conversations about sovereignty, treaty and constitutional recognition

$20 million over four years to reduce the number of children entering out-of-home care, developing early intervention and building capacity of Aboriginal community-controlled agencies to provide support for families and young people

$15 million to continue funding of National Congress of Australia's First Peoples

$10 million to fund chronic kidney disease prevention

$10 million to improve the out-of-home care system and improve participation of Aboriginal children, young people and families in decision-making

$5.4 million to double the Transition to Independent Living Allowance to $3000

$300,000 to review parental consent requirements for identity documents and to remove barriers for children and young people in out-of-home care