Vote 1 for Rosalie Kunoth Monks above the line in the senate
About Rosalie

I am an Anmatyere/Arrente woman. I was born at Urapuntja in 1937 and I have lived a long, interesting sometimes hard life. When I was sixteen I was chosen by Charles Chauvel to star in Australia’s first feature length colour film “Jedda”. This changed the life of the young and beautiful girl that I was then, as all our experiences make us the people we are today.“Jedda” faced challenges on the screen and in my lifetime I too have faced challenges.

It is these challenges that I talk with you about today, I come with one clear message that together we can forge a way into a future that is based on compassion, respect and dignity for all. We all want to walk with our heads held high, and I don’t believe the road to social justice and equal rights for everyone should be littered with this many casualties.

I believe that now is the time for us to make a change before it’s too late, before we have been pushed so far that we can never come back. My values are simple: honesty, compassion and dignity. I am talking about a quality of life for all Australians, I’m not talking about colour here I’m talking about relationships, a return to the old relationships as our culture is embracing of all cultures.

I have spent my life talking strongly for what I believe in and this is what I will continue to do if I’m elected to the Senate. 
I can guarantee one thing. I will speak loudly with strength for all Territorians and I will not waiver from my values of honesty, compassion and dignity.

We have come through a living hell called the intervention, but they haven’t broken us, our backs are still strong, but we are in a traumatised state so it’s time to let the healing begin. And once we are healed it’s about locking hands with our brothers and sisters who came here, I don’t want to be estranged from the Australian people we are in this together.

I have travelled all across this country talking about the effects of the intervention, the fear, the shame the loss of hope and dignity that has been felt by communities in the Northern Territory.

I travelled with Reverend Djiniyini Gondarra to Geneva and testified to the United Nations Committee on the elimination of racial discrimination. This was a profound moment for me, the welcome we received and the way that we were really listened too showed me how little listening goes on back here. I felt it upon my return to Australia I could feel the weight returning to my shoulders the sickness in my stomach I could feel the oppression.

I know that the world does care about what happens here, as we tabled our stories in Geneva with all the dignity and grace of First Nations people, as we spoke of policies that only target Aboriginal people in the Territory, I saw it in their faces and it was something I had craved. We were treated as humans after being so de humanised in Australia.

The way this government has chosen to behave with us has to come to an end.

I speak from my heart and my head and my life experiences. 
I have spoken at forums all around this country and I know that as a nation we have the capacity to come together, to walk with dignity in mutual respect for multiple cultures, there is more than one culture living on this country.

Australia’s First Nations Political Party celebrates cultural diversity, in fact it is our strength.

I have worked in many areas across many fields I was the President of the Barkley Shire, the first female Chair of Batchelor Institute, an Anglican Nun for ten years working within the church for social justice. I have worked at CAALAS and at CAT I have been an ATSIC commissioner. I have seen many things and worked in many places but never have I felt the heartache that I feel today in my community as a result of the policies of both Liberal and Labour governments.


Vote 1 for Rosalie Kunoth Monks above the line in the senate