We go to bed not knowing who our Prime Minister will be this time tomorrow. We do however know that history was made today with the election of Linda Burney as the member for Barton. She becomes the first Aboriginal woman in the House of Representatives.
Like Neville Bonner, Ken Wyatt, and Nova Peris, as well men and women from the states and territories, including our own Leeanne Enoch, Linda Burney makes history today.
I’ve written in the past about the difficulty facing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander elected officials. In a country not known for its positive and meaningful response to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander issues, means being Aboriginal in parliament is always tricky. Are you your party? Your electorate? Your family or mob?
I wish Linda all the best with her journey in Parliament. I hope she gets some much needed rest in the coming days before being sworn in and the whole Canberra adventure begins.