Jacinta Price becomes emotional in ceremony as First Nations women deliver maiden speeches

Three women of First Nations heritage have delivered their maiden speeches to parliament, outlining their calls for greater action to support Indigenous Australians.

Country Liberal Party Senator Jacinta Price and grandmother Tess Napaljarri Ross after an Indigenous ceremony at Parliament House in Canberra. Source: AAP / MICK TSIKAS

Country Liberal Party Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price has become emotional during a traditional ceremony held to mark her entering into the new parliament.

The Warlpiri-Celtic woman representing the Northern Territory took part in the ceremony with her grandmother.

The commemoration involved her being handed a nulla-nulla or hunting stick sourced from her Country which held significance to her family.

“The ceremony was telling the story about Jukurrpa, which is Dreaming relating to our family,” she said.

“Passing on through this nulla-nulla the authority to me to speak on behalf of our area. It was wonderful to do this today and to have this support from my family.”

Country Liberal Party Senator Jacinta Price is handed a nulla-nulla (fighting stick that represents Country) by grandmother Tess Napaljarri Ross. Source: AAP / MICK TSIKAS

There are 11 First Nations members in Australia’s 47th parliament, the highest number of Indigenous people in the federal parliament.

The increased representation comes alongside a commitment from the Albanese government to enshrine an Indigenous Voice To Parliament during the term.

Senator Price was one of three First Nations women to deliver maiden speeches to the Senate on Monday.

She said she was immensely honoured to be standing as part of the 47th parliament of Australia wearing a traditional headdress during her first speech.

“My goal is to halt the pointless virtue signalling and focus on the solutions that bring real change,” she said.

“That changes the lives of Australia’s most vulnerable citizens — solutions that give them real lives not the enduring nightmare of violence and terror they currently live.”

Country Liberal Party Senator Jacinta Price makes her maiden speech in the Senate chamber at Parliament House in Canberra. Source: AAP / MICK TSIKAS

Senator Price said she believed issues such as housing, women's safety and economic development should be a higher priority than an Indigenous Voice to Parliament.

"Perhaps a word of advice since that is what you are seeking," she said.

"Listen to everyone and not just those who support your virtue signalling agenda but also to those you contradict."

Senator Price is a former deputy mayor of Alice Springs.

Labor MP Marion Scrymgour also delivered her maiden speech to parliament on Wednesday after her election for the federal seat of Lingiari in the Northern Territory.

The seat covers more than 1,348,158 square kilometres, including all of the NT’s remote Indigenous communities.

Labor MP for the seat of Lingiari, Marion Scrymgour, insists she “absolutely” continues to back the Voice to Parliament proposal after she questioned the timing of the debate. Source: AAP / LUKAS COCH

The former member of the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly who has Tiwi Islands and Central Australia heritage spoke about the need to address prevailing challenges facing Indigenous communities in her speech.

"Now that I am here, I want to make a difference for the better life for all Territorians, but in particular [for] all Aboriginal Territorians," she told parliament.

She spoke in particular about wanting to address alcohol abuse and domestic violence rates within remote communities.

Mutthi Mutthi and Wamba Wamba woman Jana Stewart is the first Indigenous female Senator for Victoria representing the Labor party.

Labor senator Jana Stewart makes her maiden speech in the Senate chamber at Parliament House in Canberra. Source: AAP / MICK TSIKAS

The former family therapist said she wanted to help secure change of systems that continued to pose challenges for advancing the interests of First Nations people, including high Indigenous incarceration rates.

"My hope is for a nation that is more honest, more inclusive and safer, fair and justice," she told the Senate.

"I hope that my time here can go some way to delivering that."