The Wire

A Parliamentary report released today has called for an overhaul of Indigenous language policy by Australian state and federal governments. The report recommends bilingual Indigenous language education be introduced in all schools where students speak an Indigenous language as their mother tongue.

The bilingual education policy has been particularly controversial in the Northern Territory, where it was abolished in 2008. Recommendations in the report include increased Commonwealth funding for indigenous language support programs and for indigenous language learning to be a Closing the Gap outcome.