Anthony Albanese was so confident that the Indigenous Voice in Parliament would rise up that he appointed the world’s first international ambassador for First Nations Peoples.
The role was advertised with the explicit purpose of promoting the three principles of the Uluru Declaration from the Heart on the world stage: voice, a treaty between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australia, and telling the truth about the nation’s past.
But although the Voice foundered (with 60 per cent voting No to changing the constitution in last October’s referendum), the taxpayer-funded role has still been played.
Justin Mohamed was appointed to the role in March 2023, tasked with promoting the Voice and helping shape an indigenous “foreign policy approach.”
Mr Mohamed was in Hawaii for the Pacific Arts Festival just a week ago, representing Australia.
Minister for Indigenous Australians Linda Burney jointly announced Mr Mohamed’s appointment.
In his first major interview on Friday, Mohamed told the Sydney Morning Herald from Paris that he still travels the world speaking to First Nations communities.
“The response I’ve received globally from many other First Nations groups, but also from governments, has been warm and curious at the same time,” he told the Nine-owned newspaper.
But it is challenging not to have a plan to follow.
Mohamed said he and his department, DFAT’s newly created First Nations Engagement Office, “can’t travel to another country to get a sense of how they were set up or what their priorities were or the path they took.”
“It comes with a bit of responsibility to ensure that the first steps we take are the right ones.”
As part of his role, Mr. Mohamed travels the world promoting the interests of First Nations people.
Prior to this role, Mr Mohamed was CEO of Reconciliation Australia and helped facilitate Cricket Australia’s Reconciliation Action Plan.
Prior to assuming his diplomatic role, Mohamed served as chief executive of Reconciliation Australia and deputy secretary of Aboriginal Justice in Victoria.
In that role, he helped the state take steps to create a treaty.
His wife, Associate Professor Janine Mohamed, spent five years working as executive director of the Lowitja Institute, before leaving this year to take up the role of deputy executive director (First Nations) of the National Disability Insurance Scheme.
Announcing her appointment, Australian Indigenous Minister Linda Burney said: ‘This new role ensures, for the first time, that Australia will have dedicated Indigenous representation in our international engagement.
Pictured: Mohamed (left) alongside James Packer, former Victorian premier Daniel Andrews and former NRL player Greg Inglis.
‘Mr Mohamed will lead the Office of First Nations Engagement at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
‘Together they will work in genuine partnership with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to promote Indigenous rights globally and help increase First Nations trade and investment.
“Elevating the perspectives of First Nations people – the first diplomats of this land – allows for deeper engagement with many of our closest partners, including the Pacific family.”
Highly successful Indigenous leaders were encouraged to apply for the position of Ambassador through an expression of interest report issued by the Department of Foreign Affairs.
It was the first time an ambassador position was opened to the public.
According to the job description, DFAT was looking for someone to “lead the Government’s efforts to incorporate Indigenous perspectives, experiences and interests into Australia’s foreign policy”.
Mohamed, in his role, was expected to address “shared challenges such as health security, environmental management and climate change, and gender equality…drawing on the unique experiences and knowledge of First Nations peoples.”
He will: ‘Establish international First Nations dialogues on Voice, Treaties and Truth with like-minded countries to share experiences and knowledge on reconciliation processes and other First Nations issues, starting with New Zealand and Canada.’
He is currently in Paris for diplomatic talks at UNESCO, just a week after traveling to Hawaii for the Pacific Arts Festival.
DFAT expects Mohamed and his department to “integrate the perspectives and experiences of Australian First Nations into all facets of their work”.
But in the wake of Voice’s defeat, a few months after getting the appointment, Mohamed confessed that he was not sure about his future in the position.
He said he woke up on October 15, like many other Indigenous Australians, struggling to accept the referendum result.
From now on, he says, the whole world is watching.
‘What counts is what Australia does next and how we did it. The world is watching…the spotlight is on Australia.
“For all the right and wrong reasons.”
