13:47 AEST Wed Sep 21 2011
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Indigenous women are the change makers who will help close the gap of disadvantage confronting Aboriginal people, a leadership forum has heard.
The annual Oxfam Straight Talk Summit has brought 60 indigenous women from across Australia, from cities, the outback and the Torres Strait, for a week-long leadership program.
The participants will share their stories with female politicians and increase their understanding of how the political system works.
Australia's first indigenous federal MP Ken Wyatt told the women he hoped to see more Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people run for parliament and dreamed of one day seeing an indigenous prime minister.
"One day I hope one of the faces in this room is sitting somewhere in one of the chambers of parliament," he said at Parliament House in Canberra on Wednesday.
The MP paid tribute to his mother and the indigenous women who had helped him on his journey.
"Never hold back, speak the truth that is your truth, speak what's in your heart with a combination of passion and logic," he said.
Indigenous Affairs Minister Jenny Macklin told the women they were "change makers" in their families, communities and workplaces.
Deputy opposition leader Julie Bishop said her favourite part of the program was chatting in her office with a group of participants "laughing and crying" over shared experiences.
"Whatever challenges our nation faces, empowering women must be critical to the solution," she said.
Australian Greens senator Rachel Siewert told the women to follow the lead of big business and learn to make the political system work for them.
"You need to learn how this place works so you know what buttons to press to get the decisions that you need," she said.
Senator Siewert said politicians and indigenous women could learn from each other.
"There's awful long way to go ... we're a long way from joining the dots, so we need you here to tell us how to do it," she said.
"It's important to have you here telling your stories to people in this place, (because) many people in this place do not get out and hear the issues."
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