Indigenous Languages in Australia's Parliaments

This Languages and Linguistics Seminar reports on Alexandra Grey's recent study of parliamentary Hansard transcripts.

The transcripts identified 86 non-mandated, ad hoc instances of Indigenous language use in six of Australia's nine parliaments. The study demonstrates that the use of Indigenous languages is increasing from both Members of Parliament (MPs) who are Indigenous and MPs who are not.

These languages have been used during ceremonial parliamentary activities when invitees speak, during MPs' milestone first speeches, and elsewhere in parliamentary debate, particularly in debate over bilingually titled legislation.

Alexandra frames these 86 instances as significant for 'slipping and sliding' following Dr Robyn Ober, a Mamu/Djirribal woman and scholar from Northern Australia, and in the practices of both individual and collective navigation and resistance of the social and institutional power structures within Australian parliaments.

Alexandra will then discuss how parliamentary standing orders about language use prevent or constrain Indigenous language use in some Australian parliaments, contrasting these with parliaments which are permissive or even proactive about Indigenous language use.

Date

Friday 19 September 2025

Time

1 to 2 pm

Location

Online via Zoom

Speaker

Dr Alexandra Grey
University of Technology Sydney

Suggested pre-reading

[[link]]Making linguistic diversity visible in parliament

[[link]]Celebrating Indigenous linguistic diversity in Australia's parliaments