Politics were the focus, but Bluey stole the show at Garma

Politics and Bluey take centre stage on first day of Garma Festival Fri 31 Jul 2026 at 7:19pm , updatedFri 31 Jul 2026 at 7:21pm The first day of Garma Festival began with a reminder of this year's theme, "bukmak", a Yolŋu word meaning "everyone". "I can think of no better word to put at the very centre of education, because a future that leaves a single child behind is not a future that benefits anyone in this country," National Commissioner for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island Children and Young People Sue-Anne Hunter said on Friday morning. The commissioner promised that she would come back to Garma every year for as long she held her role and "tell the truth about how this nation is treating our children". "Our children learn in two worlds, yet they walk in many," she told those gathered in Arnhem Land for the nation's largest Indigenous meeting. "They carry language, kinship, ceremony, country in one hand and the classroom and the curriculum and the exam in the other. "We ask a great deal of them." On Friday young people from local schools played AFL and took part in workshops as part of the festival's education fair. Opposition makes the most of PM's absence Shadow Education Minister Julian Leeser said the "single best thing" to improve outcomes across the board in Indigenous affairs was to get kids to attend and complete school. "In Australia an Aboriginal boy is more likely to go to jail than university," he said. "But, as I have said before, on graduation, an Indigenous graduate will earn at least on par with a non-Indigenous graduate." Mr Leeser took advantage of Anthony Albanese's absence from the event, telling the audience that the prime minister had "lost his direction on Indigenous affairs" since the Voice referendum failed. "We all know where the prime minister stood on the Voice," he said. "I stood there too. But since the defeat of the Voice he just hasn't gotten off the mat." Mr Albanese's absence from Garma this year has not gone unnoticed. "Mob want to hear directly from our prime minister, showing leadership and the ability to come and listen," Kerrupmara and Gunditjmara man Travis Lovett told the ABC's Tahnee Jash. "Our people — as First Peoples, but also Australians — have expectations that when politicians say they will do something, that they deliver on that." Northern Territory Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro used her first keynote address at the festival to announce a major Aboriginal land agreement to help the remote town of Nhulunbuy ahead of the winding up of the Rio Tinto mine there. As ABC Darwin's Matt Garrick reported, the announcement comes as long-term businesses prepare to sell up and leave the region, including Woolworths. It also coincided with the 50th anniversary of the NT Aboriginal Land Rights Act. Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Minister for Indigenous Australians Malarndirri McCarthy have arrived at the festival and will be giving a keynote speech on Saturday. Bluey steals the show The most popular guest at Garma on Friday was not a politician, but a beloved Australian dog. Bluey was welcomed onto country with a ceremonial dog dance and posed with kids and adults, including ABC Chair Kim Williams, throughout the day. One child even brought his puppy, Rio, to meet the cartoon blue heeler. Later tonight people will gather to watch Bluey episodes translated into Yolŋu Matha. They were produced at Yolŋu Radio's studio in north-east Arnhem Land. Bluey's dad, Bandit, is voiced by Dimathaya Burarrwanga, a founding member of Yolŋu surf rock band King Stingray, and her mum, Chilli, is voiced by Yolŋu educator Rosie Mununggurr. "It was really fun to be able to put the oldest language into an actual Bluey scene," Burarrwanga told the ABC. "I think it's really important for the Yolŋu kids to be able to understand what Bluey means." Aboriginal corporation chief executive Julia Wormer said the communities across north-east Arnhem land were thrilled about the translated episodes. "Absolutely, the kids have been so excited to watch it," she said. "There's been so much excitement across all of the communities in north-east Arnhem Land and it's created a real sense of pride in these children. "I have already heard from other language groups that they would love more translations in their own languages."