Controversy has erupted over the role and funding of Australia’s First Nations People Ambassador, Justin Mohamed, after his contract was extended and his annual salary increased to $400,000.
Aboriginal academic and human rights lawyer Hannah McGlade has publicly criticised the position, describing it as “little more than an international PR exercise” and a misuse of taxpayer funds. Speaking to the Herald Sun, McGlade argued that the role promotes a positive image of Australia abroad, while failing to address pressing domestic issues such as the government’s poor progress on Closing the Gap commitments. According to the Productivity Commission, only four of the 15 socio-economic targets for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are currently on track.
Dr McGlade also highlighted the ambassador’s extensive overseas travel, which has cost over $250,000 in just 20 months, including visits to Switzerland, the US, Japan, South Korea, Tonga, Samoa, New Zealand, and other Pacific nations. “There is no evidence that these trips have delivered meaningful outcomes for Aboriginal communities,” she said.
The ambassador position was first established in March 2023 with an annual salary of $380,000. Its initial description included engaging regional partners on the Voice, Treaty, and Truth process, but this function has since been removed. Mohamed now leads a team of 10 staff with a four-year budget of $13.6 million, including a consultancy paid $266,000 to assist in developing a First Nations foreign policy approach.
Despite criticism, government spokespeople defended the role. A representative for Foreign Minister Penny Wong stated that Mohamed’s international engagement “is a unique element of our national power” and has strengthened Australia’s diplomatic and trade relationships, particularly in the Pacific. The government said his work has helped deliver foreign policy and economic outcomes.
Opposition figures, including former Opposition Leader Peter Dutton, have previously pledged to abolish the position, arguing it wastes taxpayer money. McGlade suggested the funding would be better directed toward supporting independent Aboriginal engagement with the UN and other international bodies to hold governments accountable and address disadvantage.
The role remains a flashpoint in debates over government spending, Indigenous representation, and the effectiveness of symbolic diplomatic positions versus practical domestic interventions for Aboriginal communities.
