The Government Just Straight-Up Forgot To Put Indigenous Affairs On The Parliamentary Calendar

    The government's been accused of not caring about Indigenous Affairs after it was left off the official sitting calendar.

    Nick Xenophon Team senator Skye Kakoschke-Moore has accused the government of not caring about Australia's first people after it admitted it had overlooked adding Indigenous affairs to the official Parliament House calendar.

    Kakoschke-Moore told BuzzFeed News she found it odd that the official parliament sitting calendar showed only four days of estimates (Monday through Thursday)...

    Despite all questions about Indigenous matters being scheduled for Friday.

    "If you intend on participating in the Indigenous matters program then you consider that estimates runs for five days with the relevant Indigenous affairs departments attending from 9am until 3pm on the Friday," Kakoschke-Moore said.

    "So the obvious question is why is the day that Indigenous matters are considered not formally acknowledged on the sitting program?"

    Since 2008, an additional day was added to the estimates schedule to accommodate questions across all portfolios on Indigenous matters and spending.

    On Monday, attorney-general George Brandis admitted it was something he had never considered.

    "There's certainly no reason why that Friday shouldn't be marked in the calendar as an estimates day... perhaps those who prepared the calendar didn't turn their mind to the question, senator, but I'm glad you have," Brandis said.

    Kakoschke-Moore said it's disturbing that the government has never considered the obvious oversight.

    Brandis admits to @SenatorSkye the gov left Indigenous Affairs off Parliament calendar because they completely over… https://t.co/qHmJtlpz1y

    "Matters as significant as outcomes for Indigenous people with respect to jobs, land, schooling and culture deserve not only the day they’ve been given for estimates, but due recognition of the importance of that day by being included on the sitting calendar."

    Kakoschke-Moore has written to the the managers of government business Christopher Pyne and Mitch Fifield asking them to fix the oversight.