First Nations leaders dream of the next step in self-determination. They’re learning from the past and looking to the future as they make calls for action to empower the next generation.

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When Professor Marcia Langton walks into a room, everyone listens to her sharp analysis of progress, setbacks and her source of optimism.

“The youth are stepping up through leadership programs and they have very clear ideas, and I’m full of hope that they will go on with their careers and become great Australian leaders, great Indigenous leaders and create that better future that we all want.”

“So that makes me very hopeful. They’re very competent. They understand the importance of education. They’re charming young people, they’re polite, they’re respectful, and they’re deeply thoughtful. And I give them full credit for being the young leaders they are and the leaders of the future.”

Professor Marcia Langton says it’s time for First Nations peoples to have a representative body to fully engage with government on priorities set by Traditional Owners.

Thomas Mayo, who helped draft the Uluru Statement from the Heart, says the next chapter is about delivering justice to Indigenous peoples who continue to stand strong and whose voices must be heard.

Together they are optimistic and pragmatic about what’s required to make progress on the rights of Indigenous peoples.

Thanks also to other community members featured in this episode including Thomas Mayo, Gaja Kerry Charlton, Commissioner Katie Kiss, Professor Chelsea Watego, Bruce Simpson, Mena Waller, Alf Lacey and Manny Williams.

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Rights Made Real is a podcast from the Queensland Human Rights Commission.

This series, Gathering Strength, is based on interviews conducted during the Bandarran Marra’Gu summit in Queensland in 2025.

You can follow Queensland Human Rights Commission on Instagram or LinkedIn.

This series was produced by Deadset Studios: Host Solua Middleton, executive producer Kellie Riordan, supervising producer Rebecca Levingston, and producer/editors are Liam Riordan and Melissa May. Strategist is Ann Chesterman.

Theme music composed by Clay Cassar-Daley.

Thanks to the technical staff at the State Library of Queensland.

This podcast was recorded on the land of the Turrbal and Yuggera people. We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the land on which this show was made.

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Rights Made Real is a podcast from the Queensland Human Rights Commission.

The functions of the Queensland Human Rights Commission include promoting an understanding and acceptance, and public discussion, of human rights in Queensland and making information about human rights available to the community.

The content presented in this podcast is distributed by the Queensland Human Rights Commission as an information source only. The information may include the views or recommendations of other organisations or people, which are not necessarily the views of the Commission. The Queensland Human Rights Commission makes no statements, representations or warranties about the accuracy, currency or completeness of any information available in this podcast.