Nearly 20 years ago, in 2004, Long began a similar walk to the nation’s capital to speak with then-prime minister John Howard after the abolition of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission and after attending another Aboriginal funeral.After Long completed 325 kilometres of the planned journey in about nine days, Mr Howard called for an end to the walk and agreed to meet.
“It’s not a cost to the budget, it’s a profound investment in a fairer and stronger Australia and a better future for Aboriginal people,” he said.