Between 250 to 700 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages existed before European settlement. More than two centuries later, only 150 of those traditional languages survived according to the 2016 Census, and just 14 languages that are still being actively taught to children.
Between 250 to 700 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages existed before European settlement. More than two centuries later, only 150 of those traditional languages survived according to the 2016 Census, and just 14 languages that are still being actively taught to children.
Latest Census shows only 1 in 10 Indigenous Australians speak an Indigenous language.
![[kt] Emergency Management Minister Kristy McBain speaking in Federal Parliament.](https://assets.sbs.com.au/dims4/default/bc9ba3f/2147483647/strip/true/crop/8256x4644+0+430/resize/1280x720!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fsbs-au-brightspot.s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com%2F67%2F84%2Fadbfe5cb4756aefd7f300d6b3fe4%2F20260331160991618420-original.jpg&imwidth=1280)
