Zoe McKenzie (Flinders, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to express my concern and some real sadness with the direction in which the Prime Minister is taking the Australian people in relation to the Voice to Parliament. Last Thursday, the Prime Minister revealed the words which he will put to the Australian people in a referendum in late 2023. Despite his words inviting all Australians to walk together to a better future, he has, without broader public debate or transparency, put forward a fundamental change to the Australian Constitution and to the workings of this place—this place that, today, has the highest representation of Indigenous Australians ever on record, much to our collective pride and gratitude to the voters who have elected them.

On the weekend, esteemed journalist and deep observer of this place for over 50 years, Paul Kelly, forewarned:

The Australian tragedy of 2023 is about to unfold … It is a tragedy because the Australian Constitution needs to recognise the Indigenous people and what they rightly call the 'torment of our powerlessness', yet the Albanese cabinet decision is an extraordinary and flawed model devoid of bipartisanship or any effort to achieve it.

When the Prime Minister got to his feet last Thursday, he smashed the hearts of many coalition parliamentarians and supporters who hoped he would conduct a sensible, transparent, respectful civic debate involving all Australians. It turns out wedge politics are more important to our Prime Minister than an enduring win for our Indigenous Australians.

See this speech in context