Jenny Ware (Hughes, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to speak on the Constitution Alteration (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice) 2023. Twelve months ago the people of Hughes put their trust and faith in me to represent and serve them in this place. I similarly put my trust and faith in the people of Hughes when later this year they, along with 17.5 million other Australians, will have the opportunity to vote on this referendum.

The people of Australia always get it right. As disappointing as it was to be a Liberal on 21 May 2022, when we conclusively lost government, the Australian voters got it right. Similarly, Australians will get it right later this year when they vote either 'yes' or 'no' on this referendum. I was elected by the people of Hughes as a Liberal and under the Liberal brand. I commend my party's position to support this bill to the extent that we will not stand in the way of Australians having their say on the bill and on the referendum. This is appropriate.

Changing our Constitution, our founding document, by vote by a majority of Australians in a majority of states is one of the hallmarks of our great democracy. It has only occurred on eight occasions since Australia became a federation in 1901. The subject matter of this upcoming referendum is in two parts, although in one question. It is the constitutional recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and the enshrining of a national voice within our Constitution. These are important matters for both Indigenous Australians and non-Indigenous Australians.

I have had the advantage of having listened to many speeches on this bill made in this place, from my side, from the government's side and from the crossbenches. At the outset, I thank the Minister for Indigenous Australians, Minister Burney, for her representation of and advocacy for her people on this bill. She has conducted this debate with respect, integrity and dignity. My plea is that, as this bill leaves this place and goes to the other place and then ultimately to the Australian people, we similarly conduct ourselves with respect, integrity and dignity.

On my side, I particularly commend the speech of my friend the honourable member for Menzies and the work he undertook as the deputy chair of the Joint Select Committee on the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice Referendum. Similarly, I commend the courage and commitment by my other friend the honourable member for Berowra, who has been a staunch supporter of constitutional recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and for a voice at local, regional and national level. He has worked tirelessly over many years in his belief that this is the answer to closing the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. In that vein, I similarly acknowledge the work also conducted by the former Minister for Indigenous Australians, Mr Ken Wyatt, who's no longer in this place.

The Liberal Party has a longstanding tradition of supporting Indigenous Australians. Robert Menzies gave Aboriginal people the right to vote in Commonwealth and territory elections. He also established the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies, a national treasure that seeks to preserve Indigenous language and culture. Harold Holt brought the 1967 referendum to a successful conclusion, to enable Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to be counted as part of the Australian population. John Gorton appointed the first Minister for Aboriginal Affairs. Malcolm Fraser passed the first land rights act. John Howard made the first attempt at a referendum for constitutional recognition. Scott Morrison secured the National Resting Place and built a historic partnership with the Coalition of Peaks.

Several weeks ago, I committed to engaging with my electorate on this bill and the two underlying propositions regarding constitutional recognition and constitutional enshrinement of a national Voice to Parliament. To that end, over 2,000 have responded to my survey; I've received over 400 emails from constituents; and, on 3 May, over 130 people attended a community forum I facilitated and moderated on the Voice. I thank Aunty Gail Smith from the Gandangara Local Aboriginal Land Council, who gave the acknowledgement of country, as well as CEO Melissa Williams and all the Gundungurra people who attended. I also acknowledge those from Sutherland Shire Reconciliation, led by Aunty Dolly Brown, who also attended. I thank the panellists, who gave up their own time: Joe Hildebrand for the 'yes' campaign, and former prime minister the Hon. Tony Abbott for the 'no' campaign. Joe and Tony argued vehemently and vigorously but without vitriol and without virtue signalling. They used intellect, reason and passion to argue their respective cases. I thank those from my electorate who attended to ask questions—intelligent questions—and who were generally seeking to understand the referendum question before they vote. That is what I hope for in this upcoming campaign. My plea is that we, as Australians, treat each other with dignity and respect, in the same way the panellists on my community forum treated each other.

When we wake up as a nation the day after the referendum—it will be a Sunday morning—we must be able to look at ourselves in the mirror. How we feel on that day is important, as is, in addition to how we feel on that day, the day after the referendum, how we treat each other in this process, how we treat each other in this place and how we treat each other outside of this place. The day after the referendum, whatever the result, the Australian people will have got it right. That's what we accept in a democracy. That's what happens in every election. We lost the federal election last year, but the Australian people got it right. Although we may have different views in this place and the other place, there is, I believe, one thing on which we all agree: that we must do more to close the gap; to bring about real, practical reconciliation with Indigenous Australians; to improve the lives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, many of whom live in deplorable circumstances that would be unacceptable in other parts of Australia. And I say this, as well, as somebody with Indigenous Australians within my family. To Sherri, Jackson and their beautiful little girls, Estelle and Everlee: if this voice is successful, I hope that it improves your lives and the lives of your people down there in Wreck Bay.

Therefore, the question for the Australian people, for the electorate of Hughes, is whether the referendum, if passed, will bring about better outcomes for Indigenous Australians. It seems there is widespread support for constitutional recognition. I support that. I always have. It seems to me that the majority of my electorate support this. Indeed, the majority of Australians seem to support this. This is largely symbolic; however, symbols are important. Otherwise, we would not have flags. We would not have uniforms. We would not have badges. Symbolism matters.

The second part of the question that is being put to the Australian people will be about enshrining a national voice into our Constitution. This is the part that has troubled my electorate and is troubling many Australians. We canvassed this at length at the community forum.

Prime Minister Albanese had the opportunity to break these questions into two. This would have ensured as far as possible that constitutional recognition was successful. Instead, with intractable obstinacy to engage with our party, in an attempt to wedge us and paint us as racists, he has refused to obtain bipartisan support. The Prime Minister therefore now takes full responsibility for the 'yes' campaign's success. The process could have been very different. The process should have been very different.

In conclusion, my electorate of Hughes has demonstrated that it is interested in understanding both the 'yes' and the 'no' campaigns for the upcoming referendum. I say to the people of Hughes: please continue to engage. Ensure that you understand both sides of the debate. I am one of 17½ million Austrians who will have a vote on this important issue towards the end of this year.

The people of Hughes and the people of Australia got it right last May. They will get it right again on this referendum.

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