Gordon Reid (Robertson, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I want to start by saying a huge thank you to the tremendous work that not only the Prime Minister but also our Attorney-General, Mark Dreyfus, are doing to build a stronger future for First Nations communities not just in my electorate of Robertson but right across the country. From our metropolitan city centres to our regional and remote communities, we are truly building a stronger future for First Nations communities, and part of that stronger future is the implementation in full of the Uluru Statement from the Heart, for voice, for treaty and for truth. The Voice, at its core, is about two things: firstly, recognition—recognising our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander brothers and sisters as the first peoples of this land; and, secondly consultation—that is, the establishment of an independent Voice to Parliament so that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples can have a say on the issues that will affect them at the end of the day.

I know people in this chamber love it when I get a bit medical, and I'm going to get a bit medical again, because this is about listening. As doctors, nurses and allied health professionals know, one of the most important things that we do at the bedside is taking a patient's history and listening to the patient. More often than not, when you listen and take that history, you will formulate a provisional diagnosis and start a treatment plan that will ultimately save a life—and that's way before a physical examination, any pathology testing or any scans. That's the power of listening, and that's what the Voice is at its core. We will be listening to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people about the issues that will affect them and their communities at the end of the day.

Something I would also like to bring up in relation to the Voice, particularly about enshrining it in our Constitution, is that in this 47th parliament we have 11 First Nations MPs and senators from right across the political spectrum, which is a fantastic outcome for this country. To have such high Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander representation in this parliament—the federal parliament, our nation's parliament—is excellent. However, in the 48th or 49th parliaments, that may not be the case. What this voice does is permanently enshrine that Voice—the voices of First Nations communities—in the parliament of Australia. I think that's a really important point to make with the implementation of the Uluru Statement from the Heart, and particularly with the establishment of the establishment of the Voice. I also want to make mention that the 2023-24 budget does also extend existing funding to enable the investment of $20 million to progress regional voice arrangements.

On that note, I want to thank the Prime Minister and the Attorney-General for work that they are doing in implementing the Uluru Statement from the Heart and for progressing the referendum so that every Australian can have their say. Because it is not about us here; it's about every Australian out there having their say on recognising and listening to First Nations communities. With that, I would like to ask the Attorney-General a question: What is the government doing with regards to First Nations communities to ensure the success of the Voice?

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