Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

What we just heard was 10 minutes of misinformation, 10 minutes spent trying to create confusion and spread division, 10 minutes totally devoid of empathy, 10 minutes completely unworthy of the alternative Prime Minister of this country.

In 2017, Indigenous Australians met and agreed on the Uluru Statement from the Heart. The Leader of the Opposition has just given a statement without a heart. This is very clear. The question that Australians will be asked at this referendum is clear. The exact wording of the constitutional provisions is clear. The eight design principles explaining what the Voice will do, and what it won't do, are clear. All of this information has been available, in some cases for many years. Most of it was developed when the former coalition was in government. What's just as clear is that some of those opposite are not interested in answers. They were always set on saying no.

The Nationals said no before they even saw the question, and the Liberals said no before the parliamentary process even started. The question before the Australian people is simple:

A Proposed Law: to alter the Constitution to recognise the First Peoples of Australia by establishing an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice.

Do you approve this proposed alteration?

Yes or no?

Then there are the provisions which are there:

In recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Peoples of Australia:

1. There shall be a body, to be called the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice;

2. The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice may make representations to the Parliament and the Executive Government of the Commonwealth on matters relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples;

3.—

importantly, the one that maintains the primacy of this parliament—

The Parliament shall, subject to this Constitution, have power to make laws with respect to matters relating to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice, including its composition, functions, powers and procedures.

In addition to that, the Attorney-General's second reading speech made it very clear that they would advise on 'matters specific to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples' and, importantly, on 'matters … which affect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples differently to other members of the Australian community.' The eight principles that were developed under Calma and Langton are clear as well: independent advice; chosen by Indigenous people themselves; representative of Indigenous communities; empowering and community led; the need to be accountable and transparent; working alongside existing organisations; importantly, not a funding body; no program delivery function; and, also importantly, the Voice will not have a veto power.

They used to talk about the Solicitor-General's advice. This is what the Solicitor-General's opinion said:

The proposed amendment is not only compatible with the system of representative and responsible government established under the Constitution, but it enhances that system.

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