Adam Bandt (Melbourne, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

It is critical to understand what is behind the coalition's approach to try and divide this country, because it is part of a history of trying to use race to win votes. We need a Voice to Parliament enshrined in the Constitution because of people like the Leader of the Opposition and Senator Hanson, because without a First Nations Voice too many will continue to talk about First Nations of this country as criminals and not as equals. They will ignore how the laws of our parliaments have disproportionately impacted First Nations people. The coalition see the Voice as a threat. They see justice, liberty and equality, according to the far-right-wing Liberals and One Nation, as a threat.

But this country is changing. We want a different future. We want to be more than a prison island. We want to come to terms with how we all came to be here. We want to punch up and not down. We want a country which treats everyone fairly. We want to be brave and bold, not weak and cowardly. We want to be proud of our future.

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