Linda Burney (Barton, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Indigenous Australians) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Parkes for his question. On 14 October, Australians will come together to vote on whether we should recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in our Constitution. This is our moment to embrace recognition, our moment to move Australia forward more unitedly, our moment to listen to the voices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. I say once again: there is no room for racism in Australia. The pain of racism is real for those people who have experienced it. It is something that should not be used for political purposes. It is something that we should all agree is harmful and unacceptable, and it is something that we should all agree must stop.

I have faith in the Australian people to engage in this debate respectfully, to walk in other people's shoes and to approach this referendum with empathy and with compassion towards one another.

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