Tim Hammond (Perth, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to condemn this Prime Minister and this government for their conduct in this place in the last 24 hours in attempting to ram through substantial legislation in relation to a historic land rights agreement between the Aboriginal people and the government—that is, the Native Title Act.

Make no mistake, we all agree that the substance of the Native Title Amendment (Indigenous Land Use Agreements) Bill 2017 has merit, but the substance is very different to the form of this Prime Minister and this government. How is this for consultation: a second reading speech of five minutes long was made yesterday morning, and then the government shut down the third reading debate this afternoon. There was been no consultation by this Prime Minister or this government—and this Prime Minister had the hypocrisy to stand up two days ago and say:

The national interest requires a re-commitment to the relationship with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

But there can be no relationship without partnership.

And there can be no partnership without participation …

This bill demonstrates no credibility, no consultation and rank hypocrisy. What little credibility this Prime Minister had evaporated this morning and it is gone forever. (Time expired)