Paul Fletcher (Bradfield, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Government Services and the Digital Economy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister and concerns the Voice. Can the Prime Minister confirm:

The Voice is not about defence policy. It's not about foreign affairs policy.

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

I thank member for his question, and they should know what the Voice is about, because for 10 years they were actually the government that established the committees, established the processes and produced the reports that dealt with the Voice to Parliament. Indeed, the shadow minister for Aboriginal affairs proudly said in his first speech to parliament:

In important public debates, in a time of increasing polarisation of views, we need people who can build consensus and find the middle ground. And so in more recent times, I have worked with Indigenous leaders and constitutional conservatives to find a constitutional way to make better policy about, and give due recognition of, Indigenous Australians while avoiding the downsides of inserting symbolic language into a technical document which requires interpretation by judges.

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Manager of Opposition Business, on a point of order?

Paul Fletcher (Bradfield, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Government Services and the Digital Economy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On relevance, it was a very tight question. The totality of the question:

My question is to the Prime Minister and concerns the Voice. Can the Prime Minister confirm:

The Voice is not about defence policy. It's not about foreign affairs policy.

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The issue we have here is you started your sentence with, 'My question is about the Voice.' Under the standing orders the Prime Minister is being relevant, because if you ask and state something in the first or second part of the question, he can refer to that. But he was asked specifically a second part of the question, and before he ends I'm sure he will address that part of the question.

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

I'm surprised quoting the member for Berowra's first speech is something that's controversial in this place. It was about the Voice, his first speech, and he deserves credit for the work he has done on the Voice, which is why it is so sad that what we see now is an attempt, ongoing, to raise issues in a way that is designed to undermine the opportunity Australians have to unite the country in a positive way—just like I offered to the former Prime Minister when we met in his office on the first sitting day of parliament in 2019. Bear this in mind: those opposite, prior to the 2019 election, made a commitment to advance the Voice to Parliament. Ken Wyatt, to his credit, was appointed as the first ever Aboriginal to hold the position of minister for Indigenous affairs, and I appointed as shadow minister the member for Barton. That was to advance—

Peter Dutton (Dickson, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker—

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Has the Prime Minister concluded his answer?

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

No.

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Member for Hume, I'm trying to hear from the Leader of the Opposition.

Peter Dutton (Dickson, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Your words were very clear before—that is, for the Prime Minister to answer the question before his time is up. He has 26 seconds left, and he continues to openly defy your orders.

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Resume your seat, thank you.

Opposition members interjecting—

Members on my right will cease interjecting.

The member for New England will cease interjecting. The Prime Minister in conclusion.

The Leader of the Opposition will cease interjecting, as will the Attorney-General.

The Leader of the Opposition will remain silent for the remainder of this answer. The Prime Minister has 26 seconds to go.

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

The wording of the referendum which was put forward for the Australian people makes it very clear that it is about matters that affect the lives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. That is what this is about—the 10 year gap in life expectancy. It is about doing something about that. (Time expired)