Melissa Price (Durack, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Indigenous Australians. Did the minister mislead the parliament when she said: 'I can tell you what the Voice will not be giving advice on … It won't be giving advice on changing Australia Day'?

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

I thank the member for Durack for her question. It is not the policy of this government to change the date of Australia Day. Many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have strong views on the date of Australia Day, but it is the parliament that makes those decisions. It is clear from the question that we are putting to the Australian people that the power of the parliament will not change. The Voice may give advice, but the parliament retains its primacy. The parliament will make laws. Subsection (iii) lays this out clearly, and it would do well for people to listen to this:

(iii) 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.

This is not about culture wars; this is about closing the gap. This isn't about division; this is about bringing people together. This isn't about tokenism; it's about making a practical difference.