Sussan Ley (Farrer, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Women) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Indigenous Australians.

Hon. Members:

Honourable members interjecting—

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

Order! Members on my left and right will be silent so I can hear the question. I will ask the deputy leader to begin her question again.

Sussan Ley (Farrer, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Women) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Indigenous Australians. Last month, the minister said: 'The Makarrata Commission would have two jobs. First, the national process of truth-telling and national agreement-making, which is really code for treaty without saying it.' Would the minister explain this statement to the House?

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

Can I thank the member for Farrer for her question and say that my visit to your electorate was incredibly successful. The word makarrata is a word from the language of the Yolngu people from Arnhem Land. It means coming together after a struggle, facing the facts of wrongs, living together in peace. That word was gifted to the Uluru statement by the late Yunupingu, the great Gumatj leader from north-east Arnhem Land. This weekend at Garma we will gather again and we will remember his legacy and all that he did for his people over so many years. More than anything, he wanted to see constitutional recognition through a voice made reality. Later this year we have the chance to do that—recognition, listening and better results.