Angus Taylor (Hume, Liberal Party, Shadow Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Treasurer. In October, the Treasurer provided $5.8 million for an independent makarrata commission for national treaty making. Nine hundred thousand dollars has already been spent. Can the Treasurer inform the House what this has delivered?

Jim Chalmers (Rankin, Australian Labor Party, Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Unlike the shadow Treasurer, I believe there's an important role for the federal government and the federal budget in seeking and delivering better outcomes for First Nations people. I stand by the funding that we've provided, over two budgets now, towards that objective.

As I said earlier in the week, one of the reasons the shadow Treasurer and his colleagues don't want to ask us what this referendum is about is that they know. They don't want to ask us what it's about; they want to ask us what it's not about. This referendum is not about makarrata. This referendum is not about the other issues that they're asking about. This referendum is about a Voice to Parliament. A Voice to Parliament is about recognition, listening and better outcomes, and I'm surprised that he doesn't want to see those better outcomes.

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

The Treasurer will pause. The member for Moreton—not two days in a row. The member for Hume on a point of order.

Angus Taylor (Hume, Liberal Party, Shadow Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

This is a very specific and very polite question. What has the $900,000 allocated for making treaties delivered?

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

The question was about a makarrata commission for the treaty-making and money allocations. I'm just going to bring the Treasurer back to that part of the question.

Jim Chalmers (Rankin, Australian Labor Party, Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The money in the budget in October, the money in the budget in May and the money in future budgets towards getting better outcomes for First Nations people is all about trying to close the gap in outcomes. Once again, one of the reasons that they want to ask us these sorts of questions is that they can't argue against the fundamental reason for a voice to parliament, and that's better outcomes for people.

Angus Taylor (Hume, Liberal Party, Shadow Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

What's the money doing?

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

The member for Hume will cease interjecting.

Jim Chalmers (Rankin, Australian Labor Party, Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It's about recognition and listening and better outcomes. I think it's disappointing but not especially surprising to hear that the guy who wants to be the Treasurer of this country is not interested in better outcomes for our First Nations brothers and sisters. That's what the referendum is about.

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

The Treasurer will return to the question.

Jim Chalmers (Rankin, Australian Labor Party, Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

And that's what the funding in the budget is about.

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

The member for Groom does not need to continue to interject after a minister has taken their seat.