Josh Wilson (Fremantle, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Attorney-General. Why is it important for the debate on the Voice referendum to be informed by the facts?

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

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

Order! The member for Page and the Leader of the Nationals will cease interjecting. The Attorney-General has the call.

Mark Dreyfus (Isaacs, Australian Labor Party, Cabinet Secretary) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Fremantle for his question. Mr Speaker, 14 October will be a very significant moment in our country's history. It will be an opportunity to finally recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the Australian Constitution. It is important that Australians make a decision based on the facts.

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

The member for Bowman is warned.

Mark Dreyfus (Isaacs, Australian Labor Party, Cabinet Secretary) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

But the 'no' campaign strategy has been to ignore the facts and instead to sow fear and division across our great country. Don't take my word for it. We know that these are the directions the official 'no' campaign is giving to its volunteers: ignore the facts, and say anything to distract from the actual issue on the ballot paper.

An opposition leader with an ounce of decency would distance himself from a strategy based on disinformation and deceit. He would call it out.

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

The member for Herbert is warned.

Mark Dreyfus (Isaacs, Australian Labor Party, Cabinet Secretary) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Not this opposition leader. No claim is too outlandish, no claim is too sinister, no claim is too absurd for this opposition leader. He'll say anything, he'll do anything, to spread confusion and divide our country.

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

Order! The Attorney-General will pause.

The Minister for Climate Change and Energy is not helping. 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

Speaker, as you and all members would be fully aware, standing order 90 says that all imputations of improper motives to a member shall be considered highly disorderly. The Attorney-General has just spent the first part of his answer imputing improper motives to the Leader of the Opposition. He is in breach of the standing orders, and he should be drawn back to that.

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

I'll hear from the Leader of the House.

Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Just to the point of order: there is a difference between imputing motives and describing conduct. The Attorney-General's been describing the conduct of the Leader of the Opposition.

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

The Manager of Opposition Business on the point of order?

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

Even by the standards of the Leader of the House, that is an unusually nonsensical proposition.

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

I'm going to remind the Attorney-General to be mindful of standing order 90 about not imputing motives in his answer. He's entitled to give his view, but he should just make sure he is within the standing orders.

Mark Dreyfus (Isaacs, Australian Labor Party, Cabinet Secretary) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Mr Speaker. Let's talk about some facts. The proposed constitutional amendment says that the Voice will have the power to make representations on matters relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. That is a fact. The Leader of the Opposition ignores this fact and asserts that the Voice would influence every area of public administration and grind the whole of government to a halt. This is wrong, and the Leader of the Opposition must know that it is wrong. The proposed constitutional amendment says that the parliament will have power to determine the powers of the Voice. That is a fact. The Leader of the Opposition ignores this fact and asserts that the High Court would determine its powers, not the parliament. This is wrong, and the Leader of the Opposition must know that this is wrong.

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

The member for Deakin is now warned.

Mark Dreyfus (Isaacs, Australian Labor Party, Cabinet Secretary) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am confident that Australians will see through the opposition leader's tactics. Australians want outcomes, not arguments. Australians want the truth and not grubby tactics. The referendum on 14 October is about three things: recognising Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders in our Constitution, listening to them and, by listening, achieving better outcomes.