Marion Scrymgour (Lingiari, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

SCRYMGOUR () (): My question is to the Attorney-General. Why is it important to recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people through a voice?

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

I thank the member for Lingiari for her question. In 2015, a Liberal prime minister and a Labor opposition leader asked the question: how do Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people want to be recognised in the Constitution? The answer to that question did not come from politicians. It could not have come from politicians. Only Indigenous Australians could answer that question, and in 2017 they did. In 2017 over 250 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander delegates gathered at Uluru and issued the Uluru Statement from the Heart, calling for an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voice. This was and is how Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people—

Mr Pasin interjecting—

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

The member will pause. The member for Barker has had a really good go today. He'll leave the chamber under standing order 94(a).

The member for Barker then left the chamber.

It is simply not acceptable for people to be continually interjecting. The Attorney-General has the call.

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

Thank you, Mr Speaker. This was and is how Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people want to be recognised in our Constitution. After years of failed programs and failed policies, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people told us that they were not seeking a purely symbolic form of recognition. They told us symbolic language would not do anything to improve unacceptable outcomes for Indigenous Australians. They told us that more of the same is not good enough. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people called for a practical form of constitutional recognition, one that will improve the way that we develop laws and policies relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people so that we get better results in areas like health, education and housing. That's what the Voice is about: listening to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people so we get better outcomes.

We cannot risk more of the same. But, as the Leader of the Opposition demonstrates every time he talks about the upcoming referendum, more of the same is all that the 'no' campaign has to offer. The 'no' campaign is offering no solutions for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Voting yes can do only good. Voting yes at this referendum means voting yes for a better future for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and for all Australians.