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

My question is to the Prime Minister. Following Saturday's referendum on the Voice to Parliament, what is the Prime Minister's message to Australia about the results?

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Lingiari for her question and for her extraordinary work representing remote communities in Central Australia, in Arnhem Land and in places like Wadeye and other communities, communities where we see the massive gap that exists between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australia. The referendum on Saturday did not return the result that I'd hoped for, but I respect the decision and the democratic process that produced it. In this country, we can make the big decisions peacefully and as equals. We know that referendums are hard. That's why only eight of 45 have passed, none without bipartisan support. I certainly accept responsibility for the decisions that I have taken.

This was a constitutional change asked for, requested—an invitation from Indigenous Australians. I accepted that invitation and I followed through on the commitments that I made. Australians did not accept the constitutional change that was proposed, but no-one is arguing for the status quo. No-one can say that just keeping doing the same thing is good enough for Australia. What has occurred in recent times is a much greater national awareness. We need to channel that into a national purpose to find the answers. The referendum was about listening to people and about getting better outcomes, and these principles will continue to guide me.

I will continue to listen to people and to communities and consult with Indigenous Australians about a way forward—

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

The member for O'Connor!

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

because the issues we sought to address have not gone away, nor have the people of goodwill and good heart who want to address them. We will address them with hope in our heart, with faith in each other and with kindness towards one another, walking together in a spirit of unity and healing. The great Australian story goes back some 65,000 years. We have an opportunity as parliamentarians to write the next chapter. As a government, we have a responsibility to write the next chapter as well, a chapter that sees the gap closing because we know that only four out of 19 targets are on track as we speak. Australians know that that is not good enough, and that is why we must seek to achieve that change. (Time expired)

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

My question is to the Prime Minister and concerns his divisive and incompetently managed referendum.

Government Members:

Government members interjecting—

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

Order! Members on my right! The Deputy Leader of the Opposition has the call and will start her question again and will be heard in silence.

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

My question is to the Prime Minister and concerns his divisive and incompetently managed referendum. Why did the Prime Minister, in the words of the member for Macarthur, focus on 'inner-city elites'? Why did he refuse to hold a constitutional convention? Why did he make no effort to achieve bipartisanship? Why did he waste $450 million of taxpayers' money?

Government members interjecting—

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

Order! Members on my right—

The member for Cooper is warned. Members on my right, I can't hear the question. You mightn't like what the question is, but I've got to hear it. The Deputy Leader of the Opposition will now be heard in silence. If there is one interjection, people will leave the chamber. The Deputy Leader of the Opposition, out of courtesy, will have her question read again.

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

My question is to the Prime Minister and concerns his divisive and incompetently managed referendum. Why did the Prime Minister, in the words of the member for Macarthur, focus on 'inner-city elites'? Why did he refuse to hold a constitutional convention? Why did he make no effort to achieve bipartisanship? Why did he waste $450 million of taxpayers' money? And why did he proceed when it was clear his vanity project was going so disastrously wrong?

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the Deputy Leader of the Opposition for her rhetoric. Let's be very clear here about what occurred. There was a constitutional convention. There was one established under the former government, in 2017, after a process, under Tony Abbott, to establish a working group who were charged with coming back to the Australian people about what form constitutional recognition should take. That was after John Howard, of course, and every other leader since, promised to promote constitutional recognition. In 2017—

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

Order! The Prime Minister will pause. The member for O'Connor: I've mentioned it a number of times. The Deputy Leader of the Opposition was heard in silence, and I'm asking for the same courtesy to be given to the Prime Minister. You'll leave the chamber under 94(a).

The member for O'Connor then left the chamber.

It's pretty simple. The Prime Minister will have the call and be heard in silence.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

After a process in 2017, First Nations people, through the Uluru Statement from the Heart, those eloquent 440 words, issued an invitation to Australians to walk with them on the form of recognition they sought, which was recognition through a voice. There were then processes established, including, under the former government, the Calma-Langton report and other processes, such as the joint committee chaired by Patrick Dodson and Julian Leeser, to progress this issue. I said, before the election, on a range of occasions, as did both leaders—Scott Morrison and Bill Shorten—prior to 2019, that there would be advance on these issues. I was at Garma when the Minister for Indigenous Australians, Ken Wyatt, said that there would be a referendum held. I was there in 2019.

What occurred was that I fulfilled that commitment that I made. This wasn't out of convenience; it was out of conviction. I believe that when you make a commitment, including a commitment to Indigenous people, it should be fulfilled. I'll make this point. Across remote areas dominated by Indigenous communities, 'yes' recorded massive support: Wadeye, 92 per cent; the Tiwis, 84 per cent; Maningrida, 88 per cent; Mornington Island, 78 per cent; Yarrabah, 76 per cent; Palm Island, 74 per cent; and Leonora, 79 per cent. The fact is that it did not get—

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

The Prime Minister's time has concluded.