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 the reaction from Indigenous leaders to the Prime Minister's dismal response to his referendum failure. Allira Davis, an Uluru dialogue member, said:

The PM is moving on tonight. He just wants to go to Washington and prepare for re-election. And we are just a blip.

Sally Scales, a member of the First Nations Referendum Working Group, said:

The PM was insulting & pathetic. How dare he. A cop out.

Does the Prime Minister remain committed—

Hon. Members:

Honourable members interjecting—

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

Order! There is far too much noise. There was no question there, but because I couldn't hear what the Deputy Leader of the Opposition was saying because of the interjections from the member for McNamara and the member for Cooper, I'm going to ask the deputy leader to state her question again. She will be heard in silence, and I will make sure she is within the time limit.

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

My question is the Prime Minister and concerns the reaction from Indigenous leaders to the Prime Minister's dismal response to his referendum failure. Allira Davis, an Uluru dialogue member, said:

The PM is moving on tonight. He just wants to go to Washington and prepare for re-election. And we are just a blip.

Sally Scales, a member of the First Nations Referendum Working Group, said:

The PM was insulting & pathetic. How dare he. A cop out.

Does the Prime Minister remain committed to treaty and truth-telling?

Honourable members interjecting—

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

Order, the Minister for the Environment and Water, the Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs and the Minister for Home Affairs.

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

It is a quite extraordinary question even for the Deputy Leader of the Opposition. But let me understand what the Deputy Leader of the Opposition is asking for here. She is quoting people who put their heart and soul into the development of the Uluru Statement from the Heart—

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

They're criticising you, Prime Minister!

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

Order! The Deputy Leader of the Opposition will cease interjecting.

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

from 2012 at least but going back to when John Howard promised in 2007 to hold a referendum within 18 months of his election, based upon Indigenous recognition. The Leader of the Opposition has on a number of occasions said that it has been the policy of the Liberal Party since 2007 to have a referendum. If only they had been in a position to do so. They won in 2013, they won in 2016, they won in 2019, and nothing happened. What I did was fulfil the commitment that I gave to Indigenous people but, most importantly, that I gave to the Australian people at the election in which we were elected in May 2022.

Indigenous Australians asked for Australians to vote on Indigenous recognition in our Constitution through a voice. They invited us, in the words of the Uluru statement, to walk with them. They said, 'In 1967 we were counted, in 2017 we want to be heard,'—that's what they said. We fulfilled that commitment, but the Deputy Leader of the Opposition would have you believe through asking that question that the people who have spent a lifetime campaigning for constitutional recognition of First Australians are understandably disappointed by the result.

Honourable memb ers interjecting—

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

Order, members on my left.

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

What I have said is I respect the decision that was made by the Australian people. On that basis, some people who have campaigned very strongly for it are not happy with that response. But I made it very clear before the election that I would respect the outcome, and I have made it after as well. I will show respect to those people. The deputy leader shows none. (Time expired)