Nigel Scullion (NT, Country Liberal Party, Minister for Indigenous Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

The government will not be supporting this motion. I stress that we remain firmly committed to the Closing the Gap targets and we want to be judged on results. We want kids going to school, we want adults going to work and we want the law of the land applying in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. We do not take any issue with the sentiments behind this motion. However, the correct Senate procedure would be to refer such matters to the Procedure Committee.

The delivery of the Closing the gap report, along with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander involvement in the opening of parliament, are significant parliamentary events. The government will continue the same practice for Closing the gap reports that has been followed over the last five years, and we will continue to welcome parliamentary debate.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leaders around the country acknowledge the significance of this event and routinely attend, and they will be welcomed to continue to do so. Most of the senators in this place often attend the speeches of both the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition. The government considers Closing the Gap a bipartisan task and calls on all members of parliament to focus on outcomes and making real changes to the lives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians.

Question agreed to.