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

I have to say I read the Leader of the Opposition's contribution in the Australian with some concern. I guess there is a whole broad range of interpretations you can give it. Being an optimist, I am hoping that this was just something that had to be done. The party machine said, 'Listen, we need to shake up this bipartisanship.' So I am hoping that he has not stepped beyond the line, and certainly that is not what I read, that he said, 'We haven't walked away from bipartisanship,' but I have not seen an article that went as close to that. I call on the Leader of the Opposition and those opposite to work with government in the same way that all the communities are working with government, that COAG is working with this government, to ensure that we have real outcomes on the ground for our first Australians. I think it is in that enterprise and in that endeavour that you will endear them to you as they have endeared themselves to us and our efforts.