Rachel Siewert (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

It is with pleasure that I stand to speak on the tabling of the interim report of the Joint Select Committee on Constitutional Recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples. I am also a member of the joint committee and a very active participant. Members in this chamber are probably aware that I was also a very active member of the expert panel and have a great deal of commitment to the recommendations of the expert panel. But I have an enormous commitment to constitutional recognition of our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and believe that this report is a next step in our journey to constitutional recognition.

I am a believer that constitutional recognition of our first peoples is a certainty. It is inevitable. It is the timing that is the point here. I am an advocate for ensuring that we get the question right, but I obviously also want to see it happen sooner rather than later. But that does not mean that I am going to support a rushed process with a question that does not reflect what I believe the community wants to see. That is, the community wants to see a substantive question put and substantive meaningful changes and not a token approach. I do not believe we should underestimate the willingness of the community to engage in this discussion and debate, which is why I am very pleased that we are going to be out, as of Monday, on the consultation process. As Senator Peris said, we will be in Broome, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed on Monday morning, very anxious and keen to hear from the community about its views not only on the interim report but also its broader views. Having participated in the extensive consultation that the expert panel undertook a couple of years ago in developing its report, I for one know that the community has a lot to say on this particular issue and are very keen to participate.

The interim report provides a good basis for us to go and out consult because the community wants to see and hear where the parliament is up to in its consideration of this very important issue. The expert panel report provided—and I am conflicted here, I will acknowledge—what I think are some very good recommendations for the interim panel to take up and progress in what we would prefer was called a multipartisan approach instead of a bipartisan approach (and I am not trying to have a go, Senator Brandis) to reflect the make-up of this parliament and our community. I know Senator Brandis did not mean to slight anyone and I am not meaning to slight him, but I do need to remind this place that we need a multipartisan approach to constitutional recognition if we are going to achieve a consensus approach to the issue and the questions that will inevitably turn up on a ballot paper.

The interim report makes a number of important points. As Senator Peris points out, there is already fairly strong agreement that section 25 is an outdated section of our Constitution. The committee put the view in the interim report that if we are to seek to change the Constitution, a successful referendum proposal must prevent the Commonwealth from discriminating against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. This is a very important point. I would urge people to read the discussion in the interim report and the conclusions that we have reached.

I would be interested to hear what the community think about our comments on language. That is one of the recommendations of the expert panel. The interim report makes some points about language and whether that should have a separate power and should be incorporated into some of the other wording. I am very anxious to learn what the community feels about that. This report is an important step in our journey towards constitutional recognition. Constitutional recognition is an important step in our journey to a truly reconciled nation.

I also would like to endorse the 'Recognise' campaign. I have participated in that campaign. I have walked in Melbourne. I have walked in the bush. I have walked into Garma. In fact, I have even paddled in the leg in Western Australia for constitutional recognition at the conclusion of the first leg of the journey into Perth. I also walked as part of the next journey, starting from Perth as it headed off. This is a very important opportunity for Australia to continue our journey. I commend this report to the Senate. I urge Australians to read it and participate in the consultation process. I seek leave to continue my remarks.

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