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

I'll only spend a few minutes taking note of this report given that two of my colleagues on the committee have made such excellent contributions. I would also like to join in acknowledging and thanking Senator Dodson and Mr Leeser for their excellent co-chairing of the committee. I was particularly heartened, when I was at Garma this year, not only to note the points that Senator McCarthy just made in terms of the community calling for support of the voice but also to hear Noel Pearson say the committee report exceeded his expectations. Given that I don't always see eye-to-eye with Noel, I've got to admit, I think that we are on a unity ticket on this issue in that I think this report—although it's probably a bit rude saying this as part of the committee—has made an excellent contribution to progressing the voice because it has enabled people to very clearly articulate their support for the voice. That's a message that I took on very strongly.

There is very strong support for the voice. You'll note that in chapter 7, under paragraph 7.18, it says some common themes have emerged from evidence and committee, and that is the strong support for the concept of the voice. I can't articulate that strong enough. Support for local and regional structures has also been articulated. It's my personal opinion—and this was reinforced for me last weekend when I was at Garma—that there is strong support out there for constitutional entrenchment of the Indigenous voice. People articulated that really strongly in a lot of the evidence that we heard. They raised ATSIC and the fact that it was there one day and gone another, basically, and they articulated that the power of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders to make decisions was taken away. They very strongly want the voice body entrenched in the community. The evidence was also very clear that people didn't see the voice body, whatever it looks like into the future, as a third chamber, and so we should just knock that ridiculous concept on the head.

There is a list of questions that are clearly articulated in chapter 7, and I really urge the community to read this report. If you're really, really interested, go and read the Hansard of the hearings that we had. You will hear the passion of people for the Indigenous voice, and for the makarrata commission encompassing truth-telling and treaties. There is really strong support for those concepts. There was overwhelming support for the fact that these were Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, chosen by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, clearly putting the Uluru Statement from the Heart on the table. That was really strongly articulated as well.

What was really strongly articulated, too, was that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples want to be able to determine who goes on that voice body when the structures are eventually put in place. I, for one, am feeling very optimistic about how we can take the work of the committee forward and I have more optimism now about the ability of this place to come together to ensure that we have the change that has been so strongly pursued, as has been articulated by both Senator Dodson and Senator McCarthy in their contributions.

I urge Australians to read this report, look at the questions and provide your thoughts to the committee so that we can complete the task that we have been given. I seek leave to continue my remarks later.

Leave granted; debate adjourned.