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

While the Greens won't be opposing this reference, we wish to express our deep concern that this has been referred to a committee that is purely dealing with northern Australia. My question is: does that mean that there are no Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander heritage and cultural issues that need to be dealt with in southern Australia? I also want to point out that this is a government dominated committee, and it's the very government that has not been carrying out its duties as it should be in terms of protecting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander heritage and culture. So my question is: why is it being referred to a committee that's dominated by the government when they're the ones that are involved in the decision-making on the issue that is supposed to be being investigated?

Question agreed to.