Lidia Thorpe (Victoria, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

or THORPE () (): In subsection 4, where you've included 'does not prevent the Commonwealth from extending money in relation to meetings of the Constitutional Expert Group, the Referendum Engagement Group, or the Referendum Working Group' these are all 'yes' people. They are all pretty well-paid CEOs in their own right who are now being paid by the government to say yes, and who don't have the consent of the people who they say that they represent. The Prime Minister was asked to meet with the black sovereign movement one month ago. We've had no response, and there has been no opportunity for black sovereigns in this country to have a conversation about their future. I don't understand the transparency and accountability if you're only paying 'yes' blackfellas and not allowing the progressive 'no' blackfellas even a seat at the table. I don't see the transparency and accountability—or fairness, to be precise. Can you explain that to the black sovereign movement watching today, who have been denied a seat at the table? They've asked the Prime Minister to have a conversation, and only 'yes' people are being paid at this point in time by your government, because it's your agenda.