Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Trade and Tourism) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator Thorpe, for your question. I can't say much more, in honesty, than I said in answer to your previous question. These groups—and I don't accept your categorisation of them as simply being 'yes' people—are there to give government advice on the best way of achieving an Indigenous voice to parliament. That's the purpose. The objective is not to give the government advice on how not to do that, which is what I think you are asking to do.

You may not like the position that the federal government has taken on the Voice, but we are the government. We are entitled to present the position that we took to the Australian people at the last election in support of an Indigenous voice to parliament. And that is exactly what we're doing. It is appropriate that the people who are giving us that advice are treated in the way that this bill seeks to. That is their job. That's what they're doing. They're doing a very good job. Constitutional change is not easy in this country, Senator Thorpe. I, personally, support the Voice to Parliament. My home state of South Australia—I think this week, or in the next few days—is in fact doing this. South Australia, as it always has been, is a leader in social change in this country. That's what they're doing. Now it is time for Australia to catch up. We need catch up with the moves in South Australia.