Malarndirri McCarthy (NT, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Minister for Indigenous Australians) Share this | Hansard source

I wish to bring to the attention of the Senate some commentary recently—even as recent as in Senators' statements—on the Voice here and in the other house. I remind senators and members of parliament that words matter and that the commentary and the hysteria being shown towards First Nations people and, in this instance most recently by Senator Hanson, in terms of the NIAA is uncalled for and totally wrong.

I think it's really important that here we have an opportunity in the Senate to call for evidence based issues and documents to come forward. A lot of the accusations I've heard in the Senate today are completely disgraceful. I reject outright the words of the senator, for starters. I would say this for the staff who work in the NIAA: you keep doing your job for the people of Australia. We have a significant moment in this country to do what we can to improve the lives of First Nations people. The government is following the path that we took to the election. These kinds of slurs and allegations against the staff of the NIAA are not on and are most unbecoming of a senator in this place. Bring forward your evidence and bring forward your allegations in the appropriate manner instead of casting aspersions against the credibility of those who work in the Public Service for this parliament and for this government.

I would say to the Senate: the hysteria that I've heard does not help Australians in this country. I would expect better of senators and parliamentarians—to lead in a manner with the most respect. We do not have to agree, but we can certainly have our conversations in a manner that does not scare everyone else in this country. I remind Senator Hanson that the world will not cave in; the sky will not fall down. I remember having this conversation with you over the closure of the climb at Uluru. I invited you to Uluru when that decision was made. That decision was made by the Uluru-Kata Tjuta Board of Management. It was a comprehensive vote by those board members and the Anangu people to close that climb in 2017, and in 2019, when it did occur, I accept that you went there.

I want to remind you that this journey towards the Voice and towards the referendum is also a similar journey. Do not be afraid. The sky will not cave in. We can have conversations here without denigrating people, without rubbishing people, without scaring people and certainly without making allegations that are unfounded and untrue and that cause hate and horror to fester and flow. That's not what this is about. That's not what the Senate should be about. I would remind senators and members of the other house that we have a fair way to go. The Prime Minister said that the referendum will occur between October and December. Let's conduct ourselves in a most dignified way. As I said, we don't have to agree, but we can certainly put our points in a much more appropriate way.