Carol Brown (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Minister for Infrastructure and Transport) Share this | Hansard source

Beautiful place, lovely place—far too hot for any Tasmanians! We were having a discussion with the Larrakia nation community organisation. The way they talked about their culture and discussed it—this is a real community. You can't be anything but touched and feel profoundly influenced if you have the opportunity to hear and listen to Indigenous people. I found it quite incredibly moving. I think we should be incredibly proud of that history, where Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have had the longest living connection to land, sea and sky compared to anywhere else in the world.

Some senators may claim that this is an idea that has been formulated by the Labor Party—far from it. The idea of constitutional recognition through a voice to parliament follows consultation with over 1,200 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, representing their communities, at numerous dialogues across the country. Once completed, the representatives from the dialogues met at Uluru and formulated what we now know as the Uluru Statement from the Heart. What we are doing is listening, like all good governments should. We're listening to what that Uluru Statement from the Heart calls for: constitutional recognition through a voice to parliament. We are all better off when we stop and listen to those around us, to the people who will be impacted by it the most, and to use the knowledge that they harbour to make decisions that will make real lasting changes to communities.

For too long, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have had haphazard representation, if there has been any representation at all, because they've been dependent on election cycles and the government of the day. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have always organised themselves in an attempt to effect political and social change for them and their communities; however, without a structure set out in the Constitution it has been far too easy for governments to dismiss the calls of such groups. The Voice will change this. The Voice is simply about listening. The Voice will be there, no matter the party in government, no matter the politics of the day. The Voice will remain. The need to listen will remain. I really find it hard to understand how you can be frightened of listening.

Finally, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people will have a consistent and representative advisory body. I'll be out there campaigning for a voice to parliament alongside so many Australians, many of whom will be campaigning for the first time and many of whom who will be voting in their first referendum, like my kids. My kids have never voted in a referendum. I've never seen two children more excited about being out there and having an opportunity to vote yes, and I'm so proud of them to have come to that decision themselves. They understand we need to do something different. They understand the extraordinary need to recognise the First Peoples of this nation. They understand that you need to listen. They embrace it. And I hope, I believe, Australians will embrace it; I do.

I know that Tasmanians will stand up, show up and vote yes for constitutional recognition and a voice to parliament. I commend Premier Rockliff and former premier Gutwein on their strong stance in their support for the 'yes' case and their support for a voice to parliament. As I've said, I know that Tasmanians have it in them to be on the right side of history.

I'm looking forward to celebrating when the day comes that Australia is a more mature and a more representative country. In the words of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese:

We approach these tasks and the work of constitutional change, with humility and with hope.

Humility: because over 200 years of broken promises and betrayals, failures and false starts demand nothing less.

Humility because—so many times—the gap between the words and deeds of governments has been as wide as this great continent.

But also hope.

Hope in your abilities as advocates and campaigners, as champions for this cause.

And hope because I believe the tide is running our way. I believe the momentum is with us, as never before.

I believe the country is ready for this reform.

I believe there is room in Australian hearts for the Statement from the Heart.

In conclusion, I would like to extend my sincere thanks to the Minister for Indigenous Australians, Linda Burney; the Assistant Minister from Indigenous Australians, Senator Malarndirri McCarthy; and, of course, the forefather of constitutional recognition, Senator Pat Dodson. Your commitment and leadership to make a real difference to the lives of First Nations people is second to none. Again, I will be voting yes. I hope that the referendum is successful and that we can move forward together. Now is a time for our country to come together.