Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Hansard source

Thanks, Senator McKim. As I'm sure you'd be aware, in recent years a number of states and territories have been leading when it comes to implementing some of the suggestions from the Uluru statement. When it comes to voice, obviously we now have a First Nations Voice in South Australia, which by all reports is operating quite effectively and may be worth some members for the opposition taking a look at. When it comes to treaty, my own state of Queensland recently passed legislation for a path to treaty. When it comes to truth, in Victoria the Yoorrook Justice Commission provides a model for that purpose.

Many of the matters that will be covered by treaty do relate to the states, and for that reason we think that, the more jurisdictions can make progress, the better the groundwork is laid for federal agreement making. I think that we all have a responsibility—every state and territory as well as the Commonwealth—and that's why we're encouraging the parliament to get behind this.