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

Senator, as I said I in my summing-up speech—and I know the argument is being made by members for your party, possibly including you; I'm not sure—this bill is not about race. As we all know, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have occupied the Australian continent for over 60,000 years. They represent the oldest continuous living cultures in human history. They've maintained a relationship with Australia's land, waters and sky since times immemorial, but the Australian Constitution has never recognised the unique status of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Peoples of this country. That's what this bill does; it recognises Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the first peoples of Australia, not as a race.