Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Hansard source

What we've established tonight is the design principles mean absolutely nothing, because, as you've already stated earlier on, it is actually for the democratically elected parliament to determine what the body will look like, and they don't have to follow the design principles. New section 129 clearly states 'in recognition of'. It merely states that, in recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Peoples of Australia, there's going to be a body. I'm trying to explore what the body actually is. Yes, it's got to be called the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice, but I'm exploring here what the body is. Would it be possible to enact legislation saying that, for constitutional purposes, my local Rotary club is now the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice?