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

I'm going to again give you an opportunity to properly respond to that question, because if you cannot tell the Australian people—quite frankly, it's not the Australian people. If you cannot tell Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander peoples what this government means by 'matters relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples', then, quite frankly, I say: 'Shame on you.' So I am going to ask you again, Minister Watt—

The TEMPORARY CHAIR: Senator Cash, come to a simple question.

I've got another nine minutes to go. I am going to ask you—

The TEMPORARY CHAIR: No. Senator Cash, you can make statements—

I hope there's trying to shut me down, purely because I'm trying to express an opinion. I would find that—

The TEMPORARY CHAIR: Of course not, Senator Cash. Please continue.

I'm going to ask you my question again, Senator Watt, for the purposes of Hansard. I can tell you that I'm out there, as are all of my colleagues—Senator Liddle, Senator Scarr, Senator Nampijinpa Price, Senator McKenzie and Senator Ruston. This is one of the questions that we are asked every time we talk to someone about this. They ask: 'Can you please tell us what are matters pertaining to or relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples?' So I ask you again: what is the meaning of 'matters relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples'? What is the government's understanding of the legal implication of that?