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

What this is about is very simple. It's about recognising Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Peoples of Australia and creating a Voice to Parliament through which they can make representations to the parliament and the executive government of the Commonwealth on matters relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. It won't diminish the rights of other Australians. One of the Liberal Party members of the House of Representatives, Mr Leeser, has asked, seriously, 'Does anyone believe that Indigenous Australians occupy a place of privilege?' It doesn't have anything to say about the position of non-Indigenous Australians, but it would have tangible benefits for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people because, as we have repeatedly said, we believe that you get the best outcomes when you listen to people. That's what the Voice is about.

Again, Senator Nampijinpa Price, you say that people want you to ask the government where they stand. I can only assume that you asked Mr Littleproud and Mr Dutton the same questions when they said that they supported constitutional recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as the First Peoples of Australia. I'd be interested to know what they had to say about that and whether they thought that that put other people second or third or fourth—because we're told the coalition has signed up to that position. We're told the coalition has signed up to that part, just not the Voice. So, if it was okay for the coalition to claim that they support the recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders as our First Peoples, then I imagine you've had to have these discussions with your own colleagues.