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

With all due respect, Senator Watt, you haven't answered those questions. These are actually different questions. They are now directly in relation to the design principles. The first questions we asked were in relation to the unanswered questions that the Leader of the Opposition asked the Prime Minister many, many, many months ago, and the Prime Minister has still failed to provide answers to those questions. We then turned to the actual legal implications of section 129, section 129(i), section 129(ii) and section 129(iii), and also the chapeau. I'm now directly dealing with the design principles here.

With all due respect, if you have no desire to answer the questions, I have no issues with that. That is your choice. All that says to the Australian people is—it might be one in the morning, but we only started the committee stage at around 6.30 tonight. There was no constitutional convention. None of these questions have been asked. There is a lot of debate in relation to this matter. This is, without a doubt, one of the most serious bills to ever come before this parliament. I personally take very, very seriously that I am standing here as a senator for Western Australia and I am debating a bill that will potentially change our Constitution. So, with all due respect, I would ask you again.

I have spoken to Indigenous people, as has Senator Nampijinpa Price. They are very concerned that they will not be heard. I come from Western Australia. We've got a pretty big state. The further away you go from a capital city, the more disadvantaged you become. I would love to know how the voices of people in Roebourne, Laverton and Warburton are going to be heard. I can tell you, this ain't going to make no difference to them, and they're very upfront about that. So, with all due respect, we are talking about how the Voice will operate. They are the questions that we get asked each and every day when we're out and about talking to people about this issue. They ask us for detail. And tonight I'm standing here on behalf of those people who want detail and I am asking you very, very reasonable questions. I'm merely asking about whether another person could force the Voice to consider making representations through litigation.