Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you to Senator Cash for the question. I'd make a few points. The first is that Marcia Langdon is a respected academic who was appointed by, from memory, your government to work on the proposed Voice to Parliament. I would also make this point that everyone comes to this debate with their own experience, but I would encourage all of us to come to this conversation in the spirit of respect and empathy and to represent people's contributions faithfully. If the question is, 'Do I agree with the accusation of racism?', no, I don't. I think this is an important moment for the nation. It's an important moment for the nation because our First Nations Australians have come to us and asked us to listen. The request from First Nations Australians comes at the end of a long process, and I think it is incumbent upon all of us to engage openly and honestly. Every Australian has a vote, and every Australian is entitled to their own opinion, but people aren't entitled to their own facts. The national conversation should be based on fact, not fear. Those of us in this—

People can look at this conversation right now and see which of us is behaving respectfully for different opinions, Senator Cash. We set the tone here in this chamber. We have a responsibility to engage honestly and to call out misinformation and dishonesty and division wherever we see it. I would hope this could be a moment of unity. We owe it to those who've been involved in years of work, from those at the First Nations constitutional dialogues to the Uluru Statement from the Heart to the legislation passed here in the chamber and the referendum itself. I'd urge fact, not fear, to be the basis of this discussion.