Malarndirri McCarthy (NT, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Minister for Indigenous Australians) Share this | Hansard source

I just want to put on the record, after some of the comments that have been said earlier this afternoon and this morning, that I would encourage Australians out there to look through the vitriol that is going on here in the Senate and to come back to what the original intent of the referendum is all about—that is, an advisory body made up of First Nations people who can advise the government and the parliament of the day on matters that impact them: low life expectancy, suicides and low birth weights.

I thank all of those supporters wanting to see this referendum succeed. To those thousands and thousands and thousands of Australians who are doing everything they can to reach out across the country amidst such hatred and hurtfulness that is going on time after time, I thank you for the work that you are doing. I say to Australians: this will make a difference. If we have a yes, this will make a difference to the lives of First Nations people in this country, who are three per cent of the population. It actually won't impact you, but it will impact those First Nations people who need to know that they have a place in this country where they are recognised as the First Peoples of this country and where they can have their children grow to an elderly age without dying earlier from the chronic disease that is so treacherous across our nation in terms of all the failures that we have around health conditions. This is about a Voice to Parliament. Please listen to First Nations people.