Marielle Smith (SA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I also rise to take note of the questions asked by opposition senators in this question time—in particular, the question by Senator Colbeck.

In the premise of his question, he said that our Prime Minister had failed to listen to the Australian people when it came to the Voice proposal. As we head into the final weeks of this campaign—as we head into the final weeks before referendum day on 14 October—what a disappointing thing it is to try to further divide and mislead when it comes to the Voice and when it comes to what this referendum is all about. We know this referendum is, at its very heart, about listening. That is its purpose, that is in its design. This is about listening when we haven't listened before; it's about listening, even when it's hard to do so; and it's about listening with purpose: listening to build a better future, listening to change the way we do things and listening to improve our policies in this country. It's about listening to close a gap that has persisted, year after year, decade after decade. Through good intent, through good will and through good investment that gap has persisted and persisted, and we have let Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in this country down.

That's because governments have not listened; they have not listened with purpose. I, for one, am not willing to accept that: I'm not willing to accept the gaps which exist. I'm not willing to exist with more of the same. Let's be absolutely clear: a 'no' vote is acceptance of more of the same. A 'yes' vote is the extension of a hand—a willingness to do better, to do differently. A 'yes' vote is taking that hand and stepping forward together in unity, with purpose, further down that path of reconciliation so we can do things better in this country, because we haven't done well enough.

We haven't done well enough by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in this country. We haven't done well enough by the children who are let down year after year in the education system. We haven't done well enough by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people incarcerated at a rate much, much higher than their peers. We haven't done well enough when it comes to life expectancy, when we have a life-expectancy gap of almost a decade in this country. We haven't done well enough when it comes to their maternal health—when it comes to the healthy birth of babies in this country. These gaps persist and they pervade, and they will continue to persist and pervade if we don't change our path.

There is an opportunity to change our path. There is an opportunity to accept a generous offer, given to the Australian public—a generous offer which allows us to do differently. It's an offer to listen, it's an offer to share and it's an offer to work together in codesign to make this country better and to close the gap. This is an opportunity for unity. For months, it has been used as an opportunity to divide by certain people from the coalition who want to use it as an opportunity to divide and who see it as an opportunity to pursue a path of more of the same. It's not everyone: I acknowledge those opposite, in particular, Senator Bragg, and others in the other chamber, who have stood up for their values. They have stood up after many, many years of advocacy and work to try to do better. I acknowledge them.

This is our opportunity to do better. This is our opportunity to listen with purpose. This is our opportunity to deliver something different. A vote for no is a vote for the status quo, and I cannot accept the status quo. We should not accept the status quo! We have an opportunity to do better in this country. We have an opportunity to listen with purpose. We have an opportunity to deliver something different. That's why I'm voting yes, and I hope that every Australian opens their heart to the idea that together we can do better. Together this can be an opportunity to unite us, and not divide us.