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

Senator Cox, we are supportive of your bill before the Senate in terms of an inquiry to consult across the country. That in itself will indicate to this parliament and this Senate and this government the impact that having such a commission could possibly have. But, as I said in the previous response, we learnt from the referendum. The pain and hardship that was created for First Nations people in this country was because there was no bipartisan support, and we will not endeavour down that pathway without the support of the opposition. The opposition leader made it very clear on that weekend that he is not going to do that. So that makes that pathway very difficult to tread.