Pauline Hanson (Queensland, Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Wong. The Prime Minister has stated that an Indigenous voice to parliament will consult Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people on matters that affect them. If that's the case, will you please provide the Australian people and me with the government's list of all the matters which don't affect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people?

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

Given I'm asked about the Voice, I would like to acknowledge, if I may, the ten leaders from Empowered Communities who are in the President's Gallery today as part of their visit to Canberra to advocate, from the grassroots, for constitutional recognition through the Voice to Parliament.

Senator Hanson, I appreciate your position on the Voice. I think you have made that clear, and probably no answer I will give you will satisfy you, because you have made your opposition to this clear. I would first make the point that the Voice is about two things. It is about recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in our Constitution, and it is about consultation with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people on matters that affect them.

In terms of the various aspects of detail, I would make two points. First, the referendum working group have already offered principles of what the Voice would look like. The second point I make is: if Australians see fit to change our Constitution in the way I hope they do, you, alongside every other member and Senator in this parliament, will have a say in how that Voice operates, because it is parliament that will legislate. There will be consultation and there will be legislation—just as you have a right, at the moment, to respond to and deal with legislation that comes before the chamber.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Hanson, on a point of order?

Pauline Hanson (Queensland, Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, President. The point of order is on a matter of relevance. More than half the time the minister has to respond to my question has passed. I asked directly about what matters don't affect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. She hasn't even touched on that whatsoever. It's a matter of relevance.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator Hanson. You've raised a point of order. You asked at the beginning of your question a broad question about the Voice. You referred to comments the Prime Minister had made, so Minister Wong is being relevant.

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

Senator Hanson, I am trying to respond very honestly, because the reality is those matters will be the subject of a discussion in this parliament and a discussion with the community, should Australians vote for a constitutional recognition.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order, Senator Hanson! Senator Hanson, order! You have asked you question.

The:

Senator Hanson, I have called you to order. It's an order, not a request. The minister is answering your question. You may not like the answer, but she's answering your question. Please continue, Minister Wong.

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

Senator Hanson—through you, President—what Australians are being asked to vote on is a principle of whether there should be a voice. The detail will come from the parliament and the government that is elected by the people, and it is for the parliament and future parliaments to determine the detail of how it works, including the issues that you describe.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Hanson, a first supplementary question.

Pauline Hanson (Queensland, Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Last month, the Minister for Indigenous Australians said that if the proposed Voice to Parliament had been established earlier then we would not be where we are with escalating violence and crime in Alice Springs. Will the minister please provide the direct evidence supporting this claim, and does the Prime Minister support this claim?

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

Senator Hanson, I think that everybody in this place, I would hope, understands that the challenges that we see—and some of our colleagues are living in Alice Springs and in the Northern Territory—are not new challenges, and to pretend otherwise is disingenuous. I would hope that the principle is that if you work with local communities and listen to local communities you achieve better outcomes. Senator Hanson, we come from very different political places, but I recognise that you do work in your community, you do engage with your community, and I would think you would understand that policy is intrinsically better if there is an engagement with, and a listening to, the community. The Voice is about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people having a say. That's what it's about. I think we are stronger when people have a say.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Hanson, a second supplementary question.

Pauline Hanson (Queensland, Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I hope you can answer my third question, because I've had no response to my second question, or my first one, for that matter. If the referendum rejects the Voice being inserted in the Constitution, will the government legislate a Voice that will clearly be against the will of the people?

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

We are working to achieve change to our Constitution in accordance with the wishes of so many of our First Nations people, who have very eloquently articulated this offer of recognition, consultation and a path forward together in the Uluru statement. We are hopeful that there will be enough people of goodwill in this place and in the community to ensure that we are able to do what was sought and insert a provision into our Constitution. That is what we are doing, so—

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister Wong, please resume your seat. Senator Hanson.

Pauline Hanson (Queensland, Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise on relevance to the question.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Hanson—

Pauline Hanson (Queensland, Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I asked a question. If the referendum does not get up, will they legislate? Yes or not? Very simple.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Hanson, I've called you to order. You stand up and you ask a point of order. You talked about the outcome of the referendum, and that is exactly what the minister is referring to. Please continue, Minister.

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

We are optimistic and we are hopeful about the referendum, and that is the focus of the government's work. I don't propose to get into what-ifs, because our job as the government is to do what we said we would if we were elected. Our job is to keep faith with the commitment we gave not only to the Australian people in the broad but to our First Nations Australians, and we will do so.