Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Wong. Minister, over the past week the government has repeatedly criticised the opposition for wanting to talk about matters other than the Voice. So I'd like to ask the government some specific questions about how the Voice will work. How will the different Indigenous groups represented by the Voice resolve internal differences? Will they vote like a parliament? Will they give multiple dissenting opinions like a court? Or will they be required to reach consensus like a treaty negotiation?

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

NG (—) (): Thank you for the question and thank you for the opportunity to speak about the Voice. As the senator well knows, were the referendum to pass, she and other senators in this place would be part of resolving how—

Opposition Senators:

Opposition senators interjecting—

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

Well, you would be. You would be part of resolving how this works.

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

Minister Wong, please resume your seat. Senator Cash, you've asked your question.

Senator McKenzie and Senator Canavan! The minister is entitled to be heard in silence. That is what I am requesting.

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

As I said, the senator well knows that, were the referendum to be passed, those in this chamber would get the opportunity, as members of parliament and the Senate, to resolve the sorts of matters that she is describing.

One hears what Senator Cash says. What I'd say to Senator Cash is that Mr Dutton and Senator Cash are really continuing the legacy of Scott Morrison, always putting the political interest ahead of the national interest. And you know why they talk about—

Honourable senators interjecting—

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

Minister Wong, please resume your seat. Order on my left! Order! Senator Cash, you've asked your question. Please allow the minister to answer.

Senator McKenzie, that includes you! Order across the chamber! Interjections across the chamber are particularly dis—

Senator Canavan! Please continue, Minister Wong.

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

They want to talk about everything except what the Voice does, because they know Australians wouldn't find the current situation experienced by Indigenous Australians acceptable. There was proof this weekend.

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

Senator Cash, what is your problem? I have called you to order several times.

Order! Order across the chamber! Senator O'Sullivan! I should not have to call senators individually. Senator Cash, you've asked your question. The minister is answering it. Listen in silence.

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

If you want any proof of their intentions, other than observing this chamber, listen to what comes out of their own mouths. Mr Coorey of the Financial Review reported that one coalition MP told him:

We can't win the election unless we defeat the Voice solidly, ie we need to defeat it to get to the election starting line.

If you ever wanted an example of why Scott Morrison's leftovers are still continuing his legacy, it's that message to Phil Coorey.

Honourable senators interjecting—

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

Order! Minister Wong, please continue.

Senator Sterle, I have just called the chamber to order and then you immediately call out. That is disrespectful.

Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Pathetic.

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

I hear 'pathetic' from Senator McKenzie. Well, you know what's pathetic? That's pathetic: to say, 'We can’t win the election unless we defeat the Voice solidly.' You know what that shows? You learnt nothing from the last election about what Australians want. You continue the Morrison-Dutton legacy of always looking to your own interest and never to the national interest. (Time expired)

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

Senator Cash, a first supplementary?

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Minister. Specifically focusing on the Voice, once again, the government has committed to ensuring that Voice representation is gender-balanced and will include youth and has told the Senate, 'Voice members will be elected.' Which Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander electorates will be required to have a youth member represent them?

Hon. Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

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

Order! Before I call the minister—

Senator Cash, I haven't even called the minister and you are already interjecting across the chamber. Senator Watt is as well. I'll remind you the minister has right to be heard in silence.

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

I'd refer to Mr Leeser's comments in a speech he gave, because there are people on your side who support this. He made the point—

I know that you don't like that there are those on your side who might actually have better principles than Mr Dutton.

Honourable senators interjecting—

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

Minister Wong, please resume your seat. Order across the chamber!

Order! Senator McKenzie. Minister, please continue.

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

Mr Leeser went through the principles associated with the Voice in detail. He made this point:

The Voice will be a body of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians that will provide advice to the government.

It works like a committee.

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

Once again, Senator Cash, order!

Senator Pratt!

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

As Mr Leeser said:

The Voice is about advice so that governments can make better decisions—better decisions that come from listening to people.

It is amazing, isn't it, that Mr Dutton seemed to think that saying 'sorry' was the end of the world. Listening to Senator Cash, you'd think that listening is the end of democracy. We think listening to First Nations people in order to get better outcomes isn't a bad way— (Time expired)

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

Senator Cash, your second supplementary?

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Specifically focusing on the Voice, once again, the full Uluru Statement from the Heart makes clear: 'The Voice should be accommodated on an appropriate site within the parliamentary circle in Canberra.' Has the government conducted any preliminary work to identify locations within Parliament House or nearby to accommodate the Voice? If so, what work has been done?

Hon. Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

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

Before I call the minister, I'm waiting for silence.

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

This is the level to which someone who was once a member of the federal cabinet is prepared to sink: to actually ask about that level—an address. We have Indigenous Australians with the sorts of outcomes which are articulated in the Closing the Gap—

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

Minister Wong, please resume your seat. Senator Hughes! For all of the senators who are interjecting, may I remind you that tonight we have an open-ended adjournment. If you have something to say, put your name on the list, but question time is not the time for there to be shouting across the chamber and interjecting. Minister Wong.

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

Ahead of this referendum, which goes to whether or not we, as a nation, can take the invitations that First Nations leaders and representatives have made, in order to listen to people to get better outcomes in the face of all the disadvantage that time and time again in this place we have all spoken about with such sorrow. And instead of responding to that moment, the Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate is asking about addresses. Where are you when this country needs leadership? Where is the coalition whenever this country needs leadership? You are in the dirt, as always! (Time expired)

Honourable senators interjecting—

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

Thank you, Minister. Order! I am asking for silence. Senator McKenzie, I've called you several times. Senator Hughes, Senator Scarr! Order! Senator McGrath. Order!

Senator Ayres, I am trying to get the chamber to order, and that interjection across the chamber was very unhelpful.