Jim Chalmers (Rankin, Australian Labor Party, Treasurer) Share this | Hansard source

Unlike the shadow Treasurer, I believe there's an important role for the federal government and the federal budget in seeking and delivering better outcomes for First Nations people. I stand by the funding that we've provided, over two budgets now, towards that objective.

As I said earlier in the week, one of the reasons the shadow Treasurer and his colleagues don't want to ask us what this referendum is about is that they know. They don't want to ask us what it's about; they want to ask us what it's not about. This referendum is not about makarrata. This referendum is not about the other issues that they're asking about. This referendum is about a Voice to Parliament. A Voice to Parliament is about recognition, listening and better outcomes, and I'm surprised that he doesn't want to see those better outcomes.

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