Linda Burney (Barton, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Families and Social Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. The Minister for Indigenous Australians said yesterday:

We're confident that the Australian people will be able to have their say on an Indigenous voice this year.

When will your government hold a referendum to enshrine a voice to the parliament in the Constitution?

Scott Morrison (Cook, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I want to thank the Minister for Indigenous Australians and indeed the shadow minister for how they have sought to work together on this issue, because it is my personal hope that Australia will reach a point where we can have a consensus where this could be achieved. But it has always been my view that I am not interested in seeing issues go forward that may fail and that will divide Australians. I want to do things that bring Australians together around this proposition, and I hope that we will be able to do that as soon as possible. I cannot say when that will be, because we have not arrived at that point, and I still think there is quite a journey that we are all on. I want to thank the Minister for Indigenous Australians for his commitment, his dedication, his passion and his persistence as he has sought to build consensus on this issue. But we are not there yet, and I hope one day we may be.