Luke Gosling (Solomon, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I first want to associate myself with the words of the former speaker, the member for Dawson, about the importance of looking after our veterans.

On the weekend I was privileged to attend the Garma Festival, at Gulkala in north-east Arnhem Land, with the Prime Minister. My first Garma Festival was while I was serving with NORFORCE in north-east Arnhem Land back in 2007, and it was great to catch up with some of the Yolngu soldiers I served with back at that time, on their country. It was great to be on Yolngu land and hear the Prime Minister lay out a clear pathway for establishing an Indigenous Voice to Parliament.

Also at Garma were the Minister and Assistant Minister for Indigenous Australians; Pat Dodson; the Attorney-General; and the member for Lingiari, Marion Scrymgour. As the Prime Minister pointed out, the Voice is not a matter of special treatment; it's about consulting First Nations people on the decisions that affect them—it's as simple as that. And it's really important for our country to take this step forward together, to be faced with the clear, direct question, Do you support an alteration to the Constitution that establishes an Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander Voice?—and to answer yes.

There was a real spirit of joy and optimism at Garma. I think I've been to about eight Garma Festivals over the years, and it was wonderful to sit at the Bungul to watch the Yolngu dancers perform, as they do with such power and grace, and also to see them joined on the Bungul by Ministers Burney and McCarthy, by the member for Lingiari and by the NT Chief Minister, Natasha Fyles, as well as Minister Lawler and Minister Uibo. I briefly entered the Bungul for a quick dance. It is a special place and a special thing to be part of, and I encourage all members to try to get to the Garma Festival at some time.

My constituent Thomas Mayor was there as well. He was a delegate to the Uluru Statement from the Heart, and he's also written a book called Finding the Heart of Our Nation. This is what Thomas said about our government's commitment to the statement and of the Prime Minister's leadership—

A division having been called in the House of Representatives—

Sitting suspended from 16 : 25 to 16 : 42